Gas Cap/Fuel Gauge

GoldenMotor.com
Jun 25, 2008
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How cool is this?

does anyone know where to get one compatible with our tanks?
I think this is the thing most missing from the kits.
 
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jasonh

New Member
Jun 23, 2008
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Longmont, CO
That is one of the coolest things ever. Do you have a link to that one that's pictured? might be nice for a custom tank.
 
Jun 25, 2008
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Yeah here the main problems i see is i can't work out if its a screw cap plus i have measured the standard HT tank. Would need a certain inch gauge....
 

toytime

New Member
Mar 20, 2008
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Ontario
Interesting, my lawn tractor has one of those. I think they are always screw on but if you were willing to mess around , you could cannibalize your original for parts and make one out of two.
Because of the shape of our tanks it would not read properly as the gas level reached empty but my guess is that it would work from Full to 3/4 empty.
 
Jun 25, 2008
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I agree, but i'm sure one can be sourced/persuaded to fit, even if it didn't read past 3/4 empty doesn't REALLY matter as i'm one of these shallow vanity people who'd love to show it off because it looks good.
 

DOC BOLM

New Member
Aug 21, 2008
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Mississippi
I had one several years ago to use on a small generator .The float stem was too long,so i took a small eclip from above and below the float and cut the twisted rod off with a hack saw blade then i made 2 more cuts to match the ones at the bottom,moved the float up.If you had a spare cap you could take the chrome cover off and jb weld it onto your threaded.Harleys Dad
 

MaximusPrime

New Member
Jun 9, 2011
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Washington
I have been looking for one of these lately myself to no avail still...

I think I too may have to modify one myself to work with the stock peanut gas tank...

In my thinking on how to trouble shoot the accurate reading I think I know how you would have to go about solving the problem....

The secret would be to design a center rod that the float rides on and turns the needle as it moves up and down that is designed to move the needle more with less movement vertically on the bottom end of the tank... this would make the larger container opening at the bottom possible to calculate... the trick would simply be making the bottom assemby of the reading portion the appropriate length with the cork screw at the bottom in a tighter spiral pattern.... so it would have to move less vertically and could turn the needle more... the one issue I see in the design is how do you make the float ride freely and properly on a screw thread pattern that changes....

Just my thoughts... I think over the winter when I should have more time on my hands I will work on creating one of these that works with my stock tank...

Happy motoring!
 

James912

Member
Apr 12, 2011
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Florida
Gas gauges are the most inaccurate gauges out of all gauges for any tank on any vehicle. I wouldn't waste my time. You may end up pedaling 5miles to the nearest gas station cuz the gauge is so inaccurate. The sloshing around and movement amkes them useless. Even on cars, it'll say its empty and your still running. My families cars have gone 10-30 miles with it on empty on a brand new vehicle. Just my 2 cents....
 

wayne z

Active Member
Dec 5, 2010
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louisiana
I just take the cap off and look in there.
You could make a Piper J-3 type float guage. simply a brass wire thru the cap, with a float connected to the end in the tank
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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Indianapolis
The best, most accurate gas gauge I've ever had is the one I'm still using now. It's a chopstick.
I took a round chopstick, cut it in half, made careful measurements of the depth of my tank, and used a triangular file to mark the chopstick accordingly. Then I sanded and polished it up so I wouldn't have wood bits in my tank.
When I take the gas cap off and look inside, I can see the gas that's in there. But even with broad daylight, or a flashlight, it's hard to tell how much. That's why the chopstick is so great. You just pop the top, stick the tank, and read it.
The only advantage to an analog (needle-type) gauge is that you can read it instantly and while in motion. But they are often affected by that same motion, and even when stationary they are not as accurate as we'd like them to be. My gas mileage is so good, I only need to check it once in a while. I've gotten used to just taking out the stick every now and then. It's really not a hassle at all.
 

Rocky_Motor

New Member
Nov 14, 2011
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Fort Collins & Boulder
Gas gauges are the most inaccurate gauges out of all gauges for any tank on any vehicle. I wouldn't waste my time. You may end up pedaling 5miles to the nearest gas station cuz the gauge is so inaccurate. The sloshing around and movement amkes them useless. Even on cars, it'll say its empty and your still running. My families cars have gone 10-30 miles with it on empty on a brand new vehicle. Just my 2 cents....
Car gauges are pretty accurate now adays. They have multiple sensors in them for the varying changes of gravity on the gas in the tank (like going up a hill). The reason they say empty with 10-30 miles is because many people are to stubborn to fill up when they should so they essentially call it a "reserve". After you hit E and the light comes on most cars have 1-2 gallons left.

Keeps people from running out of gas as much as they used to always skip on the gas station then get stuck in the road before they knew it.




Just a pet peve of mine really. I don't like driving my car with below a 1/4 tank and always fill it all the way up. You're going to put that much gas in it eventually, mine as well do it now.. Just my mentality I guess.
 

trug

New Member
Jan 8, 2012
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moscow, idaho
Car gauges are pretty accurate now adays. They have multiple sensors in them for the varying changes of gravity on the gas in the tank (like going up a hill). The reason they say empty with 10-30 miles is because many people are to stubborn to fill up when they should so they essentially call it a "reserve". After you hit E and the light comes on most cars have 1-2 gallons left.
something for the gee whiz file cars destined for the usa have a much larger reserve (as much as 2-3 gallons) than those headed to europe or japan (usually in the neighborhood of 1/2 gallon)