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08-12-2003, 05:59 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13
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Gas Gage
Howdy from Texas, I'm a new member with a 79' 28' Excella.
Our gas gage stopped working and the Chev dealer says these are no longer available, any ideas out there?
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08-12-2003, 06:39 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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It's a pretty simple circuit, 12v to the gauge then to the sender. Pull the gauge panel and check for voltage, ground the gauge then open it and the needle should go between full and empty. The wire snaps on a brass connector on the top of the tank, but you have to drop the tank to get at it. There should be 12v at that connection. Most of the time it isn't the sender or gauge but corrosion or a broken wire. The sender is only 90 ohms max so it doesn't take much resistance to stop the gauge from working.
John
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08-12-2003, 06:56 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1959 22' Caravanner
Atlanta
, Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,197
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I doubt it's the gage. I would be more inclined to think it was the sender. Is it reading empty or full? If it's reading full then the gage works and the sender or the wire to the sender is a open circuit. A quick test would be to find the sender wire and gorund it to the frame. That should cause it to read empty. GM pretty well uses a 80 ohm set up. If you have a VOM meter check the sender connection between ground and see what the meter say's. 80 ohms is full and near zero is empty.
FOlks have had luck pulling the sender and cleaning it. Varnish sometimes forms and causes a poor connection on the contact strip. Mineral spirits will disolve it.
If you do confirm it's the gage there are alterantives to the dealer. www.yearone.com and http://www.lmctruck.com/ carry gages for convention GM trucks and they may have a suitable replacement. Most of the gage manufactures such as Stewart Warner, VDO and other do make a aftermarket gage that will work with a GM 80 ohm sender.
__________________
1959 22' Caravanner
1988 R20 454 Suburban.
Atlanta, GA
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08-12-2003, 06:58 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1959 22' Caravanner
Atlanta
, Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,197
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Oppps John beat me to it. I thought it was 80...it may well be 90....Split the difference and if you get between 80 and 90 then it's a full tank. LOL
__________________
1959 22' Caravanner
1988 R20 454 Suburban.
Atlanta, GA
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08-13-2003, 12:22 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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It is 0-90. My gauge isn't hooked up and I use an ohm meter to check the level. Right now I have 53 ohms; it is going into the 90's by Friday so I know I have enough gas to run the generator to run the air while I work.
John
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08-13-2003, 05:08 PM
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#6
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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Sooo, with my 80 gal fuel tank and a digital Ohm meter in the dash, I could have an almost precise read out of gallons left in the tank. Now wouldn't that be fancy.
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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08-13-2003, 05:34 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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My yet to be hooked up gauges read like that, % instead of 1/4, 1/2, etc. Have to wait and see how well that will work as opposed to a glance at a needle.
John
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08-13-2003, 07:27 PM
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#8
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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Quote:
Originally posted by 74Argosy24MH
My yet to be hooked up gauges read like that, % instead of 1/4, 1/2, etc. Have to wait and see how well that will work as opposed to a glance at a needle.
John
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Now you are talking.
Officer, I only was going 47%
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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08-14-2003, 07:22 AM
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#9
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1 Rivet Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13
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Gas Gage & About Us
Thanks for the great response, no voltage at the gage. More digging for voltage ahead.
Since we are new to the group I thought I would tell you a little about us and our 79' 28' rear bath motorhome.
We have owned our MH for 6 years, gradually restoring and upgrading. Interior is done, mechanically much has been done to insure reliable, safe, smooth performance. Starting to formulate a plan for the exterior, any restored units out there for inspiration?
We tow a restored 67' Beetle.
We are headed to the Minnesota Airstream Park the end of August for two weeks.
It is a Fantastic place!
I look forward to further discussions with the group.
Dean
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08-14-2003, 07:30 AM
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#10
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Just a member
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lutz
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,549
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Dean,
Voltage is not what you are looking for. The wire from the sending unit feeds a lower potential ground to the gauge. You need to check the resistance (ohms) from the wire to a ground souce. As mentioned above it will be less than 100 ohms so you will need to use the lowest setting on the meter.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
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1978 Argosy 28 foot Motorhome
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
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08-20-2003, 07:29 PM
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#11
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1 Rivet Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 13
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Re: Gas Gage
Quote:
Originally posted by deano
Howdy from Texas, I'm a new member with a 79' 28' Excella.
Our gas gage stopped working and the Chev dealer says these are no longer available, any ideas out there?
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Hi,
Let me join Deano's thread with a different twist. My gage (on a P30 AS300) is solid as a rock when full. After it starts moving off of full it starts bouncing around and as it gets less full it really bounces and is almost useless. Its almost like the sender had a very light float making it supersensative to very small movements.
Any ideas?
Ebert Steele
La Marque,
Texas WBCCI #1083
__________________
Ebert Steele
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08-21-2003, 08:19 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2004 28' Classic
Currently Looking...
huntsville
, Alabama
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 866
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welcome to the club. the tanks dont have baffels in them. and as a result gas will slosh around in the tank plus your guage might be in same condition as mine worn. and lots of luck on finding a new sensor . the tank is not gm it is a airstream product. a piece of trash some farmer put on his tractor . havent been to the farm supply store yet. still loking for a sensor. lol
al
__________________
AL
2007 chevrolet 2500 duramax 6.6
allison 6 speed
2004 classic 28 WB , Pro Pride P-3 hitch
centramatics wheel ballancers 300-556
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08-21-2003, 08:33 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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Quote:
the tank is not gm it is a airstream product.
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But the sender is, or at least a 0-90 ohm which has been GM's standard for 30 or 40 years. As long as you don't care if you have to do some redneck engineering you can go to the junkyard and get one out of a Vega and the parts will work.
John
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08-21-2003, 07:33 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2004 28' Classic
Currently Looking...
huntsville
, Alabama
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 866
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one exception . i will not use a sensor out of an old vega. and i can red neck with the best. as for junk yards now i dont think so. mr snake might want to keep that gas tank he is sleeping under. lol
al
__________________
AL
2007 chevrolet 2500 duramax 6.6
allison 6 speed
2004 classic 28 WB , Pro Pride P-3 hitch
centramatics wheel ballancers 300-556
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