Fuel Gauge - 4000 series
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:11 am
As I mentioned in another post, I've begun installing a fuel gauge in my Ingersoll 4020.
I ordered a 150MM sender/gauge kit from AliExpress, it was in the $25 range.
In preparation, after a great suggestion by @DavidBarkey , I created a flange with threaded studs to go inside the tank, with the studs sticking upward. I just cut out a 1/16" plate steel ring, drilled it to match the holes in the fuel sender, and tapped it for screws (#10-32). I then screwed the screws all the way in, and tack welded the heads to the ring, so now those permanent studs will stick up through the holes in the sender flange.
Next I prepared it to be fished in place through the gas cap hole. I ran it through the bandsaw to cut it into two slices, and then tack welded a piece of steel wire to each piece. Those wires can be bent to whatever shape I need in order to push each slice through the gas cap hole and then maneuver it into position.
With those ready to go, I then used my new battery powered fuel siphoning pump to drain my tank. Boy, that makes things easy. A well-spent $15.
First step is to drill a 35MM hole in the sender's desired location. (The float on the sender is 35MM across, so a 35-38MM hole is fine.)
I made a mistake here, and barely mitigated it: I didn't realize that the floor of the tank isn't flat. There's a raised ridge, particularly over on this left side where I've drilled.
So I couldn't mount the sender right where this hole is. I had to slide it all the way to the right side of this hole. That leaves the gasket not making full contact over on the far left side, but I think it'll be ok. If I had drilled another 1/2" to the left, it would have been disaster.
(continued)
I ordered a 150MM sender/gauge kit from AliExpress, it was in the $25 range.
In preparation, after a great suggestion by @DavidBarkey , I created a flange with threaded studs to go inside the tank, with the studs sticking upward. I just cut out a 1/16" plate steel ring, drilled it to match the holes in the fuel sender, and tapped it for screws (#10-32). I then screwed the screws all the way in, and tack welded the heads to the ring, so now those permanent studs will stick up through the holes in the sender flange.
Next I prepared it to be fished in place through the gas cap hole. I ran it through the bandsaw to cut it into two slices, and then tack welded a piece of steel wire to each piece. Those wires can be bent to whatever shape I need in order to push each slice through the gas cap hole and then maneuver it into position.
With those ready to go, I then used my new battery powered fuel siphoning pump to drain my tank. Boy, that makes things easy. A well-spent $15.
First step is to drill a 35MM hole in the sender's desired location. (The float on the sender is 35MM across, so a 35-38MM hole is fine.)
I made a mistake here, and barely mitigated it: I didn't realize that the floor of the tank isn't flat. There's a raised ridge, particularly over on this left side where I've drilled.
So I couldn't mount the sender right where this hole is. I had to slide it all the way to the right side of this hole. That leaves the gasket not making full contact over on the far left side, but I think it'll be ok. If I had drilled another 1/2" to the left, it would have been disaster.
(continued)