The Ford Barn

Don S. · 03-12-2016, 05:51 PM

Absolutely beautiful day today. Thought I'd dig out the coupe and put a few miles on it. Got it out of the garage and glanced at the gas gauge. It said 0, not 1/2, where I left it. Put a couple gallons in it, still 0. I installed a gas gauge kit from Macs almost exactly 1 year ago with the improved neoprene float that won't sink. Well, mine did. The original cork float sunk, the all new improved one sunk. I know it's the ethanol. Does anyone know of another float? Can I just put in some mystery oil and wait for the float to pop back up??

Keith True · 03-12-2016, 06:05 PM

Are you sure the float has sunk? with those new floats you have to get creative to make some kind of retainer to hold them.I've looked at a couple where the owners have had the same complaint,and both times the new float had come off the wire.

Don S. · 03-12-2016, 06:14 PM

I will double check as soon as I can. While we were driving it, the fuel gauge kept bobbing from 0-3/4 full. I looked in there when we got back. It just looked like everything was on the bottom. I don't mind having a hobby, fixing the gas gauge yearly ain't what I had in mind! Thanks

Don S. · 03-12-2016, 06:37 PM

You got me thinking. So I went out and checked. Yup... There's my float, still attached, sitting on the bottom just like the titanic. So much for "improved". Maybe us poor NY folks are really getting E25 instead of E10 gas. I just knew things were going too good. Car fired right up, purred like a kitten. Back to the wooden ruler for now, I guess.

v bogart · 03-12-2016, 06:43 PM

Check in the archives some people solder a brass carburetor float on the end . Ya know gas is not going to eat that up.

Mitch//pa · 03-12-2016, 06:55 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Did you buy the kit that comes with the gauge assy
What is the part number? Some of their floats are not ethanol proof

Don S. · 03-12-2016, 07:04 PM

Mitch, I bought the rebuild/gasket kit, #28-24797-1. Almost exactly a year ago. Bogart, I was thinking that same thing, brass float. Thanks

TinCup · 03-12-2016, 07:12 PM

I know Ethanol is always a favorite target here on the barn but I have never had any issue with running it for the last 10 years. I replaced my cork float or what was left of it years ago with the neoprene float that appears to be in your tank and it is still bobbing away. If I would change the float today I would go with the brass float for sure.

Synchro909 · 03-12-2016, 07:28 PM

I've fixed sinking floats both in the tank and in the carb by dipping them in tank sealer (after letting them dry out). If the sealer will keep the fuel in, it will keep it out.

Benson · 03-12-2016, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v bogart

Check in the archives some people solder a brass carburetor float on the end . Ya know gas is not going to eat that up.

I think that you are right about the brass being safe from Ethanol ... at least for now!!

My money says the next problem will be that they will come up with some crap "gas" that eats up the steel wire that fastens the float to the gauge!!

Mike V. Florida · 03-12-2016, 11:23 PM

Well documented problem, shellac covered cork, sinking.

Tom Wesenberg · 03-13-2016, 03:42 AM

I put a new cork float in my tank in 1995 and it still works, even with several tanks of crap gas I had to use. I did spray a coat of something on the float before I installed it, but I don't remember if it was clear lacquer, varnish, or shellac.

Not George · 03-13-2016, 07:50 AM

I don't know what material Bert's uses, but Steve told me they researched it very thoroughly.
I have used theirs for about eight months with no problem.

Don S. · 03-13-2016, 08:25 AM

Mike V. what is the float in your pic? I was looking for a brass replacement for the one that will slide on the float wire. The one on mine is not cork, it's the improved neoprene. The only other thing that could have caused it was stabil fuel stabilizer. I use it in everything over the winter.

Ray in La Mesa · 03-13-2016, 09:55 AM

The brass float in Mike's picture looks like the one a member of our club, San Diego Model A's makes, they work great! Also, any other brass float that fits through the gas gauge hole and soldered to the wire will work.

2manycars · 03-13-2016, 09:59 AM

I bought my gas gauge parts from Bratton's and it has not sank in several years. Perhaps the place you got yours from does not have the same quality float.

Kurt in NJ · 03-13-2016, 11:05 AM

the brass float cracked ---the cork float sunk, now I have a float salvaged from modern car, the new cars have the fuel pump/sender as 1 unit, i salvage floats from the old ones

pooch · 03-13-2016, 12:37 PM

For the Aussies, this is a float out of a commodore VP, but any float out of a modern car that will fit thru the hole will do.

