Fuel level measurement

H

hjbutler

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Joined
Oct 28, 2021
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Location
Lake Texoma
Model
Adventure
Hello everyone!

I have a 1994 Adventure and I'm wondering if there is a good way to physically check the amount of fuel in the tank. Recently the fuel gauge failed to work and I fixed it by cleaning and reattaching the wires on the tank. After this fix, the level read 1/4 tank higher than it did before it failed. This makes sense, with more current getting through to the gauge. However, it has left me with little confidence in the accuracy of the gauge. Furthermore, the gauges are all new Suzuki following repower last year. Any suggestions? I'd like to achieve some confirmation of what's actually in the tank.
 
The other alternative is to simply use the motor computer to tell you fuel consumed. The fuel gauges on my boat are off, the fuel consumed is much more accurate anyway, and I also keep a running table in the notes app on my phone. Logs date, gals added, gals burned, and remaining fuel. This has been more than good enough for me. I do need to remember to reset the fuel used gauge after each time adding fuel - that number is the fuel burned in the table.
 
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Reactions: SkunkBoat
With the boat level, you can remove the fuel sender and simply "dip" the tank to physically check the level as you asked.

If it's a square bottom tank, you can easily do a simple calculation based on the size/volume.
 
The bottom of the 208 is rarely level and changes if you go aft ( 3 or 4 feet,) The fuel level at the sender can change a lot as the boat's pitch changes.
Motoring with the bow up will give a gas reading that can change by 10 gallons or more when the bow drops.
Likewise a pitched up bow can display an overly optimistic reading as the gas will pool towards the back of the tank.
If you rely on the fuel gauge for accurate levels you will eventually run out of gas at sea:)
Fuel flow rate and usage if provided by your engine is way more accurate than a gauge.
 
seasick said:
If you rely on the fuel gauge for accurate levels you will eventually run out of gas at sea
Click to expand...
Holy crap! I bought my first boat in 1962 and have been using a fuel gauge all this time and have never run out of fuel at sea! I must be running on borrowed time. That settles it, I ain't going out there again!
 
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Reactions: kirk a
Make sure the zuke is set to american vs euro gauge.
Swing arm fuel senders are not accurate. Hall effect senders are better but they are divided into 8 levels. Thats the BEST they can do. Your tank have a v bottom then the bottom 1/8ths hold less than the top 1/8ths. Then there is the levelness of the tank. and then there is the levelness of the tank when you were filling (which effects when it overflows as FULL) vs when you are running/floating. If you fill on a trailer or in the water and how many people were leaning on that side while you pumped.

Fill tank. Reset Trip.
Use the fuel burn on the zuke gauge. It will tell you how much you have used since FULL. Assume "FULL" can be 5 gallons short.
 
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