Fuel Gauge Whoas

[Christian Williams]

Universal Diesel 5432, four cylinder. I carried 70 gallons of fuel and used only 40 this time. Fuel burn was a little more than 1/2 gallon/hour. In a total of maybe 70 hours of motoring less than a quart of oil was burned. I found Bose noise-cancelling headphones a good companion, reducing the thrum to easy levels during one 30-hour stretch of continuous engine-on.

 

[RCsailfast]

Perhaps I have just accepted the oddly shaped tank will never give an accurate reading. Have pulled the sensor and checked ohm readings and all ok. Ran a variable voltage to the gauge and it is calibrated perfect. However it just never reads accurate So decided to go old school for and accurate measurement.
The gauge read 1/4 tank one day and the next 5/8. Went sailing and it was at less than 1/4 again. Had a wood dowel on the boat and headed for the fuel dock. Sticked the tank and drew a ring with a sharpie. Added 5 gallons and repeated the rings till we filled it up. Now when in doubt or time to fill, the dowel comes out. Hmmm - 15 gallons, let’s put in 10. We log Travel distances and engine hours but haven’t recorded fuel usage to calculate gal/hr. Would probably give a better estimate of fuel on the fly.