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Conference vicki::boats

Title:	Powerboats
Notice:	Introductions 2 /Classifieds 3 / '97 Ski Season 1267
Moderator:	KWLITY::SUTER

Created:	Thu May 12 1988
Last Modified:	Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1275
Total number of notes:	18109

1008.0. "need fuel guage debug/repair help" by COBRA::CUMMINGS (Paul T. Cummings LTN2) Wed Jul 15 1992 13:51

    
    My fuel guage has ceased to work after 4 years of flawless performance. 
    My question is does anyone know how to debug repair these.  I suspected
    a corroded/oxidized connection somewhere but I think I have ruled this
    out.  I checked the leads at the fuel tank.  12v are going in.  7v seem
    to be coming out.  I suspect this is correct for a partially full tank.  
    
    The guage seems to have 4 leads:  one ground, one 12v, one 7v, and one
    for the light.  This seemed correct to me.  My thinking was that the
    guage would somehow take in 12v and 7v and produce a reading.  The 7v
    presumably (not tested) would vary depending on tank fullness.  
    
    I guess the guage could just be broken.  Is there any way to check
    either by putting in other voltages?  does anyone know how these things
    are supposed to work?  The boat s a 85 4 Winns 19ft cuddy with
    Mercruiser engine but apparently not Mercruiser guages.  I can't tell
    whose guages they are but the logo on each guage looks something like a
    smushed letter w.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1008.1		WEFXEM::HOWELL		`Wed Jul 15 1992 16:39`	1
	.
1008.2	check the grounds	PENUTS::GORDON		`Thu Jul 16 1992 13:35`	7
	My problem was a bad ground where the ground wire attaches to the sending unit. If you tested for 12v with the ground on the tank it was ok, but if you tested the ground at the connector, it was bad. Corrosion had built up between the connector and the tank. I move the ground to one of the screws on the tank and it has been working fine. Gordon
1008.3	Stuck?	DNEAST::OKERHOLM_PAU		`Fri Jul 17 1992 13:46`	9
	Another possibility is the float itself. Mine stuck one year and I repaired it by just rapping on the fuel tank which loosened the mechanism. Once loosened it worked fine for the remainder of the year. BTW - I wanted to replace the unit but its mounted to the Aluminum tank with Aluminum screws. This is correct of course, to eliminate galvanic corrosion, but its virtually impossible to get the screws out without rounding them off. I decided to quit while I was ahead. Paul
1008.4	Hmmmmmmmm .........	SALEM::PAPPALARDO		`Fri Jul 17 1992 17:20`	11
	re.3 What's the possiblity of using a chisel to take off the heads of the aluminum screws, take out the sending unit then using a pair of pliers or visegrips take out the remaining shafts? Just a Thought, Guy
1008.5	Chisel?	GUCCI::HERB	Al is the first name	`Sat Jul 18 1992 23:12`	8
	An impact driver is correct tool for "stuck" screws (it turns the screwdriver blade as you strike it with a hammer. If however the surface the screw goes into isn't solit enough to take the banging, I'd suggest drilling the screws out. It's soft metal so anything that might (slim) get past the filter shouldn't hurt much. For drills: A cordless is the most convenient tool upgrade I've made for working at the dock.