Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
1962-67 Fuel Gauges/Sending Units, the continuing drama....
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967 Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2007 5:38 am    Post subject: 1962-67 Fuel Gauges/Sending Units, the continuing drama.... Reply with quote

Okay, I seldom start topics but I'm going to on this one. Beware, this will be one of my long rambling photo-essays....

For several years I've been trying to find a decent gas gauge combination for my 62 bug. What follows is my history of <bleeping> with the fuel gauge setup, on both this car and on my other bug, a 61-body Baja bug. There are no real questions I'm asking here, this is intended more of as an FYI for anyone who is interested. Most of this I've talked about in various threads, but I thought I'd just gather everything with this experience(s) in one place:

When I bought my 1962 in 1989, most of the car was still original, including both fuel gauge and sender. The sender, being the original VDO style, had the typical ripped boot and it sometimes seeped fuel when the tank was full. I think I bought a good used one somewhere or other, then when I restored the car in the early 90's, I was able to purchase a new Mexican-made VDO sending unit for it. It worked good, my gauge was VDO so there was no mis-match in accuracy (well, as accurate as this system can be). Wolfsburg West sold the sending unit:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


My other good-used sending unit, I think that one got put onto my Baja bug at some point when it needed one.

All was good, for several years. Then my VDO gauge started to accumulate dust inside under the glass. (it's a dusty climate here, plus I don't hesitate to drive on dirt roads) I took it off and popped the cover off of it a couple of different times to clean the dust off the inside of the glass, but it's not designed to have this done regulargly - so the tabs on the backside of the chrome strip broke off, so I had to basically glue it on there. I hoped that when I did that, that I'd have sealed it off from dust, but it still got some in there after a while.

Around that time, I spotted a New Old Stock sending unit and gauge on eBay. It was an overseas auction, but I bid anyway and won it. I think I paid about 60 for the pair plus shipping from France. The brand of these were Magura, which I was initially happy about. I wanted a matched pair. The old Bentley Workshop Manual warned that early Magura gauges/senders were not to mixed with VDO. It also said that later on this was fixed, but I wasn't sure if I believed it. The dates on the gauge and sending unit were from 1969 and 1970, by the way.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I put those in, and at first, everything was great! Then came one cold winter's day when I decided to drive the car. The tank was full, but every bump and dip I went over, the needle dropped some, until it was on Empty. I kept driving the car and it stayed there on E no matter what the actual level was. I thought the float must have sprung a leak. So, I checked the tank unit, and the lever was reading as it should have. The gauge was the problem. Apparently the plastic parts in the Magura gauge don't take very well to cold weather and seize up. So I took the gauge out, and drilled a strategically placed hole under the adjustment stud, so I could try to work some lube in there, and put it back in there. It didn't help any though. Here's a picture of the hole I added:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Even though it wasn't "fixed" I think I lived with it though, as it warmed up and worked OK. That is, until it got cold and it happened again. At that point I dug out my old VDO gauge and put it on there with the Magura sender. That didn't work out too well, as my suspicion was correct - the calibration between the two brands is not very good. It happened that when the tank was below about 1 gallon, it stopped registering on the gauge. After a road trip where at one point, I was running on fumes for many miles expecting to run out of gas, and ending up putting like 10.58 gallons in the tank (whew!) I decided I had to do something else.

I wanted to put my old good VDO sending unit back in there. But the trouble was, I couldn't find it!! I know I had the float off of it (more on that later) but could not find the main part of it for the life of me.

So I then embarked on an experiment that I've talked about here before. I'd spotted and bought one of those accessory electric fuel gauges they sold for 61/earlier bugs. It was in rough shape but it did power up when hooked up to 6V. (I'd thought about making a voltage regulator for it, or just use it on 12V, since it's a balance coil gauge it'll work on 12V) But what I didn't know, was that none of the electric sending units available would work with it. (From what I've learned since then, the one I needed for it bolts in from the filler neck, probably something like what you see in this picture)

