Runs out of petrol on half full

Post by **tonyb18tr** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:12 pm

I have only had my 1964 Traveller for five weeks now, I have twice run out of petrol when the tank is still half full .
I have checked the gauge and tank unit they test out OK.
It was fitted with a new tank a couple of years ago, the last owner only did around 50 miles betwen MOTs for the past few years so did not have this problem.
I have noticed that the fuel is drawn from the tank about half way up on the front , and am wondering if there should be a dip pipe inside to the bottom of the tank which may have been omitted, if so is it available anywhere as a spare.
Meanwhile I will keep the spare jerry can in the car!!!

Post by **DAVIDMCCULLOUGH** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:31 pm

Yes there is a pipe inside that goes down to the bottom of the tank, I very much doubt that it would be available separately.

Sometimes a tank can get air locked, do you get a suction noise when you remove the cap?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:05 am

Is it really still 'half full' - dip it with a wood stick next time this happens to see if it is really half full - or half empty!

Post by **MGFmad** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:40 pm

bmcecosse wrote:Is it really still 'half full' - dip it with a wood stick next time this happens to see if it is really half full - or half empty!

Ah the half full/half empty scenario.

If full is 6 gallons and empty is 0 gallons.

half of 6 is 3 but half of 0 is 0 so has to be half full

Is there a form of voltage stabliser inside the tank gauge( not sure myself) could this be playing up and over-reading.

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:49 pm

At '64 it could either be gold speedo or black speedo. The black speedo's were regulated by the can on the back of the speedo. The gold ones had no regulation as such other than a resistance wire in the sender unit.

Post by **catswhisker** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 7:46 pm

You can get false readings if the fuel tank sender unit has been fitted a quarter turn out - causing the float to catch on internal baffle.

Post by **tonyb18tr** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:03 pm

Ok Problem solved, someone had fitted an oddball flex pipe front to rear and it had the wrong fitting to the tank which did not seal against the dip tube in the tank, a new shiny copper pipe from Bull Motif cured it .
I did check on the amount of fuel left in the tank, I was wrong the tank was half empty!!! I suppose I was just being optomistic.
Thanks everyone Tony B

Post by **PSL184** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 3:47 pm

Good result and worth noting for the future