Lavron's '64 Build Thread

[lavron]

I hate ending up worse off than before I started "fixing" something

Got out and tried to fix my fuel gauge issue, I did indeed run out of gas because i drained around a gallon and half of fuel out of the tank, which was about what I put in there when it ran out, I pulled the sending unit, bent on the float arm a little and then reinstalled the unit only to have a good stream of gas leaking out around it when I put gas back in I drained it back out and removed the sender again and fought with the gasket to get it to stay where is belonged, I did finally get it back in there by using a little axle grease to hold it up while I reinserted the pick-up unit, not sure how good an idea that was but it was all I could think of to hold it in, now I am down to just a drip the neat thing is I put about 4 gallons of gas back in it and this is what shows on the gauge, the left picture is with the IGN. off, the right is key on.



I think I was getting a similar reading with no gas, I would think 4 gallons should move it up a little above E? It is not that big of deal I guess, if the car hits empty there is still 4 gallons of gas.

Anyone have a tip for installing the sender unit? Am I going to have to pull the tank just to get it back in leak free (like it was before)? I have a second gasket and lock ring around someplace but not sure that would help because it is impossible to hold the gasket in place and insert the unit.

Right now there is a bucket sitting under there catching the drip but tomorrow I will probably drain the gas back out and dump it back in the can until I can get the leak stopped.

See Ya,
Mike

[popscomet]

AS many yrs I have had my comet,,you can fill the tank up til gas is running out of the neck,,,first turn key on ,,,reads full,,but the time you get away from the pump,,look again at gauge,,,it'll read between 3/4 and full,,the needle will be perfect between,,,,,the same everytime I fill it up....so I know it always has a half a qtr more then it reads,,,I have never ran out of gas in it,,,,I look at as a reserve.......pop

[Jims65cyclone]

I think I was getting a similar reading with no gas, I would think 4 gallons should move it up a little above E? It is not that big of deal I guess, if the car hits empty there is still 4 gallons of gas.

Assuming a 20 gal tank, 4 gal would be 20%, so I would think that your needle should be a little below 1/4 tank. The way you have it set does give you a safety factor, though.

Jim

[tweaked]

Is it the stock sending unit. I remember looking at an Autometer gas gauge and and the stock sending unit not working. Something with ohms or voltage making it read wrong.

You tire change video popped up on my Facebook today as a suggestion.

Roger

[lavron]

Is it the stock sending unit. I remember looking at an Autometer gas gauge and and the stock sending unit not working. Something with ohms or voltage making it read wrong.

Well it is stock sending unit for a '68 Mustang (this an assumption, that is what I ordered but I have nothing to compare it too) and the gauge is a Ford/Chrysler unit, I think the issue is it appears to me the way the tank is designed, the float rests on the slope in the back of the tank so it probably takes 4 or 5 gallons just to reach it, not sure if I could bend the float to sit further forward and lower in the tank.

Assuming a 20 gal tank, 4 gal would be 20%, so I would think that your needle should be a little below 1/4 tank. The way you have it set does give you a safety factor, though.

It is a 22 gallon tank but I may just settle for aways carrying a reserve and pretend it is a 16 gallon tank, I just wish I would have left it alone because now I have to fix the leak somehow.

Does anyone know if I can glue the gasket on the tank or will gas eat anything on there and make it leak worse?

You tire change video popped up on my Facebook today as a suggestion.

A good suggestion I guess I wish I had got more of the whole process recorded, I was going to use my GoPro but the battery needed to be charged so I used the new cheap camera, I may be shooting at too high a resolution and really burning through the battery, it has an interchangeable battery I guess I know why now it was so cheap it can go into some potentially dangerous places where it might get destroyed at least (like up under the car, might make an interesting video, be cool to watch the triangulated 4 link work).

See Ya,
Mike

[Joe Travers]

Well it is stock sending unit for a '68 Mustang (this an assumption, that is what I ordered but I have nothing to compare it too) and the gauge is a Ford/Chrysler unit, I think the issue is it appears to me the way the tank is designed, the float rests on the slope in the back of the tank so it probably takes 4 or 5 gallons just to reach it, not sure if I could bend the float to sit further forward and lower in the tank.

What tank are you running, Mike? The Comet is 20 gallons and the Mustang is 16 gallons. I'm betting it's just a matter of mismatched parts causing interference, as you mention. If that is the case, a longer float rod would work.

