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Fuel gauges

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ibanez540r

Contributing Member
A little frustrated with my fuel gauges. I had bought brand new senders a year ago and was a little rushed the day I put them in. After installing, the gauges never read over 1/2 tank. I figured I may have had them angled a little so the float may be hitting the side of the tank as it went up. I recently got around to pulling them out again and had somebody at the helm as I raised the float 1/4 1/2 3/4 full. The gauge read accordingly and all seemed well. Put them back in making sure straight and not binding in any way. ... Nope. Went to put fuel in for the first time last week (the tanks after senders back in now read empty) and was getting nothing.

BTW the gauges themselves were tested by crossing the leads and they do jump to full.

Any ideas? new senders, gauge checks OK, gauge corresponds with sender until in the tank???

Any idea if there are baffles in 75gal aluminum tanks the float could be hitting??
 
The tank should have baffles in it. Whether the will hit the pontoon can old be determined by inspection.

Did the replacement senders match what was taken out, as far as dimensions, and installed with the float in the same orientation?

Like you are thinking, if they are well behaved outside of the tank, there is something inside the tank causing the anomoly.
 
Yeah Mark, I guess that is kind of a given (hitting something in the tank). Just one of those things that feels better thinking it out loud and having others comment. LOL

The replacement sender was very similiar, the only unknown is whether it was facing fore or aft. I'm thinking now that may be the trick. The sender goes threw the tank near the rear of it. Never thought to pay attention which direction the float lifted too. As of now, I placed it in so it lifts towards the more open area of the tank (foreward) which is where a baffle would be the more I think about it.

Might head up there tomorrow and flip them around.
 
When I retro fit them things, I try to make a couple "templates" out of some stiff baling wire (bit thinner than a coat hanger). These templates cover the whole arc of the float arm - empty, 1/2 and full. I usually mark any obstructions with a grease pencil, install the sender, verify it is working, and then clean up.

If you have enough access above the port, a straight piece of wire should be adequate....once you do it, it becomes pretty straightforward.
 
Isspro senders. No more arms, no more wirewound resistors that last 5 years at dockside with the boat rocking. They are great.
 
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