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Re: Fuel Guage

To: ScottBarr8@aol.com, spitfires@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Fuel Guage
From: Atwell Haines <carbuff@nac.net>
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 19:43:43 -0500
Scott,

Good saga!   MORE evidence that Murphy's Law ["Whatever can go wrong,
will"] is the strongest force in the known Universe.

I had a Corvair in which the fuel sender would short if less than 1/8th
full, so that COULD be part of the problem.

I also agree with your guess about fuel-tank crud getting into the carb float.

Jump-start that puppy and get thee to a petrol station!  Filler-up, the
replace the fuel filter.   Clean the carb bowls, replace the needles if
old, otherwise just clean them.  Later, check across the battery for an
unwanted current draw.  Keepyour cell phone and AAA card ready at all times.

Good Luck.


Atwell Haines
'79 Spitfire


At 10:16 PM 11/17/98 EST, ScottBarr8@aol.com wrote:
>Friends,
>
>Day 1 - Fuel guage ceases to register
>Day 2 - Operator foolishly believes the odometer and fails to fill up - walks
>to station
>Day 3 - GT6 refuses to start, quickly draining the battery - much fuel exits
>K&Ns
>Day 3 - (later) temps now in the 30s, operator taps on float bowls, GT6
starts
>Day 4 - (a.m.) temps in the 30s GT6 starts, operator leaves lights on in lot
>30 mins.
>Day 5 - (p.m.) battery has not recovered, GT6 laughs at operator's
attempts to
>start
>Day 6 - (a.m.) temps in the 20s, GT6 turns over twice and goes back to bed
>
>An unerring instinct and sharp mechanical sympathy tells me that something is
>wrong.  Is it likely that the failure of the fuel gauge is caused by a short
>which is also draining the battery?  Also likely that the empty-tank episode
>yielded tank/line crap which stuck one or both floats open and caused the
>driveway version of the Exxon Valdez?  Combination of causes?  Other
causes?  
>
>Scott Barr
>ScottBarr8@aol.com
>72 GT6
>

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