Ah yes, the venerable, typical, inaccurate Vanagon Gas Gauge.  The
calibration between the sender and the gauge is perhaps the worst of any VW
model made.  Every Vanagon I have encountered, gas or diesel has been pretty
dismal in the fuel gauge reading department.

Proper reading of the gauge (if it was accurate,) from R to L, is Full, 1/2,
1/4, Reserve.

These are the readings on my 84 Westy that I have gotten used to over the
years (with both old and new senders - my coolant gauge has always been
relatively spot-on).  After about 45 miles, my gauge needle falls to half
and stays there until around 110 miles, then it falls to 1/4.  When I have
reached about 160 miles, it falls to the edge of the R Band.  As I travel
the next 30 miles and turns are involved, it wildly flucuates (I love that
word), sometimes buring the needle into the extreme left (Empty) side.

When it first falls to the edge of the R's Red Band, I generally fill up
around 10 to 11 gallons (I usually tow a small loaded trailer, around
800lbs, as on my recent trip from SoCal to Tennessee and back).

YMMV ;-)
--
Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
**********************************
On 7/28/06, Geo & Kathleen Hahn <ahwahnee@cybertrails.com> wrote:
>
> Max Wellhouse wrote:
>
> > ...On a couple of occasions, I filled it when the needle was right at
> > the half mark...
>
>
> I gotta ask... which one is the halfway mark?  Are the marks (R to L)
> full, 3/4, 1/2, red zone?  Or is it full, 1/2, 1/4, red zone?
>
> The gauge does not appear to operate in a linear fashion, i.e. the first
> mark below full is a long way down the scale.
>
> Geo H