Fuel tank problem?

[codprawn]

I may have a bit of a problem with my main tank - the fuel gauge used to be pretty accurate but after a few tight turns it is now showing 1/4 of a tank of fuel even though there wasn't that much in there. Not long after the engine cut out so I had to run on the rear tank - I know there was still a reasonable amount of fuel in there. This also happened on my LR Defender - I would run out of petrol with 1/4 of a tank still showing - a lot of hard offroading seemed to cure the problem eventually.

What sort of pickups etc are used in marine fuel tanks? On mine there is a round plate bolted into the top of the tank with the shutoff valves etc coming out of it. Don't want to stick more fuel into it until I know what's going on.

[eupa]

Codders, does'nt need much to ruin the float. Electronics I doubt it. Take it out to see if its stuck.

I would have thought a man of your calibre would have had at least a decent flowmeter?

JONATHAN

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by eupa

Codders, does'nt need much to ruin the float. Electronics I doubt it. Take it out to see if its stuck.

I would have thought a man of your calibre would have had at least a decent flowmeter?

JONATHAN

Yup - but it's a Navman so the display has packed up!!!

It's not the fuel guage I am worried about - just wondering if the pickup has got snagged or something - how do these fuel tanks work? Is there some sort of pipe going to the bottom of the tank or what?

[eupa]

Codders, does'nt need much to ruin the float. Electronics I doubt it. Take it out to see if its stuck.

I would have thought a man of your calibre would have had at least a decent flowmeter?

JONATHAN

[jyasaki]

Web search for fuel level sender should get you enough images to see how they work.

There are some pretty cool solid state capacitive senders out, but most are a float on an arm driving a potentiometer.

jky