Fuel level, gauge reading???

[super01]

I notice that the fuel level changes as the angle of the boat does, of course, and that makes sense. My question is when does the gauge indicate the true fuel level? When the boat is moving, sitting still on the water, or when on the trailer?

[DanielC]

To answer your question, about true fuel level, NEVER!

Keep the top half of the tank full, and you never need worry about the bottom half.

[super01]

That's good advice. The gauge on my 210 didn't seem to move around as much as this one does, so it was easier to plan my trips to the gas station.

[scottb7]

There is one time when it is accurate...when tank is empty. My pet peeve is that gauge never reads completely full. I tinkered with it and seems to be because the way the tank is designed and thickness of tank plastic and how gauge works the float can't go all the way to the top. The top of the float hits the top of the tank before it goes all the way up and then does not read completely full.

I just keep it at least half way...like was said above...

[super01]

I noticed that too Scott, part of the reason I asked, thinking I might have a problem with the gauge or float. Knowing when it was supposed to be accurate would help me troubleshoot it, but it sounds like this is normal operation from this setup.

Anyway, thanks guys. I will just need to be more diciplined about filling up when I reach half a tank.

[DanielC]

On my 1997 Ski Nautique, I think the gas tank float is on a thick wire, and swings in about a 1/4 circle arc, and the fuel sender is just a variable resistor that is moved by the thick wire and float. You can take the sender out, and bend the wire, and make the gauge read different for the same fuel level. I also do not have the back seat in my boat, and I have the back carpeted panel slid sideways a little, and can actually see the level of the gas in the gas tank.

More modern fuel tank senders do not have the float on the end of a wire, I think they just have a float in a cylindrical tube, or the tube just "senses" the fuel level.

The fuel gauge is damped, that is is it designed to not show every fluctuation in the fuel level.

I had a 1964 VW bug in my youth, and the fuel gauge in it was mechanical. the float was attached to a thick wire, that pulled and pushed a cable, that went to the fuel gauge, and the cable movement moved the fuel gauge needle. When the VW tank was full, the needle would show that. At half full, the needle would show that, and the needle would move going around corners, stopping, and starting, showing the fuel sloshing around. When the tank got empty, the gauge would show that, with the needle moving. When the tank was really empty, the needle would stop moving. Then, you really needed to get gas.

If you have ever flown a light airplane, in the preflight check, you take the gas cap off the gas tank, and use a stick to check the fuel level. When you start the engine of the plane, you compare what the fuel gauge indicates, to what you was on the stick.

So that is why my short answer this morning was "never!"

[swc5150]

They seem to never read "full", and read "empty" for a long, long time.

[super01]

I knew what you meant Daniel, it was a good answer!

I can actually see the tank by looking in the bilge, there is an access lid below the "step/seat". I looked and when it's on the trailer it doesn't match what the gauge is saying when it's on the water.

I think it will be better all-around if I keep it topped off, after all more fuel in the boat means a bigger wake.