-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Full tank of fuel?
- Thread starter Brakin80
- Start date
Share this page
mbrooks
Senior Member
Offline
Never tried it on the Healey, but unless anyone comes back with more specific information, try what I did on a home built Lotus 7 replica:-
With the battery disconnected for safety, undo the sender from the tank and take it out. With the power connection connected, [you may have had to undo this ti take out the sender]temporarily wire the sender body metalwork to a good earth on the car body work. Reconnect battery. You should get some sort of reading on the fuel gauge. Move the sender arm over its full travel and see if you get a full travel on the gauge needle. If you do, then there is nothing wrong electrically and you know that the sender variable resistor is a proper a match for the gauge. In which case your problem may be that the float arm on the sender is not the right length or maybe needs bending. That would be trial and error.
If you do not get the full scale on the gauge then the sender resistor winding is not giving the correct resistance for the gauge. Talking generally, and not knowing Healeys that well yet, this was sometimes a problem when the manufacturer changed gauge model and/or supplier. Let me know how you get on - if it turns out that you have an electrical mis-match I could suggest some tests to do to find out what resistance the gauge is looking for at zero and full scale.
good luck
Mike 56 BN-2
With the battery disconnected for safety, undo the sender from the tank and take it out. With the power connection connected, [you may have had to undo this ti take out the sender]temporarily wire the sender body metalwork to a good earth on the car body work. Reconnect battery. You should get some sort of reading on the fuel gauge. Move the sender arm over its full travel and see if you get a full travel on the gauge needle. If you do, then there is nothing wrong electrically and you know that the sender variable resistor is a proper a match for the gauge. In which case your problem may be that the float arm on the sender is not the right length or maybe needs bending. That would be trial and error.
If you do not get the full scale on the gauge then the sender resistor winding is not giving the correct resistance for the gauge. Talking generally, and not knowing Healeys that well yet, this was sometimes a problem when the manufacturer changed gauge model and/or supplier. Let me know how you get on - if it turns out that you have an electrical mis-match I could suggest some tests to do to find out what resistance the gauge is looking for at zero and full scale.
good luck
Mike 56 BN-2
Offline
For everything you wanted to know about Healey gas gages, go here & follow it through. The MGA gage is the same as the Healey.
https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/fg_01.htm
D
https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/fg_01.htm
D
mbrooks
Senior Member
Offline
Brakin 80 - Did you get your fuel gauge fixed? Mine started flicking from full to 1/4 last weekend, with a full tank - discovered that the gauge relies on its fixing in the dash for its ground. The gauge was not getting a good ground. When the ground connection is not made, gauge reads 1/4 with tank full. The best way to get a good ground is to crimp a ring connector onto a new piece of wire, slip it over the mounting post under the knurled nut and take the other end of the wire to an existing ground post on the bodywork. Problem fixed, and not now relying on the gauge body making contact with the metal dash. Maybe this wire should have been there anyway?
Mike Brooks
'56 BN2 Houston
Mike Brooks
'56 BN2 Houston
Offline
IMHO the most accurate gas gauage in any Healey is the resettable tripometer.
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
IMHO the most accurate gas gauage in any Healey is the resettable tripometer.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have a wood dip stick marked in two gallon increments for such things.
D
IMHO the most accurate gas gauage in any Healey is the resettable tripometer.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have a wood dip stick marked in two gallon increments for such things.
D
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
IMHO the most accurate gas gauage in any Healey is the resettable tripometer.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have a wood dip stick marked in two gallon increments for such things.
D
[/ QUOTE ]
Dave:
But suppose you were accelerating while uphill--wouldn't that throw the marks off?
[ QUOTE ]
IMHO the most accurate gas gauage in any Healey is the resettable tripometer.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have a wood dip stick marked in two gallon increments for such things.
D
[/ QUOTE ]
Dave:
But suppose you were accelerating while uphill--wouldn't that throw the marks off?
Offline
Dunno - I can't run fast enough to get a reading, & no one is willing to ride in the trunk. We could find out if YOU are willing to do the measuring.
D
D
Brakin80 here. Installed a new sending unit in the tank. The gauge reads half full when it's actually completely full. Tried to adjust the gauge, though unsuccessful. Opened the gauge up, and found that the fine wires were loose around their spools. Quickly put it back together. Happy with seeing the gauge working the way it is. Will rebuild it someday.