[T2] fuel gauge unreliability

[Aurelio Sanabria]

My one is always 1/4 gallon  under the real  measure.

Also, when there is only one quarter remaining the needle sticks there and only after turn it off and then turn it on again that the needle falls to the R.

And yes, I learn this the hard way... Like three times the  hard way... to be presice.



accessys at smart.net escribió:
>
>in carrying fuel in containers remember to put in some fuel stabilizer
>so 
>it will not be varnish when needed, every few months I pour my spare
>into 
>the tank and refill the container just to keep things fresh.
>
>Bob
>
>On Tue, 5 Nov 2013, Robert Mann wrote:
>
>> Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 08:54:57 +1300
>> From: Robert Mann <robtmann7 at gmail.com>
>> To: VW type 2 late aircooled <type2 at type2.com>
>> Subject: [T2] fuel gauge unreliability
>> 
>> 	I was aware that my 40-y-old petrol gauge was not fully accurate. 
>In 
>> 7y of consistent performance, it has always slightly failed to show
>Full when 
>> the tank has just been filled to the visible top, and alleged Empty
>when I 
>> can go a further c.25 mi on econocruise.  Systematic skewing of
>readings like 
>> that is not a practical problem; no complaints (tho' I would like a
>Reserve 
>> tap).
>> 	But last week I set out a half-h early to drive 30 mi to a rare 
>> lecture by a world leader in applied ecology, whom I had met 30 y
>ago.  I'd 
>> been content to pay $10 to the host Ak Museum website, because I have
>admired 
>> this eminent scholar's thought for 4 decades (and sold c.800 of his
>textbook 
>> to my students over a dozen y).  My fuel gauge showed 1/4 and so I
>breezed on 
>> past a handy filling station, fixated on trying to beat the Rush Hour
>Creep 
>> over the harbour bridge and thru beautiful downtown Auckland.  The
>experience 
>> became dismal, frustrated as I arrived late, missing some of the
>lecture and 
>> unable to contact the visitors & the chmn to arrange to dine with
>them.
>>
>> 	A few mi along the motorway the engine quit in the manner of a fuel 
>> failure.  I could find no fault to explain this most unwelcome
>stoppage, and 
>> concluded the gauge had stuck at 1/4.
>> 	A good friend chanced along within 5 min, so it was straightfwd to 
>> take the next exit and get soaked $19.99 for a 10-litre plastic
>petrol 
>> bottle.  Serve me right for not having spare fuel on board.
>>
>> 	 I realise that many old bus-drivers know this full well (probably 
>> having made a mistake like the above); my aim in passing along this
>bitter 
>> shameful experience is to warn younger players that the fuel gauges
>in our 
>> middle-aged vehicles are not to be entirely trusted.  They can, for
>instance, 
>> suddenly quietly stick.
>>
>>
>> Conclusions:
>> 	1.  Carry spare fuel in a suitable can ( some modern plastic 'cans' 
>> are approved for petrol), clamped in a safe pozzie within the bus
>(check that 
>> cogent content <:-|}.  Top ideas for this positioning, for given-size
>cans, 
>> will doubless surge in.
>> 	2.  Do not assume a decades-old fuel gauge will continue to perform 
>> consistently; it may stick, so do not put blind faith in its
>readings.  The 
>> same warning applies to any USA-model gages :-P designed to show
>gasoline 
>> content <:-|
>> 	3.Continue or revive the habit established on pre-gauge vehicles e.g
>
>> typical motorcycles and of course Splitties: note the odometer
>reading at 
>> full, and keep track of distance travelled since. Use your 
>> previously-measured mpg to estimate by mental arithmetic how much
>fuel 
>> remains.
>> 	4.  If you get too elderly to remember the 'full' odo reading, you 
>> should write it e.g  on a small cardboard list taped to your dash or 
>> otherwise handy to the driver.
>> 	5.  If you have become gravely hooked on kompughtink, write or rip a
>
>> program to do all this for you :-X
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Robt Mann
>> Whangaparaoa, New Zealand
>> '73 VW 1600dp Devon camper
>> '53 Meteor V8
>> various Jawa-CZ and Jawa-NZ strokers
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-- 
Aurelio