Gas gauge question

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Iluv2hunt
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Gas gauge question

Post by Iluv2hunt » Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:54 pm

On my boat I have an electronic fuel gauge. It has bars that go up, the more fuel that is in it. I noticed the last few trips that I didn't think I was getting an accurate reading on fuel level. I sorta know in my mind how much gas is in the tank, so if the gauge says something different, I realize there is a problem. Been noticing that sometimes I fire the boat up in the yard and it will flash low fuel. Then later on, it will show full, or whatever level is in it..


This past weekend, I knew I had about a half tank (60 gallon capacity). I cranked it up on the hose in the yard, and it registered 1 bar less than half tank. I pulled the boat into town to wash it, then gas it up. When I filled up on gas, it took 24 gallons and it was full to the top(had a bit run out the air vent), so I know it was full...


Get on the water, idling out the river and I showed 3/4 of a tank. Hmmmmmm..... Well, I ran a total of 40 miles, and by the time I had run about 20 or so miles I noticed the fuel gauge was dropping. The whole run back in I flashed low fuel. I am the worrying/panicking type, so I am worried about being out of gas. I came to my senses and realized that I am not losing fuel. No smell of gas, and the bilge only pumped out less than a gallon of water..

So obviously I have a problem with the gauge system... Question is, what is the problem??
The boat did sit idle for at least a year. I'm wondering if it is the float inside the tank? Sending unit? Gauge itself? Need some advice on where to start before I start tearing things apart and spending money to replace...
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly

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Iluv2hunt
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by Iluv2hunt » Wed Apr 14, 2010 6:00 pm

The ball is fine and the motor runs like a raped ape.
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly

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flhuntfish
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by flhuntfish » Wed Apr 14, 2010 6:01 pm

Iluv2hunt wrote:and the motor runs like a raped ape.
Is that good or bad? :lol: :lol:

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Iluv2hunt
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by Iluv2hunt » Wed Apr 14, 2010 6:06 pm

Considering I spent over $300 to fix problems ethanol caused it is a good thing
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly

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huntingfool
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by huntingfool » Wed Apr 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Al mine does the same thing, it shows more fuel when on the trailer then on the water..Alot has to do with the angle the boat sits..And when you are running with the nose up you may show low fuel, it depends in where the sending unit is on the fuel tank..if it is in the front when the nose comes up the fuel goes toward the back of the tank therefore showing low fuel...just my 2 cents..if it is showing low fuel constantly, then I would say bad sending unit..its typically easy to replace..should have a access port on the deck of the boat that is centered over the tank..pop that access cover and there should be the top of the tank and the sending unit..a few screws out and pull the old and replace with the new..I will be glad to help ya...
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kemster99
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by kemster99 » Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:34 pm

huntingfool wrote:Al mine does the same thing, it shows more fuel when on the trailer then on the water..Alot has to do with the angle the boat sits..And when you are running with the nose up you may show low fuel, it depends in where the sending unit is on the fuel tank..if it is in the front when the nose comes up the fuel goes toward the back of the tank therefore showing low fuel...just my 2 cents..if it is showing low fuel constantly, then I would say bad sending unit..its typically easy to replace..should have a access port on the deck of the boat that is centered over the tank..pop that access cover and there should be the top of the tank and the sending unit..a few screws out and pull the old and replace with the new..I will be glad to help ya...
if it does once in awhile, could just be a bad ground. used to have to chase grounds on my boat all the time.
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Iluv2hunt
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by Iluv2hunt » Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:38 pm

By the end of the day it was showing low fuel, whether I was on plane, or at idle speed. Even when it was sitting dead level on the trailer flushing the motor
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly

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Skunk Ape
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by Skunk Ape » Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:50 pm

I'm fairly certain you have a problem with your gas gauge.

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kemster99
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by kemster99 » Wed Apr 14, 2010 11:27 pm

sounds like a sending unit problem.
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trouttouter
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by trouttouter » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:25 am

If you are showing low fuel when you are idling (and you know there is plenty of gas in the tank), then you most likely have a sending unit problem.

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gargoyle725
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by gargoyle725 » Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:13 am

I dont know boats but with my wave runners problems like those are usually corrosion. check the connections on the gauge first,its the one place that never gets cleaned and the salt air can cause a build up.
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houseofmicah
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by houseofmicah » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:56 pm

my jeep sending unit did the same thing. my mechanic said that the ethanol levels in the gas have been screwin them up. not sure if he is right, but he said he has replaced several sending units in the past couple years. i ordered one from jc whitney and put it in a couple months back and within 2 months it was not reading accurately and then just stopped reading all together. maybe just try a new sending unit. i fill my jeep up every 4 or 5 days no matter how much i drive, just so i dont run out, til i get off my butt and order a new sending unit.

Papa_J
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Re: Gas gauge question

Post by Papa_J » Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:22 pm

I agree with gargoyle. Check the connections at both the sending unit and on the back of the gauge. You may also not be filling the boat all the way up when it's on the trailer, like huntingfool said, especially if the boat is not sitting level like it would at idle in the water. I find it's a little more expensive, but best to fill the boat up while on the water in the marina for a couple reasons. 1. Marina gas normally doesn't have ethanol (I know, some do now), and 2. The boat is setting level, so filling up will definitely fill it up. Just make sure you have a catch can around the overflow vent so you don't dump fuel in the water.

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