WQ59B Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I know; most folk call that the 'fuel gauge'. I have a '40 Ford truck with a 20-gal tank behind the seats. Right now the fuel gauge isn't working- pretty sure it's the sender (resistor). While I sort out that issue, I'd like to fashion a temporary fuel level tester so I can drive it. This is for piece of mind; truck probably gets terrible mileage with 5.83 gears. Truck has a 'J'-shaped filler neck so I can't stick anything rigid in, but I was envisioning a weighted 'cable' of sorts to drop in, hear/feel it hit the bottom of the tank, and withdraw to at least give me a 'quarter full/ half full/ 3/4 full' approximation. Made one 'tester' with white-jacketed wire and a nickel-sized spherical lead weight, but the wire was too stiff. Needs to hang from the filler neck and drop straight down into the fuel to be useful. Made a 2nd one with a steel 'roller' at the end of small chain link, then loosely threaded nylon string thru it. While this dropped into the tank OK, you can't tell the fuel level on white nylon. Anyone have suggestions as to a material that would show the wetness of gas yet still feed thru the J-shaped filler neck. I keep thinking of the wood poles stations used to use for storage tanks, but it would need to be a linked 'chain' of wood to feed in. I know that's not the answer. Or.... maybe I could find or fashion a replacement cover for the tank where the sender is, something with a screw or flip cap, then I could just look inside, between the (split) seats... Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Twenty gallons at ten miles per gallon is two hundred miles. Why not just fill up every hundred and fifty miles. Easy and simple solution. I toured all over the country when my gauge was broken. In my case 10 gallons @ 15 mpg, so I filled up every 125 miles which was roughly 2 1/2 hours. Time for a break anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleek Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I agree. Just keep mileage records and know how far you can go on a tank of gas and you will be fine. I had an old delivery truck with an inaccurate gauge that I drove for years using this method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I would think replacing the sender would be easier than any of your efforts thus far. Oh, and it would be fixed right. But I have been known to carry a five gallon can full of gas around with me while I ponder the repair. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 10 minutes ago, JACK M said: I would think replacing the sender would be easier than any of your efforts thus far. Oh, and it would be fixed right. But I have been known to carry a five gallon can full of gas around with me while I ponder the repair. I guess I was lucky that you fixed my Skyliner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Very lucky indeed. Its good to get lucky once in awhile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Take a piece of small diameter plastic tubing and feed in into the tank 'til it hits bottom. Place your finger tightly over the open end of the tube and slowly withdraw it. The level of gas in the tube will approximate the level of fuel in the tank. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 No sending units are available for my '54 Ford wagon tank (as far as I know...but if anyone knows otherwise, please let me know) So for the last 15 years I've just kept a fuel log. I never run out of gas, and I can also keep track of the last time I put lead additive or MMO in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 The fuel gauge sender in my 62 Olds went wonky just as I was setting out for the Hot Rod Power Tour this summer. I simply use a "post it note" app on my cell phone to record the mileage every time I filled up. 150 miles between stops was extremely conservative, but it was usually my bladder that set the stops, not the car. 😉 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefit Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I drove my Studebaker Avanti on Route 66 along with a 55 T Bird when he had to fuel up I did to my fuel gauge did not work but his did he put in 15gal. I put in 10 gal put it worked all the way . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, JamesR said: No sending units are available for my '54 Ford wagon tank (as far as I know...but if anyone knows otherwise, please let me know) So for the last 15 years I've just kept a fuel log. I never run out of gas, and I can also keep track of the last time I put lead additive or MMO in the tank. That’s how we did it by motorcycle before they had fuel gages. The motorcycle odometers had a resettable tour mileage feature to help with the calculations. Reset to zero at each fuel stop. Edited October 24, 2019 by TerryB (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 My stick works pretty good lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 mmmmmmm, speedo/odo is the only other thing that's ALSO not currently working, despite being NOS. NORS cable, too. Going to order a new sender; I don't need to know how fast I'm going, but I don't want to be stranded while (not) going fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) You could use a piece of cotton clothesline or sash cord and a fishing weight. Throw it in the back to dry out between uses. And carry a gas can just in case. Or just fix the damn sender. It's not like it's hard to get at. Edited October 25, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 GMC motor home. No fuel tank but a 10 gallon outboard tank. 6 mpg. Many stops over 1300 miles. Of course the oddball alternator did not work either. Fortunately we had a big AGM battery and a 15A charger. Holiday weekend and a deadline natch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Take it out of there, figure out what is wrong, and fix it. Did you say the tank is in the cab? How hard could it be? You can probably find the range of ohms for a 40 ford sender online. Test it with a multimeter when its out. Make sure it isn't stuck. If the float is cork, replace it, and be sure to use a sealed one. If it is brass, sink it in hot (near boiling) water and look for bubbles. If you see a stream of bubbles, replace it (or solder it up, but thats not as easy as it sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 7 hours ago, Restorer32 said: Take a piece of small diameter plastic tubing and feed in into the tank 'til it hits bottom. Place your finger tightly over the open end of the tube and slowly withdraw it. The level of gas in the tube will approximate the level of fuel in the tank. That only is indicative if the tube drops down vertically into the fuel. My filler neck is a 'J' 'on its back' and the long end of that 'J' angles downward at roughly a 45-degree angle. Tube would indicate far more fuel than I would have, even if I could insure it stayed relatively straight and didn't curve off to one side. Brass float is new. Opened the sender up- the interior was absolutely pristine and it has continuity, but resistance-wise, raising & lowering the float arm gave wonky readings, not linear. Hooked everything up, hoping the gauge would do sumtin, but no. Gauge tested out good, if I remember. Dennis Carpenter shows a '35-53 or so truck sender with adjustable arm. Going to call them tomm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jubilee Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Old speedometer cable makes a dandy “go around corner” fuel gauge. Maybe a small lead weight on end if turns are severe. I use to have one made up to check the fuel in a truck mounted welder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) Dennis Carpenter doesn't have any COE sender parts- all their truck tanks seem to be either flat, or much smaller- I think they said they showed a 14 gal tank. Said 'we don't carry any COE parts'. Just looked my truck up in the Ford Green Book and it's 22 gal (not 20). Have a line on a Co in Cinncinnati that carries NOS, have to call back with a part number so they can check stock, but sounds doubtful. 40's NOS stuff is certainly not common. EDIT :: OH company has nothing, I see nothing online either. Original Ford PN 01W-9275. Worse case scenario is what's been suggested here- fill the tank, keep a rough tally of miles driven, assume 10 MPG and refill at 110 miles driven, if I can't replace/repair the sender. This is far from a long-haul truck, as I'll use it. But if I use it enough, perhaps I can compute MPG and go a little longer. Edited October 26, 2019 by WQ59B (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Just take the float and arm off one of these and connect the arm to a switch to make a light come on at the level you figure is your safe minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now