scottd
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by scottd on Nov 10, 2010 21:44:51 GMT -5
My Brad came with a factory speedo and aftermarket amp gauge....nothing more. Id really like to know how much gas I have left.....How do I choose the proper gas gauge? Im having problems finding anything from Summit, and I really want to stay on budget and buy used from ebay. What should I be looking for?
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Post by mrbigh on Nov 10, 2010 22:14:39 GMT -5
You will have to purchase a fuel gauge and the proper fuel sender, installed inside of the gas tank, for an accurate fuel level reading.
Bradleys came with VDO brand instrumentation.
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scottd
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by scottd on Nov 10, 2010 22:37:23 GMT -5
The sender isnt an option. Im not dropping the tank. Whats the chances that a marine or ATV gauge will read at least close when hooked up to the stock sending unit?
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Post by mrbigh on Nov 10, 2010 23:09:52 GMT -5
Sender's units have an specific resistance value.
If you are able to read with a multimeter the resistance or impedance of the sender in empty and full positions, you will be able to acquire a fuel gauge with proximate readings.
Last year I replaced the sender unit for a new one that matched the original VDO that came with my GT II. I will search for the spec's of same and posted here as a reference for you.
Horacio
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Post by mrbigh on Nov 10, 2010 23:17:19 GMT -5
Sender's units have an specific resistance value. If you are able to read with a multimeter the resistance or impedance of the sender in empty and full positions, you will be able to acquire a fuel gauge with proximate readings. Last year I replaced the sender unit for a new one that matched the original VDO that came with my GT II. I will search for the spec's of same and posted here as a reference for you. Horacio PS: Found the info faster than I though. The new fuel sender has a 10-180 Ohms value, and is a direct replacement on what was installed in my GT II gas tank. I purchased it from egauges.com; part #226-001 . They do carry a full line of gauges too. |
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Post by jspbtown on Nov 11, 2010 9:21:22 GMT -5
Like Horacio....the guage has to be matched to the sender. If its not..it won't be "close". Its not like a hand grenade. In all liklihood a non-compatible guage will read something....but it might be something like 1/2 full when full and then empty when 1/2 full. It could even have no relationship at all to whats in the tank or even how fast you are using fuel. In other words a mis-matched guage/sender combo is equally as bad as no guage at all.
When you sat a "factory" speedo do you mean a stock VW speedo? If so you can get VW speedo on The Samba that have a VW guage built in. That "might" work. And again...thats assuming the old crusty, rusty, varnished,probably broken sender, is even going to give you any kind of reading.
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scottd
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by scottd on Nov 11, 2010 10:01:51 GMT -5
All good info. That egauges site is fantastic. I guess I should be asking what was the Ohm reading of the original Bradley sending unit and gauge?
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Post by jspbtown on Nov 11, 2010 10:53:59 GMT -5
Good question Scott.
Is it a VDO 10-180 ohm sender or did it use the stock VW sender and appropriate gauge?
And the second question and more important question would be: What sender did the original (or subsequent builder(s)) decide to use? Maybe Bradley shipped a VDO sender with its gauge package? Maybe the original builder, or another builder down the road, swapped it out for a VW sender? Maybe there is a universal sender in there?
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Post by Gary Hammond on Nov 11, 2010 21:07:49 GMT -5
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scottd
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by scottd on Nov 11, 2010 23:09:45 GMT -5
Gary.....thank you! So here is the history on my Brad as I have deciphered it.... Owner 1 assembled the car on a rusty frame. Laid some wires in but didnt connect anything. If they were the right length, he just put em in. He went fiberglass crazy, glassed over the brake lines and all over the pans. Thats as far as he got... Owner 2 realized the wiring was all phucked up and decided to try and rewire the front end. Failed miserably. Ran a wire to the coil and battery so she would fire up. Sold car. Owner 3.....realized how bad it was and sat on it for 10 years...... Im owner 4......Ive gutted the entire wiring system and replaced it, wire by wire, according to the schematic. This is what I started with...  Uploaded with ImageShack.usso.....if Im a little hesitant to go buy a new sender and gauge....I guess its because Im getting tired of uncovering this stuff and I just want ONE thing on this car to work without replacing it! |
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Eric A
Full Member
It's an obsession not an investment!
Posts: 223
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Post by Eric A on Nov 12, 2010 8:07:27 GMT -5
Hey that's what my wiring looked like! After the third electrical fire I came straight home and cut every last wire out then hand built a new custom harness and rebuilt or replaced every light. Have not had a problem since. Just keep at it you will get there and it will be worth the hassle!
Eric A
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