Anyway, since I couldn't locate a sending unit for it, and since the plastic back of the accessory gauge was in poor shape anyway, I thought I'd take it apart and do something creative. I acquired an old Ghia or Type 3 gauge, gutted it, and put the parts from it into accessory gauge (the original accessory innards got destroyed in the process, however, so there was no turning back from this decision). The basic layouts of the two gauges were the same, so it wasn't too hard. The needle stuck out further though, so it was a little ways away from the face of the gauge, so it would read differently depending on your angle. I had to slightly bend the outer face a little bit (where it says TANK) to get the base of the needle to clear as well. But it did go together, and when powered up, the needle jumped to its Empty position, and it was right on. Full was off a little bit on the low side, but nothing I couldn't live with. I got a brand new Ghia tank unit to go with it.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Turns out I had to cut both the dash and the dash's faceplate to install this gauge though, to clear the "ears" on each side of the accessory type gauge. (I used a different faceplate and kept my original in storage though.) I didn't do that great of a job in cutting the dash, I think both of my "notches" should have been closer to the middle. I did better with the dash plate:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Since the needle was closer to the plastic window than the instrument face, as mentioned, it would read differently depending on what angle you looked at it. I used some dry-transfer lettering to make some "hash marks" on the gauge face to indicate to myself more accurately where the E ¼, ½,marks should be….

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


But one thing I didn't do that I should have initially, was to get the tank down really low to know how accurate it was there. That's because it turns out that the darn thing was the same as before! Below one gallon or so, it just read E! I thought I'd just live with this, until a few weeks ago when I ran out of gas because of it. Fortunately I was able to coast into a gas station when this happened. But it got me thinking again about once again trying something else with the gauge.

Okay, now I have to talk about my other bug, the 1961 Baja. It had many parts out of a 66 and a 67 in it when I got it, including the gas gauge. I'd also had a few rounds of gas gauge issues with that car, and some of my castoff fuel gauge parts from the 62 got put onto it. A few years ago I'd bought a cheapo Brazilian-made dash gauges - not the "GASOLINA" one, but the other kind with an orange needle and a picture of a gas can on the face. I think I adapted a German face to fit on it, and painted the needle white, but I never liked the thing. (I can't even find it now, I might have pitched it)
Later on, I got one those cheap black plastic Brazilian made sending units. I put it in, and it promptly sprung a leak in its float. I was able to use the float off of the Mexican VDO sending unit that I'd replaced with the Magura by that point in the 62. Why I just didn't use the whole Mexican VDO tank unit I don't remember, maybe I'd already lost it by that point. But when I went to reinstall it, I found that the cheap plastic housing of the sender had developed a hairline crack. It wasn't leaking, yet, but I thought I'd try something else. So I just said to hell with it, and upgraded to the late-bug electric/vibrator type gauge. I got a 1968 speedometer with the built-in fuel gauge and a matching sending unit, and threw them in there. That setup has worked very well since then. And it registers all the way down to empty, which is good.

Now, back to my 62. Okay, so now here I am, wanting to change my gauge yet again. I like to try to stay as original as I can and still have the car drivable, so I didn't want to go to the 68 speedometer like I did in my Baja. So that option was out. Okay - so I emailed Wolfsburg West about their 52 dollar Mexican VDO sending unit, which had been out of stock ever since I'd looked it up online a few years before. They said they can't get it anymore. NLA, damn.

I had been looking off and on for the last few years at the Classifieds here and eBay for another tank unit, but not seeing much other than unknown-quality used ones, plus that crappy cracked black one I already had.... But then, what's this, some different white plastic one I'd not seen before. Finding no mention of this style tank unit on theSamba's Forums, I shopped 'round til I found one for sale cheap and got it. I wish I hadn't - I mean, I thought that black plastic one was bad, but this white one looks even worse. At least the black one had a VW part number and a manufacturer name on it, the white one has nothing. There was a name on the box but I forget it now. Anyway, here's a large detail picture of both these kinds of tank units:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


So…. The other day, I laid out those tank units, plus my 1969 Magura -
(the float on the black one is the one off of my MIA Mexican VDO unit):

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


And, I looking at them, I just couldn't bring myself to try either of those plastic pieces of crap.

