Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: mustang (Brandon Peskin)

My 65:

The tank is 16 gallons (or so I think)

- When the original fuel gauge read "half", I would always put in
about 10-11 gallons at the pump. The range between the 1/2 way mark
and E was shorter than that of the first half.

- The new gauge is a bit more accurate. For example, when I started
taking the car apart, I noted that the original fuel gauge was on F.
When I tested the new gauge, it read about 3/4. Figuring that the new
gauge was more accurate, I went with that.

The new gauge said about half (maybe a little less) yesterday and the
car took 13 gallons at the pump. I've also driven about 75 miles on
this tank and the gauge still reads pretty damn close to F.


I've seen the float fail and gas get into it - causing the gauge to
read empty or lower than what's actually in there -- but never the
other way around. Do you think my float arm is sticking? Is that even
possible? Is it best to clean it or replace it?

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: wal (Wal Marshall)

Sounds like there could be a mismatch in resistance between the gauge and
sender. Suggest you remove the sender (check the float is OK etc) then
operate it over its full travel and observe the gauge. It should go smoothly
from full to empty of course. If not then the sender has the wrong
resistance range for the gauge.

If the sender resistance is too low, an in-line resister in the sender
cable may fix it... A range something like 10-90 ohms is normal...

Also check that when the sender is installed in the tank, that the float arm
is actually able to move fully up and fully down. If the arm is bent the
wrong shape it may not have full travel... (I bought a brand new sender for
my 69 and found the arm was miles out of shape for correct reading ... In
your case it maybe the arm isn't able to reach the top of the tank in which
case it cannot start sinking till the tank is half empty.

Cheers Wal


-----Original Message-----
From: classic-mustangs-bounces at lists.twistedpair.ca
[mailto:classic-mustangs-bounces at lists.twistedpair.ca] On Behalf Of Brandon
Peskin
Sent: Monday, 6 July 2009 10:00 a.m.
To: Wal Marshall
Subject: [CM] What would make a gas gauge read *more* than what's actuallyin
there?

My 65:

The tank is 16 gallons (or so I think)

- When the original fuel gauge read "half", I would always put in about
10-11 gallons at the pump. The range between the 1/2 way mark and E was
shorter than that of the first half.

- The new gauge is a bit more accurate. For example, when I started taking
the car apart, I noted that the original fuel gauge was on F.
When I tested the new gauge, it read about 3/4. Figuring that the new gauge
was more accurate, I went with that.

The new gauge said about half (maybe a little less) yesterday and the car
took 13 gallons at the pump. I've also driven about 75 miles on this tank
and the gauge still reads pretty damn close to F.


I've seen the float fail and gas get into it - causing the gauge to read
empty or lower than what's actually in there -- but never the other way
around. Do you think my float arm is sticking? Is that even possible? Is it
best to clean it or replace it?



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