Petrol Gauge

[mosstrooper]

The AC Delco gauge on my Vixen has read full as long as I've had the car (6 years). During a recent refurb I had the rear screen out so I removed the sender unit from the tank and sent it back to Caerbont for repair. They sent me an exact replacement.

Now turns out the sender unit (which I had presumed was original) is not compatible with the gauge (also presumed original). When the float is low, the gauge reads full: when the float is high, the gauge reads half.

Does anyone have a possible solution ??

[tvrski]

turn the "reading" part upside down and adjust with resistance, and/or adjust the float hight.
it appears the resistance of the sender is to high, try to hook it up directly to your gauge, to rule out the wiring.

Edited by tvrski on Wednesday 2nd May 10:27

[RCK974X]

Just checking, but didn't those early AC gauges have fully adjustable scale on them ? I think they have little coils which can be moved to change the needle behaviour ??

Anyway, if you have a test meter, standard arrangment is that sender will be high resistance at empty (around 450 ohms or more I think ?) and low resistance at full (about 15 ohms). If it goes the other way, then it is upside down !!

[mosstrooper]

Thanks for your replies.

Seems that the original AC Delco gauge had a sender unit from a VIVA HB. Unless someone knows different, these appear to be unobtainable.

For some reason, somebody in the past has fitted a TBS (Caerbont) sender unit - TBS 1114-016. This is incompatible with an AC Delco gauge.

The TBS sender reads 20 ohms full and 220-240 ohms empty. It will work with some Smiths gauges - I'm trying to find out which ones. MG/Mini/Sprite ????

If I find and fit a Smiths gauge, however, it will not match the other gauges.

Alternatively, I can send the AC gauge to Speedy Cables and they will put the correct workings inside - for around £70.

Or, I can just continue to top up every 100 miles...

[phillpot]

mosstrooper said:

Seems that the original AC Delco gauge had a sender unit from a VIVA HB. Unless someone knows different, these appear to be unobtainable.

Have you tried www.vauxhallgreenparts.co.uk

Or the owners club wwwvauxhallviva.com

[mosstrooper]

Thanks Mike. Tried the first; not a member of the second....

[phillpot]

mosstrooper said:

not a member of the second....

Would they not still try to help out, even if only to tell you of any other Vauxhalls from that era that may have same sender?

[RCK974X]

Not sure if this helps directly, but 25-300 ohm seems to be standard for the 10 volt Smiths type gauges (Triumph and Leyland).

So a Spitfire, Triumph 2000/2500 Saloon, Dolomite, 1500, etc should read correctly, but it will also need the little 10v regulator to go with it (normally attached to the back of the speedo).

Probably other Leyland/MG will read correctly too.

Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 3rd May 21:13

[Seabass]

I have an original fitment in the garage but unfortunately it's the only one I have. I'll get the meter out and try and get some min max readings.

[Evil Twin]

mosstrooper said:

Thanks for your replies.

Seems that the original AC Delco gauge had a sender unit from a VIVA HB. Unless someone knows different, these appear to be unobtainable.

For some reason, somebody in the past has fitted a TBS (Caerbont) sender unit - TBS 1114-016. This is incompatible with an AC Delco gauge.

The TBS sender reads 20 ohms full and 220-240 ohms empty. It will work with some Smiths gauges - I'm trying to find out which ones. MG/Mini/Sprite ????

If I find and fit a Smiths gauge, however, it will not match the other gauges.

Alternatively, I can send the AC gauge to Speedy Cables and they will put the correct workings inside - for around £70.

Or, I can just continue to top up every 100 miles...

did you solve the problem with the gauge?