Spitfire fuel meter problem

Long story short:

Fuel tank read empty. I filled it up to the brim, but it was only 7.5(US gallons). Fuel tank spec says it's 9.9US gallons.

Looks like my fuel tank sending unit's a bit pessemistic. I hear a knocking sound when it's low on gas.

Did my fuel float get filled up, thus rendering a too-low reading? Shame if it is, since I replaced it new about 6-7 years ago.

Reply to
S1500
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Your reserve is going to add another half gallon (?). I'd say that's about as accurate as you can expect. And anyway, it's better than reading quarter full when it's empty. Personally, I fill up when the trip mileage reading gets towards 180 miles in the Triumph or 250 in the Rover, but then their fuel gauges don't work at all.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Pretty well all older vehicles have gauges that read empty when there's still some fuel left.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

S1500 realised it was Mon, 14 Aug 2006

23:15:25 -0500 and decided it was time to write:

It's not uncommon. The repro float on my TR3 filled up and that was less than five years old. It looked like it was punctured in production, when attaching the wire loop to the float.

You're in luck, though: the float thingy is much easier to get at on a Spitfire than on a TR3. :-)

Reply to
Yippee

My present car , old but not a classic , holds 70 litres if I fill it when the warning light comes on I can never get more tha 50 litres in . so there are 4 gallons sploshing round in there when it says empty. Steve the grease

Reply to
R L driver

My 'new' one has a 'miles to empty' function on the OBC, and running it very low (under 10 miles left) on the motorway once when I expected a service station but there was none, it actually took the whole stated capacity of the tank. It has got twin senders in the fuel tank though to try and give an accurate reading under all conditions.

It's interesting to watch the miles to empty after a cold start. As the engine warms up the miles remaining actually increases...

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Does a 1500 Spit have a reserve then? If so I'm oblivious to it .... but of course that's quite possible.

Reply to
DougP

Or somebody's been a bit careless with a trolley jack!

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Ah, making a wrong assumption, was I? The Herald and Vitesse has one, so I thought the Spit would as well. On the Vitesse, there's a lever around where the fuel pipe leaves the tank. You have to open the boot to switch to reserve, which is a pain, but not as bad as being stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

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