1962-67 Fuel Gauges/Sending Units, the continuing drama....

[glutamodo]

Blank grille. 1961 was the last year that there was not a stock fuel gauge - they were optional though. But a stock bug in 61 looked just like the owner's manual:

[buggeezer]

My original fuel gauge sending unit was leaking and had no trace of a boot seal left. Rather than buying a new sending unit I was trying to think of a fix. I thought about this for a whole day after seeing where the boot/seal was supposed to go. I thought of making my own boot. I used the finger and a little more, of a nitrile glove and I had some spiral tie rod boot (VW) retainers saved from old boots. This spiral ring fit perfectly into the recess around the sending unit operating arm. I cut a very small hole in the tip if the finger/glove and using the spiral ring I pressed the ring and glove all the way down. That fit perfectly! I had cut the hole for the actuating arm just a little too big and did not have another good part of a glove here at home so I used an "O" ring over the upper potion of the finger/glove. That is tricky, installing the o ring over the arm. I pulled the finger portion out and over where the cable goes and then installed the o ring over the large cable retainer AND the glove. Works just great! I f anyone is REALLY interested, I will take photos and post. Quick story.... back in the 50's a friend was driving his 50 Chev one neight and it quit. The brass float had sunk. he shook all the gas out and tied a condom over the float and it worked just fine! So a condom was going to be my second choice. My Bug has screwed me so much, I should carry condoms anyway!

[FL-Frank]

Time to replace the sending unit in my '67. Whats the final verdict on the WW sending unit?

[glutamodo]

I wonder if they ever started assembling them with the float installed correctly? Other than that, those seem pretty good. I'm still using it in my 62.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[FL-Frank]

[piperj]

I ordered a WW fuel tank sender in April of this year. The same issues described above were still present on float direction and also binds in the pivot arm causing erroneous readings. The good news is that the problems were easily solved with a little fiddling around. The bad news is that we the consumer have to mess with a new part to get it to work.

I am happy that I no longer seem to have leaks or fumes so job done (for now).
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67 Sun Roof Bug

[FL-Frank]

[FL-Frank]

[glutamodo]

Yeah, adjustment helps.

This particular thread was mostly about 'my' personal fuel gauge drama... trying to get it so it actually does something like it's supposed to - 1.3 gallons left in the tank when it's on the top of Reserve - so I never even thought to post the adjustment procedure here, as it's something I played with many many times.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[FL-Frank]

[Gary Haberman]

Just had to chime in here.
I was searching for how to rebuild the fuel gauge when I found this thread. I replaced the sending unit in both my '62 and '66 T1 with units from WW and have had no problems nor did I have to modify them in any way (other parts from WW, yes-but not the sender).
I found it odd that there are a few vendors who restore speedos (I had two restored quite nicely at a good price) but I can't find one who does fuel gauges nor a entry by someone who's done it already.
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'62 T1 rag top.
I repair radios and dispense free advice on their repair.

[glutamodo]

Well, if you install that sending unit from WW as they deliver it, it WILL impact your tank's filter "sock". If you're missing that piece though... or if it just smacked it and broke it off, then it probably would work. I guess it depends if you care about that or not.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[FL-Frank]

[EMPIImp69]

So no one makes the lever rubber below do they? Thanks

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1963 Ragtop Bug

[glutamodo]

Whomever EIS got their sending units from obviously made the rubber boots, but... those are held in by a crimped disc, and even if you could get it, I don't see how you'd reliably be able to install it.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[VdanielW]

[bnam]

I'm looking for help in repairing/restoring the mechanical fuel gauge. Anyone has pics and instructions?
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

[glutamodo]

The gauge? I've taken them apart and in my opinion, that is a device that is assembled and once you take it apart, unless you have the same tooling as the factory did, it becomes close to impossible to put back together without messing it up.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[bnam]

Thanks! Stopped me from considering a gauge that needed work.
Byas
_________________
1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

[mrkrause]

Oh my gosh......
So I bought a fiberglass buggy that needed a ton of work. Btw, I’ve never owned or worked on VW’s before.

This fiberglass body will not allow access to the top of the fuel tank without dismantling the front of the car......steering column, instrument panel.....not fun!

Because they had installed a fuel cap access cap in the middle of hood, you can look in at the top of the tank, and with a flashlight barely see the top of the float.

Looking in I could see why the fuel gauge wasn’t working. The cable wasn’t hooked up to the arm and the cable housing wasn’t sitting in its “holder”. From inside the car I was able to reach under the dash, over the tank and blindly put the cable ball on the float arm and set the cable housing on the housing holder. Bam ! Fuel gauge worked !

Took off down the street and the gauge dropped to empty. Pulled over, looked inside the hood fuel cap and the cable housing was out of the holder.

After reading all 5 pages (My post has now made it 6) of this post, I realized that a “cap” was supposed to sit over the float assembly, thus locking the cable in its holder. Duh !!

So, now I’ll be researching and looking for a cap. There wasn’t one on this buggy.

Thanks guys !