TVR S4 Fuel gauge

[Craig Brown Photographer]

Yet to run out of fuel but how accurate is the fuel tank needle ? Have been carrying a spare can just in case ! Any advise would be great ,cheers Craig

[magpies]

only reasonably accurate when stationary on a level surface - like a petrol station forecourt

sort of ok when steady driving in a straight line on a level road

best to either always refill when down to 1/4 or carry the spare can (full)

[Craig Brown Photographer]

Thanks, thats pretty much what I have been doing, cheers Craig

[Searider]

Run it out and see what the gauge shows.

As long as you have enough in the can to get to a petrol station no problem.

[Craig Brown Photographer]

Cheers Thanks

[v8s4me]

Craig Brown Photographer said:

.... how accurate is the fuel tank needle ?...

Varies from car to car.

Craig Brown Photographer said:

.... Have been carrying a spare can just in case! ...

Good idea!

I tend to go my the milometer and fill up every 220 miles. More for you thrifty V6 owners.

[AutoAndy]

Mine has been accurate as far as I can tell - obviously not when going round corners, but if there is some showing on my V6 however low, then the engine seems to keep going.

One thing to check if you can, is how the sender is mounted in the tank. as it is a float on a wire - make sure it is angled correctly and see how bent it is and if the float has leaked at all

[NZDave]

In my S1 the gauge seems to have a mind of its own. However it reaches empty well before the tank does. If the needle still comes off empty when I go around a right hand bend there is still enough gas. I have driven from Christchurch to Invercargill (570km) on a tankful. I wasn't thinking about petrol and by the time I looked at the gauge to see it showing empty the next open station was in Invercargill anyway. Not many stations open on a Sunday in this part of the world.
Dave

[Niiige]

My fuel gauge is reasonably accurate from full to half full. After that it fluctuates between empty and full.

As Joe says, I fill her up, keep an eye on the mileage and keep her topped up.

[Craig Brown Photographer]

Thanks for all the info guys, I guess don't trust it too much, keep a spare tank etc, as like NZ dave you can travel in NZ without seeing a petrol station in the " back country " for some distance , reminds me maybe I should re new the AA membership 😂

[ukflyboy]

NZDave said:

In my S1 the gauge seems to have a mind of its own. However it reaches empty well before the tank does. If the needle still comes off empty when I go around a right hand bend there is still enough gas. I have driven from Christchurch to Invercargill (570km) on a tankful. I wasn't thinking about petrol and by the time I looked at the gauge to see it showing empty the next open station was in Invercargill anyway. Not many stations open on a Sunday in this part of the world.
Dave

Dave, did you go down there on SH1? If so, I hope when you went/go back you are going via SH6 and 8, that would be a lovely drive through Central and the Lindis in a TVR!!

[GreenV8S]

Craig Brown Photographer said:

how accurate is the fuel tank needle?

If the needle moves when you go round corners, there's probably some fuel in the tank. Beyond that you're on your own.

[NZDave]

Hi ukflyboy. That section of the trip was coming home as I live in Invercargill. On the way up we went up the West Coast and over Arthurs Pass. This is really great TVR territory although I had my wife with me on that trip so had to go a bit slower through some of the twisty stuff. There are some long twisty sections on the West Coast where you just slot it into second and leave it there. If the straights are to long it will still go to 70mph so you can just feather the throttle at that. I have not had the car north of Christchurch but have covered most of the roads south of there in it.
Dave

[ukflyboy]

Nice one Dave, I've lived in the UK the past 14 years but was born and bred in a rubbish town just north of you with a fish on a pole (too embarrassed to say it out loud!) so I've also spent a lot of time on the roads around there. West Coast and up through Arthurs would be great too!!

I don't know if you ever take your car out on some of the classic car runs around Southland, but if you do and see a bright green 4 door HZ Monaro then that will be my Dad! Right, off to sort my green S3, sorry for hijacking the thread!