Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Fuel level gauge
From:ralph meyermann
Date:Sat, 27 Jul 2013 07:53:53 -0600

Thanks! I may have to bring my fluke 1587 meter home from work its more
accurate than my fluke t5 600v. It never really worked right before the
change either, tank was rusty so I replaced both. It may be a ground issue?

Velma 82 na diesel westy
On Jul 27, 2013 8:24 AM, "David Beierl" <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:

> At 08:37 AM 7/27/2013, ralph meyermann wrote:
>
>> Hi gang! I recently installed new fuel tank and sending unit and with 12
>> gallons approximately of fuel its showing about half a tank. Is there some
>> adjustment I can do to calibrate it?
>> Velma 82 na diesel westy
>>
>
> Check for 10.0 +/- 0.5 V between the ground pin of the temp gauge and
> whichever of the other pins gives the higher reading.  If that's low you've
> got bad panel supply, bad panel ground or bad panel regulator.  Any of
> these will cause both temp and fuel readings to be low.
>
> If that's not the problem, a bad ground will cause low readings.
>
> Check your gauge calibration per Bentley page 90.20.  The formula to
> convert VW1301 tester settings to ohms is (VW/2) + 10 = ohms, so the high
> value is 35 ohms and the low value is 170 ohms.
>
> Note:  According to Bentley up through '84 used different calibration,
> 37.5/290 ohms.  However I think that's baloney.  I've swapped '85 panel
> into '84 with no calibration change, and ETKA shows the same sender p/n up
> through mid '87.
>
> If the gauge calibration is off you can adjust it with some pain by the
> toothed zero and span levers accessible through little holes in the back of
> the gauge.  They are interactive, takes 3-4 passes to get them right.  One
> moves the pivot point and the other changes the spring tension.
>
> Yours,
> David
>