Smiths Fuel Gauge

[Scorch]

I have a 1967 Austin Healey 3000 Mk 3. With lots of time and effort, I have everything on the car working perfectly, except the fuel gauge, and it’s driving me crazy! When I turn the ignition on, sometimes the gauge shows properly, then it will start quivering, then snap over to full. Most of the time, it is just pegged on full. I can find no frayed wires, and the sender wire from the tank is not shorted. The car has been changed over to negative ground. Does anyone have some thoughts?

 

[red57]

You will find this an interesting read - Michale Salter's blog (including lots of other interesting tricks and info about Healeys). Michael Salter's blog

I had a freshly restored gauge and brand new sending unit and the needle still flickered so much it was hard to tell if I had gas or not - I tried Michael's trick and just like he shows, needle is rock steady and never wiggles. I now have over two years (since completing the restoration) and around 11k miles and nary a flicker!

I think I used too heavy a wire and the only worry I have is that eventually the wire may fatigue and break.

 

[Scorch]

The problem is , my fuel gauge pegs with just the ignition switch on, and the motor off, so no vibration. Also, my sender unit is brand new, so no varnish buildup.

 

[Jack T]

Add a ground wire to the chassis from one of the screws attaching the sending unit to the tank.