Does anyone do an electronic sender unit to replace the original glass front guage that fits into the A fuel tank ? or has anyone succesfully converted another unit to fit ? I am fitting a 36 dash and the 31 fuel tank, and want a fuel guage mounted in the dash.
You probably could use a universal fit sending unit..adjusted or modified to fit in thu the original hole, It will have to seal very well because fuel level will be up to and or over the original hole..and wire it to a gauge of the right OHMs for the sending unit and your good to go. the original gauge in the A is a cork on a slider pointer in a glass window..so that would all have to come out, and use of an after market electronic gauge will be in order the original gauge is completely mechanical, not electrical
True, but that can be changed..you will have to do the modifying..get one that will swing the full height of the tank, and turn the reostat to allow that swing of the rod
There is another HAMBer in the UK who goes by Blackjack. A few years ago he posted pics of a rear mounted tank for a T bucket or modified; the tank looked like a wing airfoil on a altered wheelbase drag fueler. He used a mechanical fuel guage from a Cessna that mounts in the side of a wing tank. I have a couple of these guages, and have thought one would look cool mounted in an "A" dash. Later, Kinky6
good idea , but i believe those cessna 150 fuel level guages are also mechanical, much like the original A guage in its machanical design, thus..he wont be able to hook up an electric dial guage to it
Yeah, but its a really cool looking mechanical dial guage. I really like the "No Take Off" logo over the 1/4 tank part.
it is sweet, I would like to see it get used that way too. it would be interesting to see someone take the time to make it look and fit right
Yes, but you can put a ninety degree bend into the float rod. The secret is to get the float vertical travel to match the needle movement on the fuel gauge. You do that by adjusting the length of the float rod. Not difficult, it just takes a bit of experimentation with the float and arm to get the needle on the fuel gauge to match up to the full end empty marks. If you can remove the tank from the car, this is very easy. The float sits on the bottom of the dry tank (empty) than turn the tank upside down (full). Bend the float arm, or lengthen/shorten the float arm it to get it reading right. If the tank is in the car, you are going to have to keep filling and emptying the tank, a slow frustrating job, but still possible.
The Model A gauge is, basically, a cork float connected to a pointer that shows thru a glass window in the dash. There is no way to connect a sending unit to electrify it.
Yeah, but there are other a/c fuel gauge senders which are electric, piper's cessna's etc, which are mostly for 'side mount' applications. otherwise you could modify one as has been suggested
How, exactly, does one fit an electric sending unit to a mechanical gauge? Can you connect an electric sending unit to a mechanical oil pressure gauge? Where do you connect the wires? It like rigging your doorbell button to turn on your kitchen faucet. There's no interface
Duh ! You connect the electrical sender to the tank, and use an electrical fuel gauge on the dash. And surprise ! That is how every modern car on the road today actually does it. This often means soldering a suitable metal ring to the fuel tank with threaded holes, so that a standard electrical tank sender can be screwed down with an appropriate gasket.
Originally Posted by yblock292 i bet you could use a standard fuel tank sending unit hooked up to the model a gauge The Model A gauge is, basically, a cork float connected to a pointer that shows thru a glass window in the dash. There is no way to connect a sending unit to electrify it. Originally Posted by Carl La Fong The Model A gauge is, basically, a cork float connected to a pointer that shows thru a glass window in the dash. There is no way to connect a sending unit to electrify it. Unless you fit an electric fuel gauge sender unit. Originally Posted by Warpspeed Unless you fit an electric fuel gauge sender unit. How, exactly, does one fit an electric sending unit to a mechanical gauge? Can you connect an electric sending unit to a mechanical oil pressure gauge? Where do you connect the wires? It like rigging your doorbell button to turn on your kitchen faucet. There's no interface Originally Posted by Carl La Fong How, exactly, does one fit an electric sending unit to a mechanical gauge? Can you connect an electric sending unit to a mechanical oil pressure gauge? Where do you connect the wires? It like rigging your doorbell button to turn on your kitchen faucet. There's no interface Duh ! You connect the electrical sender to the tank, and use an electrical fuel gauge on the dash. And surprise ! That is how every modern car on the road today actually does it. This often means soldering a suitable metal ring to the fuel tank with threaded holes, so that a standard electrical tank sender can be screwed down with an appropriate gasket. Try to stay on point, Halfspeed. The original post, that I responded to, was about connecting a Model A gauge to an electric sender. I am not at all surprised at how modern fuel gauges operate. Work on your reading comprehension skills. Duh
Check out a sending unit from a later model Harley Davidson. Small enough to fit in the tank and hide the access mount. A quick Google should give you ohms value, pics, manual drawings of OEM application. Good luck
I just read the question once. He does not want to use the stock model "A" gauge. He is installing a different dash. He wants an electric sending unit and an electric gauge to read the fuel level in the model "A" tank. Now lets start over!
That is even easier to do. But I cannot now be bothered telling you how exactly to fit an electrical bimetallic gauge behind the original A scale and glass.
Again, Quarterspeed, I WAS RESPONDING TO THE POST BY YBLOCK292! You inserted yourself into that, particular, portion of this thread. Are you completely incapable of following a simple thread. He said, yblock292 i bet you could use a standard fuel tank sending unit hooked up to the model a gauge I said, Carl La Fong The Model A gauge is, basically, a cork float connected to a pointer that shows thru a glass window in the dash. There is no way to connect a sending unit to electrify it. You said, Warpspeed Unless you fit an electric fuel gauge sender unit. Now, kindly explain how I do not get it. I will cue up the "Jeopardy" theme as I await your, brilliantly worded, response. If anyone else sees a flaw in my logic, please feel free to jump in
Swapped the "wing" tank for a Fordson oval tank but still have the same gauge. Make an adapter out of 10mm ally plate and a Cessna Bird Dog drop tank gauge like this would work fine in a stock model A tank. No electrics to worry about either. One on eBay just now (item no 280511288438) - at $165 he wants way too much for it though. Make him an offer after it fails to sell. Try also Item No 400164952832 brand new at just $55 - looks nice in satin nickel plate. You can buy a similarly styled new one from Aircraft Spruce for $68. It has the No Take Off red quadrant too.
I think the biggest issue will be size of the sender unit, meaning the works of the thing separated from the modern gastank mounting plug...though it MIGHT be possible to put just the wire and float inside the tank and the rheostat piece on the outside if the hole can be sealed. I think you would have to use the Model A threaded parts and gaskets and a piece of steel cut to the shape and edge thickness of the Model A glass lens... If you can come up with something that will go into the tank through the little hole available, sealing it into the mounting/sealing pieces should start looking possible. I assume a bit of space between original surface and the '36 tin.
anyone ever find out how to do this? i want o use a 34 dash in my model A with an electric gauge and want to know what electric sender will fit into the stock dash mounted model A tank. anyone?
This is the way to do it. Yes the hole is small and you might have to find a small sender to fit through it. I would make a plate the size and thickness of the glass and attach the sender in the same way that the universal one does with a hole in the center. I would set it up so that the electric part of the sender is about halfway up and down in the tank. If someone wants this done pm me. I have a tank that I can set it up in.
Very cool offer 55willys! I just do without a gauge, I've learned to adapt. I keep track of my miles with a gps unit hard wired into the wiring system and stuck to the windshield. About every 100 miles I know I need to start thinking about gas. I figureI have about 150 miles max, though I've never pushed it to find out the ultimum max yet. After 100 miles it's time to stretch the legs anyway.
So tonight just to see I tried to fit a sender in a model A tank the float went in but I think there will need to be some modification to slim the actual sender a bit. I will look into it more on Saturday.
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