What do you use for a gas gauge?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: What do you use for a gas gauge?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 08:49 pm:

I have been using a clean stick I found in the back yard, but is there a better way?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 09:59 pm:

Ha......paint mixer sticks here....... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ross Benedict - Calgary, Alberta on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:01 pm:

I found a bakery that had a supply of 'give away' do-nut fryer sticks. (Their fat supplier's name on side)
Nice tight grain, used around oils, and did markings myself from another older gauge.
Have a top tank float gauge now that was being sold on T Bay., but still get stick out to show off at S & S. ;p))


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wes Nelson ........Bucyrus, MO on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:03 pm:

I use a paint stirring stick they're free at the hardware store. I just fill the tank and mark it with a ball point pen after that it's just a pretty good guess. It is just a Model T...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Harold - Noblesville, IN on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:08 pm:

I use a stick that I got from a tourist camp in the '30s. It says, "South's Tourist Camp, Rest Rooms, Shower baths, Restaurant, Gas - Oil & Auto Supplies, Norris City, Illinois."

On the back side are three printed scales for the different Ford gas tanks.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:33 pm:

G'day,

High tech dowel rod.

Peter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:34 pm:

I just take the cap off and light a match to see how much gas in in the tank.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:39 pm:

LMAO Henry.......how's that been working for you?
HA HA HA....... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:44 pm:

It seems like every time I have gone on a tour organized by a Model T club, I have received a gas gauge stick. I have a gajillion of them by now.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:45 pm:

I have a specially made graduated cylinder that was made by a very generous person on this website. Thanks Bob!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 10:48 pm:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/177570.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 11:08 pm:

Lots of great ideas here...except for that match thingy of course. hahaha

I think I'll go find me a paint stirrer in the next day or two.

As much as I like my single speed, hand operated, air-cooled measuring stick, it is a little too rustic for me...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 11:33 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 11:39 pm:

A while back Bob Corio made some of us clear plastic tubes with graduated marks on them like you use on a private plane. You stick it in the tank and put your thumb over the end of it, lift it up and it shows you how much gas is in the tank. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:02 am:

Hey Bob? If you have any left, I'll send you a few bucks for one!

Either that or I'll try to talk Dick lodge out of his cool paint stick...grin...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:18 am:

i look, plus my t will begin to cut out before it runs fully out of gas.

even in the most remote areas, i can get to a fueling station if i drive slowly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stephen D Heatherly on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:27 am:

I use a wooden stick I got from one of the suppliers. I need to get another one, the markings are fading. :-)

Stephen


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Carnegie on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:43 am:

I primarily use my odometer, secondarily, my eyeball. When you drive your T daily, you get tired of continually taking your gas cap off and on to check your gas. I know that my T can always go 100 miles between refills, so whenever my odometer flips over 100 miles, I fill-er-up.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tony Bowker on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:55 am:

A marked stick I was given on the Montana Majestic Mountain Tour.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:59 am:

I have a gas stick that was free from one of the parts suppliers. But it was printed wrong and was off. So I had to redo it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 01:08 am:

I just gotta' remember to look at it when I board.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 02:12 am:

Ricks, so that is for a T with a tank under the seat. I like it.

Seems like soemtyhing like that could be rigged up for tanks like mine in the firewall.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep NZ on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 03:02 am:

i use a stick, If you have no seat just sit on the tank you can check the gas level while still moving.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 03:35 am:

There actually are people out there that have followed Henry method using the match.

We had a guy in town on a motor bike check his fuel by lighting a match, tank exploded in his face burnt the bike to the ground and put the rider in hospital with burns to the face!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 03:38 am:

There actually are people out there that have followed Henry's method using the match.

We had a guy in town on a motor bike check his fuel by using his lighter, tank exploded in his face burnt the bike to the ground and put the rider in hospital with burns to the face!!!

I use some original sticks I have managed to find at swap meets. There are a lot of people out there that collect them.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 06:26 am:

I usually drain out all of the gas, weigh it, divide that number by 7, and that tells me the total gallons. Then I pour it back in.

I like all of your ideas.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 07:09 am:

Oh, Dan, you are in trouble now:

Water is 8.3 lb/gal.

Jet/diesel/kero is 6.9 lb/gal

Gasoline is 6 lb/gal.

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Alexander in Albion, Maine on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 07:22 am:

Call Don Lang, he will give you one for free.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Kekacs on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 08:40 am:

I just use a woden ruler I got at Wally world. If I have better than 3 inches I can drive around town. Still have not figured out how to equate the inches to gallons but it works for me.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 08:43 am:

Danial, I just looked in the kitchen and have two there. Probably a handful more in the garage. What everyone is saying is correct. I have gotten fuel gauge sticks in the driver's "goody bag" on tours, and I have received them enclosed with parts orders. One of the ones I just found is from Lang's. It is thicker, and hence sturdier, than most. Since I don't have a business that entails shipping stuff, I'd have to figure out how to get it to you. I agree with the suggestion to call Lang's or one of the other suppliers.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Coiro on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 08:55 am:

I'm embarrassed to say that a lot of the clear dipsticks I sent out got broken in transit and though I promised to replace them, never got around to it. That's on schedule to be my next T-project after I finish varnishing this wheel. Meanwhile, my sheepish apologies (and no, I'm not trying to pull the wool over your eyes).


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Syverson on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 09:16 am:

I have this great Standex Gasoline Gauge that I don't use. The cork at the bottom moves up a twisted metal rod, that revolves and moves the gauge. If anybody really craves it let me know.

Gas Guage


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 09:16 am:

Danial, just went to get another cup of coffee and noticed that I have not two but three fuel sticks. Send me a private message through the forum or an e-mail at dlodge at nedcons dot com. I can scrounge something around the house that I can mail one in.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 09:23 am:

Ricks - By gas, I mean Jet fuel. Also, I consider rounding errors to be conservative in nature.

P.S. Thanks for the data on water. I can now do the same with the radiator.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale L Myers on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 10:01 am:

I found the top two in different T gas tanks.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 11:00 am:

Ray email me danuser88@ktis.net about that gas rig thanks johnd


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 11:17 am:

You are very generous, Dick. PM sent. Thank you, Sir!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 11:20 am:

Hey Bob, you put your own time, money and effort into making them in the first place and you gave them away and even paid for the postage to send them. You've got nothing to apologize for. I did notice that they were very fragile though but since you sent me 3 of them, I still have 2 left. :-) If you decide to go to all that trouble again though, you might want to think about making them out of a larger diameter and thicker plastic. Because once you etch the markings into them, it creates weak spots just like it would if they were glass and even the slightest lateral stress causes them to break.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 11:27 am:

Bob C

You did replace mine, thanks it works very well.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 03:44 pm:

Bob C. replaced the one that he sent me and that USPO mishandled and broke too, and if I might say so, the time, effort and expense that Bob went to in supplying all who wanted one of his improved gasoline guages is about the most generous gesture I've ever seen among the Model T Community!

By the way, as long as I'm writing this, I might add that with the old "paint stir stick" type of gasoline guage, you need to read it immediately upon withdrawing it out of the tank, because especially on a hot summer day, the gasoline evaporates so quickly that after just a few seconds, it can be difficult to "read" the gasoline level on the stick. Not so with Bob's "improved" guage. Also, if for some reason you need just a few drops of gasoline for something, Bob's guage can also be classified as a "tool" for such usage.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 05:38 pm:

Peter Kable said, "I use some original sticks I have managed to find at swap meets. There are a lot of people out there that collect them."

Who would be crazy enough to collect those silly little sticks?

sticks

These are a few of mine. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 06:07 pm:

It really isn't Rocket Science. If you're so inclined to get up from your PC, you can make one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 10:55 pm:

Great diagram, Ken. But I'm too fat and lazy to leave the computer. Could you whip one up and send it along.

You're awesome.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Horlick in Penn Valley, CA on Saturday, August 11, 2012 - 11:16 am:

Shoe leather (or composite sole material). If I'm walking to the gas station then I know the T is out of gas.

Sometimes I remember to use the dip stick from Langs before I get way out yonder!

TH


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Coiro on Saturday, August 11, 2012 - 12:02 pm:

Dennis,

The larger diameter tubes (which have a thicker wall) hold more than twice as much gasoline and the suction at the top end doesn't seem to be strong enough to keep the larger volume of liquid from falling out the bottom. The answer would seem to be a thicker-walled tube in the original inside-diameter size. Unfortunately, that's not available from any source I can find.

About 10% of the tubes I ship out get broken in transit. Odd as it sounds, it's actually cheaper for me to send replacements for those tubes that break in transit than it is for me to send the whole batch out in cardboard shipping tubes. I anticipate that 10% of the replacements will be damaged too, but that will be a small enough number for me to replace and ship with the cardboard shipping tubes.

I've had a a couple of surgeries and several Model T repair projects since the last batch was sent out and I still have this wheel to finish varnishing , but once that's done, the plan is to make up more of these little give-aways and mail 'em out.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Todd on Saturday, August 11, 2012 - 12:09 pm:

Quote: "I just take the cap off and light a match to see how much gas in in the tank."

A friend told me that a match isn't safe to use, so I just use a lighter.

BTW, howcum none of the sticks show Canadian gallons?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Saturday, August 11, 2012 - 04:04 pm:

If you are from the land down under don't forget to turn the stick upside down to read right


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Renea Aldrich in Orting,WA on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 11:52 pm:

The high tech painters stick in each T


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gilbert V. I. Fitzhugh on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 01:07 pm:

My Bonnie leaned over the gas tank,
The depth of its contents to see.
She lighted a match to assist her.
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.

Bring back, bring back,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me,
Bring back, bring back,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.

Sung to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean". I heard my father sing it 70 years ago.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 01:22 pm:

I use a paint stick marked in marker for the sizes mentioned above. I then put Polyurethane on the stick, just slightly, so the marks would last longer. I just pull it out and check to see where the wetness is. Works ok.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 01:24 pm:

I laughed at Henry's suggestion...my grandfather and his cousin came upon a rusty hulk in a gulley. Cousin said: Wonder if there any gas in the tank?

So he goes down, opens the tank lights a match and peers inside. Blew him sky high, and my grandfather laughed his azz off. LOL


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 02:05 pm:

One easy way is to drive up Victoria Drive. If it starts to sputter, it needs gas. If you can get it turned around there is a gas station at the foot of the hill. If it makes it all the way up, there is enough gas.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 02:55 pm:

Ya' know, when ya' think about it, measuring the gasoline with a stick is actually a LOT more accurate and informative than the silly process of checking the oil level in the crankcase with an upper and lower petcock. At least with the stick, you know exactly where the gasoline level is. With the two petcocks, if the level is somewhere between the two petcocks, that's all you know. Might be just a tiny bit below the level of the top petcock, or, the level might be just barely enough above the bottom petcock to dribble out. Might be nearly a quart low, or might not hardly be low at all,.....it's a "guessing game". And before anybody says you can tell by how fast the oil runs out,....well,....that can vary with the temperature/viscosity of the oil! (I just fill with oil 'till it runs out of the top petcock)

Yeah, I know, you can use one of those sight-glass thingies in place of the lower petcock, but from my experience, and what I've read in the past on this forum, those things are not too successful either.

Yeah, the stick's really not such a bad idea, and Bob Coiro's "improved" gasoline guage is even better yet!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 06:50 pm:

Harold -- Check out the "Akuret Oil Gauge" available at Texas T Parts. It's a reproduction of a period-correct accessory for Model T's.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 08:18 pm:

By Ken Todd on Saturday, August 11, 2012 - 12:09 pm:
Quote: BTW, howcum none of the sticks show Canadian gallons?

If you use a paint stir stick you can estimate the amount of gas using any system of measurement....... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 09:16 pm:

I guess I'm just too simple. The stick I made has only 3 marks on it. Quarter full, half full and full. None of this complicated 'gallons' stuff.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 09:49 pm:

The gas gauge I got from Bob, it broke :-(


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 12:32 am:

I like the way you think, Dennis. To heck with all this complicated "gallons" stuff...hahaha


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 12:38 am:

Stick, we don't need no stinkin, stick! The trick is to only siphon as much gas out of the neighbors car as it takes to always keep the tank full.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 02:10 am:

If the gas mark is half way on the stick, is the tank half full or half empty?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 11:32 am:

Doug - Yes


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill dugger on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 12:17 pm:

Doug: I rec'd two of those stick made by that fellow you mentioned, however I could not figure out how to put the pieces together to make them work. It seems they came in pieces. I did finally get one that was completely assembled. Ha grin

Bill D MTFCA 14079


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 02:06 pm:

Sure Bill, you use one half of the stick for the bottom half and the other half of the stick for the top half. Of course thinking about the oil petcocks, we only need to know if it is above the bottom. :-)


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