Now that I've decided it's going to be the Magura tank unit, the next question is: What gauge should I use with it? I dug into my boxes of parts, I'd picked up a couple of other gauges over the years. A couple of them are Magura, but I don't want to get into the "frozen gauge" syndrome next winter. I still had my old original 1.62 VDO gauge, plus a later one with a 10.66 date on it. Looking closer at it, I noticed it didn't have a "post" for Empty to rest on like my 62 gauge does. So, hoping that it might be more accurate with the Magura tank unit than the 62 gauge was, I decided to use that one:

1/62 gauge upper, 10/66 gauge lower:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I took my parts out, and fitted the new ones. I found that the vinyl upholstery piece inside my original dash plate wasn't big enough to cover all of the "notch" I had put there when I cut the dash, so went and put a little silicone sealant there.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Then I put the tank unit in. The Magura sending unit has a "stop" that keeps the float from hitting the top of the tank. It works, but the float was hitting the bottom of the tank as well. Not liking that I kept taking it out and slightly bending the float arm til it didn't do that anymore. Then I pegged the sending unit to the front, and set the gas gauge for "Full" -

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


<< pause >>

Alright, a day or two later, I drove the car until it was on Empty. Swerved around so the gas would slosh around the tank and finally went to the gas station when it stopped registering anything above E, no matter how hard I cornered or accelerated. I filled it a gallon at a time, writing down where my gauge was reading every step of the way. How much did it take? 9.98 gallons. Damn! No good. However, I realized that with the tank full the needle wasn’t registering quite the same as when I was holding the lever to full the other day, as shown in the picture directly above. Now, it it’s a hair below Full. So I wonder… maybe if I tweak that up a tiny bit, then drive it til it’s empty again, the gauge will be in a better range to respond to the tank unit? Or will I have to do something like bending of the Magura's float arm so it sits in a different spot in the tank, like those plastic sending units do? Or, although I'd rather not, but try one of those awful-looking plastic sending units?

Here’s where my gauge was reading as I filled it up – having it almost 10 gallons even sure made it easy to compute the amounts. I guess I forgot to take a picture at -8 gallons, and everthing above -2 gallons read the same. Looking at it though, the mid-tank accuracy is pretty good! It's just bad that it just wont register anything below -10 gallons. (and I know the tank holds 10.6 gallons from when I ran out of gas a few weeks ago)

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Okay, so I guess I'll go and readjust the gauge a hair over to Full, and try this again. I'm going to post this as-is, and I'll update it from here on as to how/if I ever get the darn thing to work the way I'd like it to.

-Andy


Last edited by glutamodo on Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
bill may
Samba Member


Joined: August 27, 2003
Posts: 14160
Location: san diego,ca
bill may is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2007 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this is why i use a 68 and newer electric gauge and sender from a beetle.got tired of bad mechanical gauges a long time ago.
_________________
Admin note: Bill Passed away - July, 2017

1965 panel bus-Kermit
"Camping is cheaper than therapy"
www.sv2s.com
www.steeringboxscrapers.net
SBS #100
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453617
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2007 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bill - yeah tell me about it!! As mentioned in the post, I converted my Baja over to that a while back now. Although the 1968 gauge setup looks good, and I do have another 68 speedometer w/gauge sitting here I could use, I just don't want to lose the factory look of the dash if I can. If I there was a stock-looking square gauge for the dash grille that used a vibrator and the 68/later tank unit, I'd do that in a minute! Since I'm documenting all of this with pics, I'll throw in a shot of the fuel gauge in the Baja while I'm here:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
KillerTux
Samba Member


Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 434
Location: Odenton, MD
KillerTux is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just wanted to throw up an update. I had the VDO sender pictured below installed for about a month and it is nothing but great. Just as accurate as my old factory installed VDO sender. No cracks or leaks, I reused the gaskets around the screws and screws and used a smaller screwdriver so I didn't not over torque it. Factory date is something in 2009, so new production.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
1964 Beetle Convertible
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. I could update this considerably - I've done a lot and still have yet to find a great tank unit for my VDO gauge. Up until this last week I was using a white one I got from Airhead that worked OK - it has a visible O-ring in the middle that kept any leakage from happening - but then noticed its accuracy was wrong, pulled it and... float had shipped on some fuel. Couldn't find the leak when I put in hot water either.

Now, earlier this year I had found and bought an NOS VDO tank unit with the rubber boot still nice and soft....

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


put it in, and after the next fill up and park, I got this... damn. (the metal cap obviously was not NOS)

edit - actually at first it leaked because of me - the tank unit came with the original cork gasket from the early 60s and I made the mistake of using it - it leaked. But I put in a good rubber gasket and fixed that part.. but then after I did that, that it did this:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It was after that, that I tried that Airhead tank unit.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here's another comparison photo I put of it next to that other white tank unit:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


During the time I was running that airhead tank unit (over the summer, and until 2 weeks ago I'd hardly drove that car) I gone and dismantled that NOS VDO unit and tried to rework it so it could take some O-rings. I doubt this will help- but it's in the car now, but I've not refilled the tank since I put it in.

