Gas in Gas Gauge

[leadpot]

Filled up my Tudor last night. On the way home I noticed that there was gas sloshing around inside the fuel gauge - no gas was leaking out of the gauge or dash. Is this normal or dangerous - do I need to rebuild my gauge?

Tried a search but did not find any info.

Leadpot,

[Farrell In Vancouver]

Sounds normal to me as the back of the glass is in direct contact with the fuel

[V4F]

when FULL you will see gas . as said above , that is you gas tank !

[RonC]

Does your gas gauge tell you how much gas is in your tank? The new gas will swell out the cork float and sink it. If your getting a zero full when you have gas you will need to replace the cork float with a neoprene one.

[roccaas]

Originally Posted by RonC

Does your gas gauge tell you how much gas is in your tank? The new gas will swell out the cork float and sink it. If your getting a zero full when you have gas you will need to replace the cork float with a neoprene one.

And pull out the cork gaskets around the gas gauge and replace with Neoprene.

Somewhere I read that the design of the gas gauge was to allow the gas to "wash" the back of the gauge.

[Jason in TX]

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Hehe. I had to smile at this one.

Your gas gauge is actually a glass window looking inside your gas tank.

This is what the gauge looks like

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by leadpot

Filled up my Tudor last night. On the way home I noticed that there was gas sloshing around inside the fuel gauge - no gas was leaking out of the gauge or dash. Is this normal or dangerous - do I need to rebuild my gauge?

Tried a search but did not find any info.

Leadpot,

Leadpot,
You got a smile from me on this one!
How long have you owned an A? Just have to ask, as I know everyone else wants to know..but won't ask.
Fords gas scheme, including 'guage' is quite simple/inqenious. Also simple to fix/repair if needed. If your guage is NOT leaking, that's good. If you can see graduated black numbers/bars(indicating gallons in tank)that's even better. If you have a full tank of fuel these days(at $4+ gal)..take a nice long drive and enjoy life!

[newshirt]

Follow-on question: Do you have to empty the gas tank to change the cork float?

[Jason in TX]

No. fuel level just needs to be lower than the gas gauge.

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

If you don't see gas it means you are out of gas!

Jack

[Tom Wesenberg]

On the gas guage glass you want to use ONLY CORK, not the neoprene.

[Jason in TX]

Cork floats dont work after a couple of years of sitting in this lovely E85 gas. Go for the neoprene float.

In fact, I would put the neoprene on the gauge glass, not cork, seeing as how the gas ruins the cork in the tank.

[leadpot]

Well, I have had my first "A" about 4 months. This is the first time I had got a full tank as I had a gas leak problem (now solved) before this & did not want to fill it too full.

I'm learning bit by bit & hope you got a chuckle from a newbie. By the way I just noticed my engine has no spark plug wires - whats up with that

Leadpot

[cpl624]

Leadpot.

From one newbie to another, we are learning together. Had my '31 pick-up about three weeks now. I had the same thought last Friday night when I filled mine up for the first time. I didn't dare say anything outloud, as my wife is a worrier. She would never have slept thinking our house is going to explode at any moment. I hope to drive the gas down enough this weekend to try to fix my gauge.
Here in the Kansas City area, I have to buy marine gas to keep from getting 10% ethanol blend, and have to drive a ways to get it. But after seeing what the ethanol has done to my small engines I plan to buy the marine gas, and the neoprene float. Cork bits in the tank does not sound like a good time.
Next time I will ask the "silly" question and take some heat for us "newbies".
Rick

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by cpl624

Leadpot.

From one newbie to another, we are learning together. Had my '31 pick-up about three weeks now. I had the same thought last Friday night when I filled mine up for the first time. I didn't dare say anything outloud, as my wife is a worrier. She would never have slept thinking our house is going to explode at any moment. I hope to drive the gas down enough this weekend to try to fix my gauge.
Here in the Kansas City area, I have to buy marine gas to keep from getting 10% ethanol blend, and have to drive a ways to get it. But after seeing what the ethanol has done to my small engines I plan to buy the marine gas, and the neoprene float. Cork bits in the tank does not sound like a good time.
Next time I will ask the "silly" question and take some heat for us "newbies".
Rick

Hey, no 'heat' intended for sure! You two are doing what this site is/was intended for, i.e.- helping each other and having fun with this old ford stuff , whether it be bone stock or slightly 'improved'! Sure wish it had been around back when, as it ain't necessarily fun to learn the hard way! Just think of it this way...In my case, I'm smiling because I've been there too, as I suspect most of us have! What you get here. you can't put a price on,eh! Some of these guys are probably more knowledgable(about the details of the entire car) than ford was!!
So don't be put off by varying opinions (neoprene vs cork). Ask your questions...swing away! You'll find that there's more that one way to 'skin a cat' . Oh, by the way, install a battery cut off switch...for peace of mind and a lot of other good reasons.

[Chris in WNC]

when I replace gas gauge gaskets, I always use cork with Permatex.
based on my experiences and that of many friends, neoprene will leak sooner than cork.

new type float is much better than the old cork ones.

I know that's not logical, it's just what works for me........

[mjw]

My 30 roadster has a brass float like in a carb much better than neoprene and cork. Not sure if it is correct but it came that way.