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Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => Technical / Authenticity => Topic started by: Bill Balkie 24172 on January 31, 2008, 12:26:42 PM

Title: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: Bill Balkie 24172 on January 31, 2008, 12:26:42 PM
My gas gage always reads full , Although sometimes, but not to often it reads accurately .Last year i removed the tank to change the sending unit Gasket . I started having trouble shortly afterwords . Any ideas on this problem would be appreciated .

Thanks Bill
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: TJ Hopland on January 31, 2008, 12:34:44 PM
I dont know anything about a 57 but in general I would assume that that vintage would only have one wire to the sending unit so grounds become important.  Perhaps when you had the tank out you disturbed the ground connection? Or by installing new hangars or insulators you insulated the thing too good?  First step would be to unhook the wire and see which way the gauge goes. It should either go all the way up or down.  Next ground the wire and it should go all the way the opposite way. This will confirm that the gauge works and the wire is good.  If full is the state it goes to when unhooked I would go after the ground issue.  It could be something like the gasket in the sending unit is keeping the unit from grounding to the tank.  In some cases I have seen people clamp a ground wire around the outlet line with a hose clamp.  Not pretty but it works. 
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192 on January 31, 2008, 01:56:09 PM
I agree, I fitted a seperate ground wire to one of the screws that attach the sending unit to the tank on my 54. If you are getting a reading sometimes and it's showing full at other times it does point to an intermittant ground.
Phil
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: The Tassie Devil(le) on January 31, 2008, 05:43:28 PM
G'day Bill,

I am with TJH and Phil.

Get a good ground.  Sender Screw to Body.

Bruce. >:D
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: Bill Balkie 24172 on January 31, 2008, 06:58:58 PM
Hello TJH,
 Thanks so much for your help , come to think of it I Painted my tank and also the  two straps that hold the tank in place .  I will run a good solid ground wire over the weekend and let you know how i make out . Thanks again Bill
Quote from: TJ H on January 31, 2008, 12:34:44 PM
I dont know anything about a 57 but in general I would assume that that vintage would only have one wire to the sending unit so grounds become important.  Perhaps when you had the tank out you disturbed the ground connection? Or by installing new hangars or insulators you insulated the thing too good?  First step would be to unhook the wire and see which way the gauge goes. It should either go all the way up or down.  Next ground the wire and it should go all the way the opposite way. This will confirm that the gauge works and the wire is good.  If full is the state it goes to when unhooked I would go after the ground issue.  It could be something like the gasket in the sending unit is keeping the unit from grounding to the tank.  In some cases I have seen people clamp a ground wire around the outlet line with a hose clamp.  Not pretty but it works. 
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: Bill Balkie 24172 on January 31, 2008, 07:00:01 PM
Thanks lou , i will give it a try .  Bill
Quote from: South_paw on January 31, 2008, 06:54:49 PM
Here's a good link for ya, it's for a Chevy but the principals are the same.

http://www.classicchevy.com/assets/pdf/29-92.pdf? (http://www.classicchevy.com/assets/pdf/29-92.pdf?)

Lou 
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: John Morris #23947 on February 01, 2008, 10:50:26 AM
I had a gas guage do that. I took the sending unit out of the tank, a copper strap had seperated. We brazed it back on, reinstalled the unit and WHALLA!! Gas guage fixed.
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: 35-709 on February 01, 2008, 11:41:11 AM
Quote from: John Morris #23947 on February 01, 2008, 10:50:26 AM
I had a gas guage do that. I took the sending unit out of the tank, a copper strap had seperated. We brazed it back on, reinstalled the unit and WHALLA!! Gas guage fixed.

This seems to be a relatively common occurrence, I have seen this same type of failure in 2 '66 Cadillacs. 
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: Glen on February 02, 2008, 02:17:48 AM
Quote from: Geoff Newcombe #4719 on February 01, 2008, 11:41:11 AM
Quote from: John Morris #23947 on February 01, 2008, 10:50:26 AM
I had a gas guage do that. I took the sending unit out of the tank, a copper strap had seperated. We brazed it back on, reinstalled the unit and WHALLA!! Gas guage fixed.

This seems to be a relatively common occurrence, I have seen this same type of failure in 2 '66 Cadillacs. 


Does that copper strap flex when the float goes up and down?  If it does a better fix might be to solder a small braided strap in it’s place.  Just a thought.

Glen

Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: The Tassie Devil(le) on February 02, 2008, 02:54:41 AM
Quote from: Glen on February 02, 2008, 02:17:48 AM
Does that copper strap flex when the float goes up and down?  If it does a better fix might be to solder a small braided strap in it’s place.  Just a thought.     Glen   
G'day Glen,

No, the Copper strap doesn't move at all, as it is attached to the cover at the terminal and the Rheostat frame.   And isolated at both ends.

I personally have never seen that strap break.

Why they use a Strap, I am not sure, but there has to be a very good reason.

Bruce. >:D
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: 35-709 on February 02, 2008, 03:46:10 PM
On one of the ones I had experience with the copper piece was almost completely gone.  Possibly the gasoline sloshing back and forth at first flexes it a little and over time it flexes more and more until it breaks off.  OR, something in the gas gradually eats it away.
Title: Re: 1957 gas gage always reading full
Post by: Bill Balkie 24172 on February 09, 2008, 06:21:42 PM
Hello ,
thanks for all your help . I added a ground wire to one of the mounting screws on the sender and gage woek fine now . Thank to everyone .