Looks like your rear bags don't rise high enough to provide rear tire clearance or do they? Running stock rear suspension, I jack the axle housing just high enough to see daylight under the tire and drop a stand. Then I jack the frame under the front leaf spring mount until the top of the tire clears the lip of the fender well. Tire drops right off. Running 24" X 8" Radial T/As.

JT

[lavron]

What tank are you running, Mike?

It is a '68 Mustang 22 Gallon tank, really have nothing to compare if the sender is right or not but it is in and not leaking now so I think I am satisfied as soon as I am sure there is no tiny leaks I will put another 5 gallons in and check the gauge.

I made a little video about what small victories I had this week and talk about my prospects for the Comet Gathering 2021



The last half of the video is a mini tour of the home place, if anyone is interested in that type of thing, not really Comet related but you can stop watching at that point Building houses (2) was the thing that kept me away from the Comet for so long (and most everything else).

See Ya,
Mike

[Joe Travers]

Hey Mike!

Just thought of a problem I had many years ago with gauges in '65 F-100. Are you running the aftermarket gauges off the old regulator in the dash?

JT

[lavron]

Are you running the aftermarket gauges off the old regulator in the dash?

No, all-new wiring running direct, I believe it works I just haven't put enough gas in to get it to register, I guess there might be an issue if the sender expects a regulator and there isn't one, now I have the leaking stopped I will dump 5 more gallons in some time and see what happens.

See Ya,
Mike

[A/FX]

Are you running the aftermarket gauges off the old regulator in the dash?

No, all-new wiring running direct, I believe it works I just haven't put enough gas in to get it to register, I guess there might be an issue if the sender expects a regulator and there isn't one, now I have the leaking stopped I will dump 5 more gallons in some time and see what happens.

See Ya,
Mike

Mike,
When I ordered the Auto Meter gauges for my Cyclone I had to spec what ohms the sender worked at. There is an ohm range from empty to full and the gauge needs to match it.
I also tested mine by bench mounting the sending unit at the same angle as it would be in the tank when installed in the car, then wired the gauge to the sender with a 12 volt power source. I was able to make sure that when the float was at the bottom of its travel the gauge read empty and when the gauge read full the float was at the top of its travel.
Jim

[Joe Travers]

I guess there might be an issue if the sender expects a regulator and there isn't one

The sender just changes resistance to the gauge. Just checking to see if there was unintentional voltage drop to the gauge. Do you have clean tight ground at the sending unit?

JT

[lavron]

Do you have clean tight ground at the sending unit?

It should have it just grounds to the tank that is bolted to the floor, I can plunk the ohmmeter on there and check.

When I ordered the Auto Meter gauges for my Cyclone I had to spec what ohms the sender worked at.

I only saw two different ones, the GM one and the Ford/Chrysler (what I got) I guess I got a little ahead and had the sender mounted in the tank before the wiring was done and did not even think to bench test it it does move and I think it is just the nature of it and the tank design, I think if it will register when it is full and remain fairly accurate down to about 4 or 5 gallons I should be ok and never run out of gas, I just have to forget there is all that extra reserve and fill up when it nears empty and not push it

See Ya,
Mike

[SASSY]

Mike, my gage problem is similar to yours but never registers full so like you have lots a gas when the needle is on empty.
So of course I don't worry when it gets down to empty, then I
can't remember how far it's been driven on empty,,,,,, then I ran out!
Now I carry a gas can with a gallon, so I can enjoy the drive!!
Except when I'm on empty, I wonder how much gas do I actually have cause my little V6 gets great milage do I need to get gas for a litte cruise,,, did I refill the little gas can last time
I used it? Man, so many things to think about when I'm dusting the car getting ready to go.
These will be your problems too
Fred

[Joe Travers]

You can fine tune the gauge using a side-linked potentiometer, if it's a make or break deal.
Small ones are available. Mount it and ground under the dash where it's accessible.

JT

[lavron]

I guess it is a gauge and not a meter guess=guage suppose in the old days it was like my tractor, look down the fuel filler hole and guess how much is in there or use a stick and see how much is wet

I will most likely figure out how far a tank lasts (or when it hits empty) I kinda feel like a hoarder with a 22-gallon tank, probably won't like filling it up, but I might need the extra weight on the rear of the car to keep the tire spin down a bit . (I would like to weigh the car sometime after it is done and it might be fun to have it on a dyno, but I might be better not knowing)

One thing so far at least, spending time under the car I visually check for any signs of welds breaking and try to flex stuff to see if there is any looseness so far everything seems fine even stressing it on my rough driveway, I don't want to try too hard to break anything but I need to be comfortable driving it I won't have failures in uncontrolled environments.

See Ya,
Mike