Fuel tank shape and capacity
Fuel tank shape and capacity
Author
Discussion

Pupp

Original Poster:

12,968 posts

302 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Anyone know if the tank is completely parallel sided (ie like a matchbox); or is it 'shaped' at all? Asking as I need to programme a new digital gauge, which will be easier if the fuel volume reduces linearly as it drains... Secondly, anyone know the realistic capacity?

swallet

453 posts

173 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
Tank capacity is quoted at 57l (12.5 gallons)

phazed

22,503 posts

234 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
I've a spare tank sitting in the garage.

let me know the exact dims that you want.

Pupp

Original Poster:

12,968 posts

302 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
Thanks both - It's not the dimensions I need as such; more an idea of whether the tank is a regular sided box or wedge shaped (ie narrower bottom than top) or whatever. I think it's pretty much a rectangular box but have not had mine out...

phazed

22,503 posts

234 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
Send me your email address and I'll scan over a sketch.

Hoofa

3,153 posts

238 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
I have just fitted a new tank with a improved sender from fozmula.

Else

795 posts

268 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
quotequote all
I'm thinking of designing a larger capacity tank, target 50% larger, that will still allow easy storage of the roof panel. Would anybody be interested if I decided to make more than one?

phazed

22,503 posts

234 months

Thursday 10th April 2014
quotequote all
I am getting fed up with refilling with only 140-150 miles on the clock.

What do you reckon the approximate cost might be?

Alexdaredevils

5,697 posts

209 months

Thursday 10th April 2014
quotequote all
phazed said:
I am getting fed up with refilling with only 140-150 miles on the clock.

What do you reckon the approximate cost might be?
Proper remap first IMO!

phazed

22,503 posts

234 months

Thursday 10th April 2014
quotequote all
Alexdaredevils said:
Proper remap first IMO!
You could and possibly are correct,.......maybe wink

Ozstyle

392 posts

253 months

Thursday 10th April 2014
quotequote all
Hi,
assuming the tank is the same as the Giffith, then it is not symmetrical.
Looking at it from the side, it is wider at the base than the top.
Thus when your fuel gauge reads half full, (i.e sender float half way up the tank) your tank is actually more than half full.
I put a new dip tube sender in my Griffith and filled from totally empty. At 1/2 on the gauge I had just over 7 gallons in it. It was up to the overflow on the filler neck at about 12.5 gallons, gauge smidge over Full.

hope this helps

Ozstyle

Else

795 posts

268 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
phazed said:
I am getting fed up with refilling with only 140-150 miles on the clock.

What do you reckon the approximate cost might be?
I would say £2-300. Probably be foam filled and would use the original sender but relocate it to the centre for more stability during cornering.

phazed

22,503 posts

234 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
Sounds fair.

I recall on track I was only getting 60 miles on a tank before I was suffering fuel starvation!

Rib

2,579 posts

219 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
You make a sketch I might be able to get a good deal for a batch to be made up.

Pupp

Original Poster:

12,968 posts

302 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
Ozstyle said:
Hi,
assuming the tank is the same as the Giffith, then it is not symmetrical.
Looking at it from the side, it is wider at the base than the top.
Thus when your fuel gauge reads half full, (i.e sender float half way up the tank) your tank is actually more than half full.
I put a new dip tube sender in my Griffith and filled from totally empty. At 1/2 on the gauge I had just over 7 gallons in it. It was up to the overflow on the filler neck at about 12.5 gallons, gauge smidge over Full.

hope this helps

Ozstyle
Thanks, that's really helpful info... where did you source the new sender from?

Ozstyle

392 posts

253 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
Hi,
I got the sender from Speedy cables when I was upgrading my instruments.
The dip tube sender is a VDO item, the fuel tank sender mounting flange has the VDO 5 bolt patter (which is why I specified the dip tube sender), although I did have to enlarge the tank opening a touch to fit it. I've seen plenty of these senders on e-bay, 370 mm length I think. Remember though the fuel gauge has to match the sender ohms for correct reading. VDO sender 0-72 ohms and not compatable with the original TVR gauge. This type of sender is defiantely an improvment, less gauge fluctuation around corners and no rattling of the float on the fuel tank walls, also fixed up my dead spot on the original TVR sender.

Ozstyle

QBee

22,485 posts

174 months

Saturday 12th April 2014
quotequote all
Sorry to butt in here, but my Chim fuel gauge reads half full when there is well less than half a tank left. I would estimate about 5 gallons. A quarter tank per the gauge barely lasts 40 miles.

Peter, get your car to someone like Jools for a remap. A 5 mpg improvement would save you £1,000 for every 9000 miles run.