Why do you rarely see a fuel guage?

[ChrisPy]

I've always wondered why they sell fuel in litres: I use it in inches!

wet inches or dry inches ???? ..............

Edited July 11, 2007 by chris polley

[Machpoint005]

I use wet inches then they become dry

[bottle]

I use wet inches then they become dry

 

Do you have to allow for shrinkage

[Machpoint005]

No, expansion...

[bargeeboy]

I suppose the title says it all - why do you rarely see fuel guages, and would it be a simplish task to have one retrofitted?

At Narrowcraft we fit fuel gauges as standard

It very easy to do during construction

We also now fabricate 2 fuel tanks in anticipation of the impending fuel duty change so heating oil can be kept seperate from drive train fuel.

[MikeV]

At Narrowcraft we fit fuel gauges as standard

It very easy to do during construction

 

I've just bought a narrowboat which also has a fuel gauge fitted (mechanical type on the counter with a brass bezel) presumably from new. The boat is about 8 years old and the inside of the gauge has a significant quantity of water in it and it is beginning to rust the dial. I've dipped the tank and the reading seems to be accurate but until I fill up with diesel I can't be sure the gauge is working.

 

I'm assuming there is a rubber seal which has aged that has allowed the water ingress. Anyone know if there are spares available for such gauges, and who supplies them? And if it is easy to take the gauge apart?

 

thanks

//Mike

[Gary Peacock]

I've just bought a narrowboat which also has a fuel gauge fitted (mechanical type on the counter with a brass bezel) presumably from new. The boat is about 8 years old and the inside of the gauge has a significant quantity of water in it and it is beginning to rust the dial. I've dipped the tank and the reading seems to be accurate but until I fill up with diesel I can't be sure the gauge is working.

 

I'm assuming there is a rubber seal which has aged that has allowed the water ingress. Anyone know if there are spares available for such gauges, and who supplies them? And if it is easy to take the gauge apart?

 

thanks

//Mike

 

If it's this type they are quite hard to get hold of now

 

 

They used to popular both in the original vintage form and the reproduction I suspect made in India.

 

They always filled with water on the vehicles I worked with that used them when the seals failed, but you can unscrew the bezel to do a bit of restoration. (Some people used to fill them up with oil and claimed this kept out the water.)

 

They aren't cheap these days probably £250.00 ish! So it worth fixing.

[MikeV]

They aren't cheap these days probably £250.00 ish! So it worth fixing.

Ouch!!! Thanks Gary,

 

I'll see what I can achieve by taking it apart first! I've already got my dipstick. If the gauge is still working I'll be able to calibrate ready for when the gauge seizes up completely!!

[John Orentas]

It is very common to see instruments and indicators which are oil filled, the idea being that the mechanism of a pressure gauge for example is damped and lubricated to give a steady smooth movement, but perhaps more important it is a protection in the event of internal leakage and subsequent explosive breakage.

I like instrumentation but fuel gauges always seem a bit over the top to me, a dip stick or in many cases simply looking into the filler is a more economic solution.