Has anybody had their gauge mess up and come up with a convienent way to tell how much gas they have. Would be nice if I could find a gas cap with a float and gauge that would fit. Mine reads full all the time and don't know if it's the instrument panel or something in the sending unit/wiring. Wish these things had a reserve then I wouldn't have to worry about it!!!!!!

 

i believe there is a fix for this somewhere on the web. i would search to see what you can find

 

I find all built in gauges wholly inaccurate. The simple fix is a short piece of beanpole (bamboo cane).

They used to advertise some sort of electric gauge (billy dog?), not shore if it is any good.

 

What year is your BF. Is it EFI or carbed? I maybe able to help you.

 

try a lawn mower gas cap with a floater gauge thats the same size

 

Hayashi whats your fix? My guage on my brute isn't that accurate, but enough so that it gives me an idea of how much i have left, i just set my trip meter everytime so i don't have to second guess.

The reason i am writing is becase of my dads AC 700 EFI. His guage is all over the place, doesn't seem to matter if it is full or empty, the guage says full one minute, 30 seconds later is says empty.

Is there something that usually goes wrong with them?

 

There are mainly 3 things go wrong with the fuel level sender unit/switch.
> Corrosion at the connector at top of the tank. Look for greenish/brownish corrosion at the pin(s). Fuel sender is bascially a rheostat - variable resistance device. There is an constant in-coming voltage (12V or 5V depending on model) and the return voltage changes depending on the position of the rhestat, simply by following Ohm's Law, V = iR. The current i is assumed to be constant or negligently changing. Corrosion would change the value of the R thus changing the return voltage. Check/clean the corrosion off.

> Float Buoyancy- That is the black plasticky thing floats up and down. When there is lots of alcohol content in the fuel, this float will absorb the fuel and becomes heavier, losing its buoyancy. Fuel reading would be always less than actual if this is what's happening in the fuel tank. You need to replace the float.

> Float Interference - Sometimes float or its arm (thin metal wire like coat hanger) is touching the side of the inside tank wall. Something is restricting the leverage motion of the float arm assembly. This is easy one. Just bend the other way.