03-12-2016, 05:51 PM	#1
Don S. Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Western NY Posts: 36	Ethanol and my gas gauge Absolutely beautiful day today. Thought I'd dig out the coupe and put a few miles on it. Got it out of the garage and glanced at the gas gauge. It said 0, not 1/2, where I left it. Put a couple gallons in it, still 0. I installed a gas gauge kit from Macs almost exactly 1 year ago with the improved neoprene float that won't sink. Well, mine did. The original cork float sunk, the all new improved one sunk. I know it's the ethanol. Does anyone know of another float? Can I just put in some mystery oil and wait for the float to pop back up??

03-12-2016, 06:14 PM	#3
Don S. Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Western NY Posts: 36	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I will double check as soon as I can. While we were driving it, the fuel gauge kept bobbing from 0-3/4 full. I looked in there when we got back. It just looked like everything was on the bottom. I don't mind having a hobby, fixing the gas gauge yearly ain't what I had in mind! Thanks

03-12-2016, 06:43 PM	#5
v bogart Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Forksville PA. Posts: 44	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Check in the archives some people solder a brass carburetor float on the end . Ya know gas is not going to eat that up.

03-12-2016, 06:55 PM	#6
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Did you buy the kit that comes with the gauge assy What is the part number? Some of their floats are not ethanol proof Last edited by Mitch//pa; 03-12-2016 at 07:02 PM.

03-12-2016, 07:04 PM	#7
Don S. Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Western NY Posts: 36	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Mitch, I bought the rebuild/gasket kit, #28-24797-1. Almost exactly a year ago. Bogart, I was thinking that same thing, brass float. Thanks

03-12-2016, 06:05 PM	#2
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,985	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Are you sure the float has sunk? with those new floats you have to get creative to make some kind of retainer to hold them.I've looked at a couple where the owners have had the same complaint,and both times the new float had come off the wire.

03-12-2016, 07:12 PM	#8
TinCup Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: OKC / Tonkawa, Ok. Posts: 1,977	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I know Ethanol is always a favorite target here on the barn but I have never had any issue with running it for the last 10 years. I replaced my cork float or what was left of it years ago with the neoprene float that appears to be in your tank and it is still bobbing away. If I would change the float today I would go with the brass float for sure. __________________ Oklahoma City Model A Restorers Group.

03-12-2016, 07:28 PM	#9
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I've fixed sinking floats both in the tank and in the carb by dipping them in tank sealer (after letting them dry out). If the sealer will keep the fuel in, it will keep it out. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

03-12-2016, 11:23 PM	#11
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Well documented problem, shellac covered cork, sinking. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

03-13-2016, 03:42 AM	#12
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I put a new cork float in my tank in 1995 and it still works, even with several tanks of crap gas I had to use. I did spray a coat of something on the float before I installed it, but I don't remember if it was clear lacquer, varnish, or shellac.

03-13-2016, 07:50 AM	#13
Not George Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Yep Posts: 202	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I don't know what material Bert's uses, but Steve told me they researched it very thoroughly. I have used theirs for about eight months with no problem.

03-13-2016, 08:25 AM	#14
Don S. Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Western NY Posts: 36	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge Mike V. what is the float in your pic? I was looking for a brass replacement for the one that will slide on the float wire. The one on mine is not cork, it's the improved neoprene. The only other thing that could have caused it was stabil fuel stabilizer. I use it in everything over the winter.

03-13-2016, 09:55 AM	#15
Ray in La Mesa Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: La Mesa Ca Posts: 1,166	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge The brass float in Mike's picture looks like the one a member of our club, San Diego Model A's makes, they work great! Also, any other brass float that fits through the gas gauge hole and soldered to the wire will work.

03-13-2016, 09:59 AM	#16
2manycars Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 2,732	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge I bought my gas gauge parts from Bratton's and it has not sank in several years. Perhaps the place you got yours from does not have the same quality float. __________________ Bill www.brauchauto.com

03-13-2016, 11:05 AM	#17
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge the brass float cracked ---the cork float sunk, now I have a float salvaged from modern car, the new cars have the fuel pump/sender as 1 unit, i salvage floats from the old ones

03-13-2016, 12:37 PM	#18
pooch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South Coast NSW Australia Posts: 2,596	Re: Ethanol and my gas gauge For the Aussies, this is a float out of a commodore VP, but any float out of a modern car that will fit thru the hole will do.