<VV> Fuel Gauge/sender questions

[Bob Gilbert]

Hi chuck,

That was my thinking as well - I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't
missing something while I'm trying to diagnose a fuel gauge issue.

Thanks!
Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: Charles McKinley [mailto:cmckinley313 at verizon.net] 
Sent: February-09-11 7:07 PM
To: Bob Gilbert
Cc: Charles McKinley; 'Virtual Vairs'
Subject: Re: <VV> Fuel Gauge/sender questions

Bob,
	The Corvair gauges are nothing more than voltmeters, with the  
indicated voltage analog (fuel level) controlled by the resistance in  
the sending unit - pretty much what you said in the second paragraph  
of your note. The reason for the change to a thermally-based gauge in  
modern cars is (as I understand it) that the heating process has a  
much longer time constant (smoothing effect) so that the needle  
doesn't jump around the way the Vair gauges do. You might notice that  
when you start up a modern car it takes a while for the fuel gauge to  
reach an equilibrium point and then it's very steady there.

Chuck McKinley

On Feb 9, 2011, at 9:45 PM, Bob Gilbert wrote:

> Hi,
>
>
>
> I did a bit of research and appears that modern fuel gauges work by  
> the
> warming of a bimetallic strip as current flows through it. The strip  
> moves
> the needle.
>
>
>
> Is that true of our older Corvair gauges or is the variable current  
> caused
> by the variable resistor (the sender) changing the magnetic strength  
> of a
> coil - and thereby moving the needle?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bob
>
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