Fuel sending unit and fuel gauge issue.....

[Blue_Runner]

I just replaced mine. There was a calculation on the package. Also had the benefit of holding the new next to the old unit to compare. Old unit still worked perfectly but the design of top round piece (where the screws go) was terrible and allowed fuel to leak around the screw threads.

Mine was a Moeller.

[bradford]

Haven't run a fuel gauge in several years. A mechanical in tank gauge is on my to do list though, no wires, KISS.

[SkunkBoat]

60 gal tank but you will never get 60 into it before the vent spits. And that varies depending on how the boat is sitting. If you're in the water, it really varies...
also, don't bend it, you need to move the arm pivot point up or down and or adjust the length of the arm.
Bending will just make it wrong the other way.

If you read 1/4 when you are near empty, your pivot point is too low,or the arm is too long, or you need to turn the unit so the float arm orients along the centerline of the tank.
(i.e. its hitting the side of the tank)

tsubaki got it right, the v in the belly tank makes it impossible to be accurate thru the full range of the gauge. Watching it as you fill from empty is the ticket...
Of course, once you launch the boat it changes and varies by load.
They can make a calibrated one but $$$$$

I can put about 5 gal in mine after it pegs on full...just not worth messing with it.

[macojoe]

I am like spare, 20 years never had a working gauge, never ran out of fuel! just figure out what you use per trip and you should be good, I always fill up at the end of the day so i am always going out on a full tank!

[Blue_Runner]

Skunk, I pumped my 60 gal tank last year due to suspected trash in tank. When I filled I got over 64 gallons in it. Probably not 64 "useable" gallons, but 64 nonetheless.

[summercooler1]

Originally Posted by bradford

Haven't run a fuel gauge in several years. A mechanical in tank gauge is on my to do list though, no wires, KISS.

have one in my v 20 and love it . also have a north star fuel meter just for fun

[bradford]

Originally Posted by summercooler1

have one in my v 20 and love it . also have a north star fuel meter just for fun

My Garmin supposedly does something like that too, need to research it and hook one of those up as well.

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

I just replaced mine. There was a calculation on the package. Also had the benefit of holding the new next to the old unit to compare. Old unit still worked perfectly but the design of top round piece (where the screws go) was terrible and allowed fuel to leak around the screw threads.

Mine was a Moeller.

Blue under - I found the same top round piece design so what was different with the new unit you installed ?
Since the tank is plastic, I figured drilling additional holes for added screws wouldn't be able to tighten enough without stripping the plastic top of tank.
Interested in how you corrected this.

[Blue_Runner]

I tried to find a pic of one with the same poor design but I couldn't. Here is how it should be - round plate should be flat all the way around where the rim of the screw heads meet the plate. The old one has notches on the outter edge around the screws making it impossible to seal around screws.

On the new unit I bought the screws have some sort of teflon coating around the rim allowing it to seal around the bolts. I still can't get s few of them real tight but the instructions say they don't have to be very tight. Only tight enough to compress the seal around the screws. I have 1 that is stripped out pretty good, and 1 or 2 more moderately stripped out. Seems ok now but the real test will be upon next fill up.

Stock Interweb photo:

[smokeonthewater]

Two options... One is larger screws and the other is to rotate the sending unit slightly and make new holes.

Don't just leave it with stripped screws as that is likely to start leaking at any time without warning.