Fuel gauge testing

[Kool48]

Well I finally got me a good working gauge.  Ended up buying a NOS off eBay really cheap.    It's the same as 46 thru 48.  Except back ground which I'll change with one of my others.    I've learned quite a bit through this process.   Thanks for all the advice and help.   My conclusion,  nos gauge. Runtz reducer 12 to 6 Volts and my original sending unit.    Which was the key part in my conclusion of me getting this all resolved.       I even learned how to adjust the gauge to match the sending unit if needed.        Thanks again for everyone's help.      

[Los_Control]

Congratulations! Awesome you worked your way through it.

Any chance to post some picks and info/links about adjusting the gauge?

[Jerry Roberts]

You will find that when you change the face plates that you will be changing the glass covering too . A good way to bend the little tabs that hold the face plates on is to use a knife blade . When you are ready to bend the little tabs back in place you can just push them in place using the edge of your work bench . 

[maok]

7 hours ago, Kool48 said:

Well I finally got me a good working gauge.  Ended up buying a NOS off eBay really cheap.    It's the same as 46 thru 48.  Except back ground which I'll change with one of my others.    I've learned quite a bit through this process.   Thanks for all the advice and help.   My conclusion,  nos gauge. Runtz reducer 12 to 6 Volts and my original sending unit.    Which was the key part in my conclusion of me getting this all resolved.       I even learned how to adjust the gauge to match the sending unit if needed.        Thanks again for everyone's help.      

Yeah, well done! 

Did you test the new unit with straight 12v?

[Kool48]

No I only tested the gauges with a 12 volt battery,  having a Runtz rudecer inline to gauge.   So at the gauge itself I'm getting right around 7 Volts from the Runtz reducer.   But before I actually figured the proper way to test it used a 6 volt lantern battery.  Very cheap.   You can do whatever ya want when it comes to 12 or reducing your voltage.   But the way I understand it.   There's a reason why they make and use theses reducers.     I won't do straight 12 Volts.   And if it works for you then that's great.    But I'll stick to what works for me and what the professionals recommended.     I looked up my sending unit.   Here is a pic of the name on it.    I got ahold of Mike himself , this man knows his stuff.    Very helpful and a great guy.   I would highly recommend if your having gauge issues to contact him.    You'll be happy you did.   I am very much.  

[Kool48]

13 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Congratulations! Awesome you worked your way through it.

Any chance to post some picks and info/links about adjusting the gauge?

As far as calibration of the fuel gauge it's fairly simply.   Just need to be careful and have patients.  But in short the 2 brass arms that come down to bottom of gauge are adjustable left to right independently.   They're both attached at top of gauge via a rivet.  But there independent.  You have to have the gauge energized.  And using your sending unit float to determine full half full and empty to match gauge needle position.   Once you figure out where you are and where you want the gauge to be  then you adjust theses brass bars left or right by means of using a non conductive tool such as plastic or wood.   I used the ink pen cap I had laying on bench.   You'll have to be patient and just adjust ever so slightly and watch what happens to what you do.    Here's a pic of the gauge.  I put my ink pen cap between the needle base and the brass arm itself for leverage to move outward ether left or right arms   You have to be very very careful.  Do not push on the Folic  ( regulator) side.  That's the right side looking from gauge front.   It will break off very easily.  Trust me , I did it by accident not paying attention on my only good gauge I had prior to buying the NOS gauge.  We'll I hope this helps someone.   These pics are with the face removed.   You can see the gap between needle base and brass arms.  This is where you make you adjustments. I adjusted mine with face installed.  These pics are just to show arms better.  

[Kool48]

I wanted to add that even when I got my NOS gauge I tested it straight to 6 volt battery  pos side of battery to stud ( ign sw) and touched stud 1 to ground of battery and then stud 2.  I got no movement at all.   Cleaned the contact point and the entire gauge using Deoxit 5 and and dollar bill soaked in Deoxit 5 for the points area.  Blew off with low air pressure.  Walla gauge worked perfectly.