Dumb question #2

[RustyWa]

Ok, I think this is only my 2nd dumb question. Others may have a different opinion...

Just replaced my gas tank, put a gallon of gas in it (from bone dry) and drove to the gas station. I put in 12.15 gallons, so 13.15, before the pump shut off. The guage shows a needles width over 3/4 full. The other time I filled it up, the pump stopped in the same place.

Is it normal that you have to fill the last few gallons like your filling your lawn mower and you can't just "set it and forget it".

------------------
Eric
'75 914 2.0L

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Yes, very normal. The 914 fuel filler goes straight into a rather wide tank. The gas pumps assume that you'll have a pipe of some kind going down into the tank, not just a hole in the tank you fill through. They will shut off more or less when the fuel in the tank touches the tip of the spout. Since you stick the spout several inches into the tank, that will be somewhat below full.

When I fill up my 914, I keep putting gas into it until I can see the gas down through the filler hole. It's a good bit past where the pump automatically shuts off. Plus in the SF Bay Area I have to hold back those dumb "vapor recovery" accordion necks...

You may find that, even when the gas is all but running out of the tank, the gauge still does not read full. You can try cleaning all the connections from the gauge to the sender. You can also try removing the sender and cleaning it up, but that's really messy and I'm not sure how easy it is to break the sender.

Or you can just remember where "actually full" is on the gauge.

--DD

------------------
Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[Va914]

Side question, has anyone put the racing fuel access door in the front hood to make fueling the 914 easier? It lookes kind-a Groovy

Thanks

[scg]

Hey Wayne! That sounds like an item the Pelican should offer!

Scott

[Joe Bob]

The racing 914/6 GT had that option but it was thru a fiberglass hood. Can't see a reason NOT to do it, but a no real reason to DO it....seems like it would be a water trap in rain storms....

[Mark Howard]

Dave/Eric - I just finished my resto today and went to the gas station as well. Like Eric, I only had a gallon or so in the tank. When I cranked the car, the low fuel light was on, but the guage read upwards of 4/4???? Is this normal when the tank gets that low? When I filled it up completely, it read just below 4/4, so I think the sending unit is working properly.



------------------
Mark Howard
'88 Carrera
'62 356/B
'75 914 1.8 resto

[JP Noonan]

...and probably noisy on the highway. 914's actually are airodynamic.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The low fuel light is powered by a circuit that goes through the float in the fuel level sender. The float has a metal strip across the bottom, which bridges two contacts down at the bottom of the tank. This sends current to the light.

I have no idea why the light would still be on when the gauge read full.

--DD

------------------
Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling