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Old 11-11-2018, 04:23 PM   #1
dbtenner
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Default 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Quick question!

I’ve taken apart the King Seeley hydrostatic fuel gauge on my 34’ and cleaned out the glass tube and brass reservoir that houses the red dye. My issue was that the fuel gauge was not reading and had dried up red dye in the glass tube itself.

I’m trying to locate a “red dye” aka acetylene tetrabromide or equivalent viscosity to put back in the brass reservoir for reinstall. Anybody come across this before?

Thanks!
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Old 11-11-2018, 04:41 PM   #2
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

I bought mine from Classic & Exotic Service, but they charge a lot for it ($20). It is still red after 2 years in the gauge. I see that Joes Antique auto has it listed for $3. Part No. M-9280. I have not used the fluid from Joes.
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Old 11-11-2018, 04:42 PM   #3
G.M.
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

I have done a lot of them over the years. After everything
is clean and tight with no air leaks and all the "catcher cups"
are soldered and holes open in the sending unit the unit is
calibrated by filling with the red fluid to the zero or empty
line. After all back together you have to get two guys on the
rear bumper and keep lifting up and down. This gets air into
the sender and the pressure of this air pushes the red fluid
up in the site glass. Try James Sorocko {spelling} in N.Y.
He has a lot of the old Job Lot parts. G.M.


James Saccoccio Gotham Auto Parts
[email protected]
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Last edited by G.M.; 11-11-2018 at 04:52 PM.
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Old 11-11-2018, 09:40 PM   #4
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Thank y’all very much! I’ll look into Joes Antique for purchasing the dye.
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Old 11-12-2018, 09:14 AM   #5
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

I have bought the cheap version from MACs and it does evaporate after a few years.
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Old 11-12-2018, 09:21 AM   #6
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimTN View Post
I have bought the cheap version from MACs and it does evaporate after a few years.


Yikes. They do not sell it individually any longer apparently at MACs. Wonder if Joe’s will dry up being that it is only $3 haha.
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Old 11-12-2018, 10:36 AM   #7
Steve Staysko
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Don't buy the cheap $3 fluid you will be disappointed because it will immediately start to faded as soon as sunlight hits the liquid. Go with Classic & Exotic Service I've had it in my roadster for 2 years and it has not faded.
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Old 11-12-2018, 10:49 AM   #8
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Staysko View Post
Don't buy the cheap $3 fluid you will be disappointed because it will immediately start to faded as soon as sunlight hits the liquid. Go with Classic & Exotic Service I've had it in my roadster for 2 years and it has not faded.


Ok thanks. I’ll buy it from Classic.
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Old 02-17-2021, 05:22 PM   #9
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

How about Hobson fluid? Spec gravity .826 ? Does it work?
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Old 02-17-2021, 05:58 PM   #10
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

As in Hobson's choice?
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Old 02-17-2021, 06:05 PM   #11
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Nah, specific gravity of tetra-bromo-ethane is 2.97
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Old 02-17-2021, 06:32 PM   #12
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Joe buys a lot of stuff from Macs, and he is a straight shooter. Call him up and ask him his opinion. He may have a good source. Joe's 508 278 3980
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Old 02-17-2021, 08:32 PM   #13
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

The original Ford liquid was tinted with 'Durant scarlet dye'.
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Old 02-18-2021, 08:13 AM   #14
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Spend the $$$$$ and buy it from Classic. I think it even MORE than $20 as I bought mine over a year ago and it seems like $35- $40 sticks in my mind after shipping cost!!! When I queried on this exact subject there were a few that posted their fluid had been in over 7+ years and STILL red!!! I can testify that mine has been in our fuel gauge for at least a year now and STILL red as the day I bought it!!!! NOT that a year is any time BUT seems to be as advertised!!!
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Old 02-18-2021, 09:19 AM   #15
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Just checked classic. They only have the Seeley gauge oil in red or green. The good news i suppose is that the price is still $20.
I put the stuff from Macs in my gauge about a 18 months ago. I haven’t had any trouble with evaporation but the oil has lost most of its color.
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Old 02-18-2021, 06:01 PM   #16
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

I just went to the Classic & Exotic Service website and it says they are no longer in business and to go to another outfit. Is this the same company you refer to above
If not, please post their phone no.
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Old 02-18-2021, 06:33 PM   #17
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Any chemists on here? The way I see it, the dye that is used in the liquid Macs sell is not color fast....if someone could come up with a colorfast scarlet colored pigment, to add to the liquid, there would be no worries? Cochineal maybe?
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Old 02-19-2021, 12:34 PM   #18
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Default Re: 1934 Hydrostatic Fuel Gauge Red Dye (King Seeley)

Here is a link to a supplier of the fluid


https://straight-eight.com/product-c...?orderby=price
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