Date:         Thu, 4 Jan 1996 10:24:42 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Tobin T. Copley" <tobin@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca>
Subject:      Re: Flaky fuel gauge

On Thu, 4 Jan 1996 RagDoll517@aol.com wrote:

> Hello all!
> My '75 Westy has a sick fuel gauge - it never registers more than 1/2 a tank
> and I can bottom out on "reserve"and still have half a tank left... obviously
> this makes for high tension on any lengthy road trips!  
[snip!]
> Any ideas out there?  Or must I remain  "Have gas can, Will travel"?

Ruthie,

I'm big on carrying an extra can of gas on the roof on long trips--it's 
not a big deal, and good insurance.  My westy has an uncannily accurate gas 
gauge and I still carry a gas can whenever we take a trip up into the 
boonies.

As for feeling worried about running out of gas on long trips, just use 
the odometer as a gauge (THAT works, right?), and be sure to fill before 
you drive anywhere close to your cruising range, say, every 200 miles or so.

As for fixing the sender without pulling the engine and tank, the most 
common method is to cut a hole through the sheet metal in the body 
directly above the sender unit in the tank.  Many busses have already had 
this done, so you won't have to be the one to butcher your beloved.  
Check under the mattress on the rear deck to see if someone has already 
cut a hole there--if they have, it'll be obvious.  You CAN cut a hole 
yourself, if you have the intestinal fortitude, but I won't go into the 
gory details here.  Search the archives if you want the ugly how-to details.

Tobin


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobin T. Copley                  Only Somewhat          =============  
(604) 689-2660                    Occupationally       /_| |__||__| :| putta
tobin@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca      Challenged!        O|             | putta
                                                       '-()-------()-' 
Circum-continental USA, Mexico, Canada 15,000 miles... '76 VW Camper! (Mango)