I will add that none of these ever really registered anything for that last gallon of fuel.

I'm tempted to get one of those accessory VDO new gauges that I guess are supposed to work with the 68/up electric tank unit and see if it would be possible to shoehorn that into accessory electric tank unit the way I did when I tried that Ghia style tank unit.

-Andy


Last edited by glutamodo on Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fluxcap
Samba Member


Joined: February 07, 2006
Posts: 1969
Location: Newnan GA
fluxcap is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got an e-mail newsletter from EIS today. Haven't bought much stuff from them and the quality has been mixed on the few things I have gotten, but the newsletter featured their new replacement sending units, complete with rubber boot. Looks pretty nice. May have to try one out. I got one of those airhead units you had mentioned a while back. It's been leak proof for a couple of months now, but you weren't kidding about the o-ring making the float sticky. I can fill up, and go 40-50 miles before it ever comes to.

Here is the EIS one. $28
http://www.eisparts.com/113919049C.html
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

40 to 50 miles before it budged? Wow. I did go in and spray some lubricant in where that O-ring was, can't remember what I used, probably Tri-Flow or Liquid Wrench non-flammable. Hopefully you don't have the same issue with the leaking float that mine did!

That EIS one looks good! I think I'll have to try that next. Well, I still have to see what my VDO tank unit does, but now that winter has arrived here that might be a while. I'll probably buy one now though!

EIS is one place I don't think I've ordered from before and not one of the sites I look at for parts... So if this is an EIS-exclusive part I might not have ever found out about it. So thanks for that. And I'm surprised that it's only 28 dollars? That VDO-Mexico unit I bought from WW back in the early 90s I think I paid like 50 dollars for.
-Andy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fluxcap
Samba Member


Joined: February 07, 2006
Posts: 1969
Location: Newnan GA
fluxcap is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I had thought about spraying the o-ring lightly with something, but was worried about it deteriorating the rubber. I'm very happy that I can fill-up completely with no leaking, but still have to keep track of my mileage since it sticks and I'm always worried "what if it's stuck at 1/4 and I'm really at the reserve?" Laughing

I've never gotten anything from EIS that didn't work like it was supposed to, but some of the items have been less than par in aesthetics (ie..the reverse light I got from them had really deep gouges/scratches in the metal housing that were just chromed right over)

For $28, I'll probably throw this on my christmas list and see how it does.
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Sberger
Samba Member


Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 25
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Sberger is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:57 pm    Post subject: EIS Sending Unint Reply with quote

I just installed a New repop of the 62-67 sending unit on my 67 an so far it is flawless. I have yet to give it a full tank to see where it's at as I drive, but so far so good
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Exactly which reproduction are you talking about - many of them have been discussed above.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Culito
11010101


Joined: December 07, 2006
Posts: 5863
Location: Columbia Missourah
Culito is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, crap. I just bought this one from Airhead parts:

http://www.airheadparts.com/vintage-vw-parts/new-l...13919049-c

I didn't know about the EIS one. The one in the link above is the plastic one with the o-ring. I haven't installed it yet, but aside from the plastic construction, looks like it will work fine. I'm kind of skeptical as to how well it will seal to the tank, though. I'll probably end up using a bit of RTV or similar.

Arg. Same price, too... Rolling Eyes
_________________
Copyright CJ Industries, Inc.
'64 standard w/2.0L type 4
'62 bug
johnnypan wrote:
...dont pay no attention to Culito,he's a cornhole..
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Facebook Gallery Classifieds Feedback
DaveOBrien
Samba Member


Joined: April 21, 2008
Posts: 122
Location: San Diego, CA
DaveOBrien is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Gasolina gauge that I would like to replace on my 64 and have bought a "Tank" used gauge. Should I squirt some white lithium grease up the wire? it seems a little stiff right now but I wanted to make sure it can be lubed up.

BTW do some people put in the 68 and up speedo into older cars. Not correct but I assume you will have to get a different float/sender.
Which float/sender?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 2:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Culito - RTV won't work for the tank - gasoline will eat it up. Just a normal rubber tank gasket is good enough.

Dave - you have to use a 68-77 Standard bug tank sending unit if you change to a 68-up electric in-speedometer-head type gauge.

