Jumping fuel gage needle

[John Glover]

Thanks for the replies about the tank capacity on the PT 18. What brought on the question was, I happened to notice my fuel gage needle bouncing from empty to about a fourth of a tank, and too early for the amount of running I had done. And sure enough, when I filled the tank, thinking it must be at least 15-20 gallons low, it wasn't. I squeezed in 13 gallons. So my fuel gage is unreliable, at least at low fuel points. It's steady at full and 3/4 tank, where I usually have it.

Is the sender bad? I presume that's the metal disk I see on top of the tank and there must be a probe with a float or sensor from that disk down to the bottom of the tank.

Right?

Is this an expensive fix?

jag

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Lift the hatch and look at the tank, I've never had a boat I would trust the fuel gauge on.



Some tanks aren't perfect shapes - smaller at the top and larger at the bottom - so the first 1/4 tank might be 10 gallons, but the last 1/4 tank might be 25 gallons. (my friends Sprint)

 

[Greg. Avery]

Jack the fuel gages in a boat are known to be unreliable at best, it is just the way they are :wacko: I replaced my float in mine & it still reads about a 1/4 tank off. The only way to fix this that I know of is to start bending the float arm which is something I am not going to get into :wacko:

 

[Rocky Lohman2]

That is just the way they are. Mine is also off by about a 1/4 tank after it leaves the full mark.I actually have thought about taking it out and putting in a water pressure gage! At least it would work!