I'm not sure if I'd use white lithium grease on that cable. I'm more partial to Tri-Flow or Liquid Wrench non-flammable.

-Andy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, an update. I got the new EIS cast-metal clone-of-VDO tank unit the other day and today got it out and looked it over. Looks to be fairly well made. But the rubber boot, it gets bunched up and sort of prevents the float from going all the way to the bottom. So I was twisting on it to try to reposition it and that's when I leared it had been glued to the operating arm, so my tinkering broke that glue free. Not sure if I should re-glue it or not. I'm also not sure if I'm going to use it. I dug out all my other tank units, a couple of Maguras, the black plastic Instron, the crappy white-plastic one, the better white-plastic one I got from Airhead, and compared them all. What I found was that even if I force the float on the EIS unit all the way to the bottom, it still sits about an inch higher in elevation than the others do. And since it's my desire to have one that reads "something" below a gallon left in the tank, I think this one is going to disappoint. I have not decided what my next test is going to be - hell the tank unit I think I like the best is that Instron with the hairline crack in it. I might even try that one again. But first I have to see if the modifications I made to that (NOS before I got it) VDO unit that's currently in the car made any difference as far as leakage or performance.

-Andy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fluxcap
Samba Member


Joined: February 07, 2006
Posts: 1969
Location: Newnan GA
fluxcap is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that sucks to hear! Appreciate the info though. Man, I was really hoping that one would be a good one. The search goes on!
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, decided to take a few photos

Here's the previously posted photo of my NOS VDO tank unit. And then the EIS sending unit taken from about the same angle. You can see where the rubber boot bunches/buckles on the left side.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


And here is the lowest that gravity will pull sending unit will down with that boot bunching up:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Culito
11010101


Joined: December 07, 2006
Posts: 5863
Location: Columbia Missourah
Culito is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you do decide to use it, maybe a small zip-tie around the operating arm would seal it enough. And can't you bend the float arm for a bit of "adjustment", since you can adjust the gauge itself too?

I did install my Airhead Parts sending unit and it seems like it will work ok. I just don't like the plastic flange, since you can't torque it down much without warping the plastic. I guess the true test will be the next time I fill up the tank all the way.
_________________
Copyright CJ Industries, Inc.
'64 standard w/2.0L type 4
'62 bug
johnnypan wrote:
...dont pay no attention to Culito,he's a cornhole..
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Facebook Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I was thinking about both of those. I don't think I'll be able to get the boot to not bunch up though.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Culito
11010101


Joined: December 07, 2006
Posts: 5863
Location: Columbia Missourah
Culito is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

glutamodo wrote:
Yeah, I was thinking about both of those. I don't think I'll be able to get the boot to not bunch up though.


I wonder if you could trim some of the length off of the boot, pull it up towards the cable mount, and then zip-tie it?
_________________
Copyright CJ Industries, Inc.
'64 standard w/2.0L type 4
'62 bug
johnnypan wrote:
...dont pay no attention to Culito,he's a cornhole..
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Facebook Gallery Classifieds Feedback
glutamodo Premium Member
The Android


Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26298
Location: Douglas, WY
glutamodo is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe, but then it might want to pull too hard on the opposite side. I'll have to see.

I pulled my whole drawer of tank units to compare them to this EIS one. The only VDO rubber-boot style I have is currently on my 62, these are the rest. It's kind of sad to think that all but one of these have been on my 62 at one time. No wait, make that two, the Instron one has not, that one I ran in my Baja only. The other one I never used is, as mentioned above, the first white plastic one, which I just noticed today has a small logo cast into its plastic cover "VOGEL GOLDEN" which I included a close-up of in this large overview photo I decided to take since I had them all sitting there at once.

When I lined these all up for the photo I tried to orient them all the same way - with the orientation being the angle of where the cable attaches. This was the first time I noticed just how far skewed to the side the one I got from Airhead parts was, and I don't remember bending it around at all. That's the one whose float took on a small amount of gasoline (but now after a few weeks in the basement, it's dry - go figure!) Not that having it offcenter is necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn't hit the tank outlet screen it's probably fine. After all, the 68-later electric tank units pivot at an angle.

Also, unlike my normal photos, I made this one very high resolution and stuck it in the Gallery - so the "click to enlarge" will double the size of this one.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967 All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Page 1 of 6

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.