Low fuel light - doing "odd" things.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Low fuel light - doing "odd" things.
My 1980 has a low fuel light, that up until lately, has worked just fine.
But lately, it will come one and go off for no reason at all. I could be at a full tank of 1/4 tank and the light will turn on and stay for a while, and then go back off.
The gage reads correct - or pretty darn close. I thought that the low fuel light got it's information from the sending unit the same as the gage does. If so, how can the low fuel light be coming on when the gage still reads above 1/4 of a tank or more?
Any ideas?
But lately, it will come one and go off for no reason at all. I could be at a full tank of 1/4 tank and the light will turn on and stay for a while, and then go back off.
The gage reads correct - or pretty darn close. I thought that the low fuel light got it's information from the sending unit the same as the gage does. If so, how can the low fuel light be coming on when the gage still reads above 1/4 of a tank or more?
Any ideas?
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 449
Likes: 2
From: Fayetteville, PA
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
Better check it out!!!!!! When I did my dash over in my 77 the resistor in the low fuel circuit shorted out and I couldn't shut the car off. It started to smoke and melt. I was lucky enough that I hit it with my screwdriver and it fell out of the larger circuit board attached to the guage cluster, and the engine shut off. 
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (77BlueL82)
does anyone sell that little circuit board for that anymore ? Maybe it's just smoked and needs to be replaced.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,921
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From: York PA
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
My light turns on and off as the fuel sloshs around in the tank. I don't remember how low the tank has to be before it starts happening tho. Maybe some of the contacts have some corrosion on them and it has changed the point at which it come on.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,323
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From: Castle Hills Texas
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (stickboy)
On my '80 you would have to get it very low to see the "sloshing effect" you describe. I think it starts to glow when there is only 2 gallons left, if I was told correctly. I drove my car down that far only once to see if the light worked. I was about to give up thinking it didn't when it slowly started to glow. The further down it got, the brighter the light. BSeery's problem is a strange one indeed.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (CVT4ME)
On my '80 you would have to get it very low to see the "sloshing effect" you describe. I think it starts to glow when there is only 2 gallons left, if I was told correctly. I drove my car down that far only once to see if the light worked. I was about to give up thinking it didn't when it slowly started to glow. The further down it got, the brighter the light. BSeery's problem is a strange one indeed.
I am going to look for a new little light circuit, or yank it.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
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Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
They are nearly impossible to find, you would think that there would be enough taken from wrecks but I had to search long and hard to find a working unit. I did pay top dollar for it (I told corvette central who had one left in their used department to include it without asking the price first)
I will sell it for the right amount, I'm not giving it away
Marck
[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 9:53 AM 6/22/2004]
I will sell it for the right amount, I'm not giving it away
Marck
[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 9:53 AM 6/22/2004]
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 2
From: Castle Hills Texas
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
BSeery, you might contact TheoUK about this. Seems like I remember him building a pretty simple circuit that replaced his low fuel light. He also somehow made it so that it would come on a bit earlier than the stock rig. I don't remember the details but I am sure he would share his info. with you.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
The fact that at that time I posted mine was working fine, now I have problems with mine and find that post while doing a search through Google.
Ah, how history comes back to bite us in the ****.
Ah, how history comes back to bite us in the ****.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Nottingham
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (Twin_Turbo)
Hello folks.
Here's the link to the adjustable low fuel light, all credit to Dale, the guy who did this design, he helped me a lot via email.
http://www.corvettefaq.com/fuellight/
almost the same as the stock GM design, except the adjustability factor!
Those transistor numbers should be fine to use as direct replacements in your GM board, if you don't fancy actually making a new one.
Here's the link to the adjustable low fuel light, all credit to Dale, the guy who did this design, he helped me a lot via email.
http://www.corvettefaq.com/fuellight/
almost the same as the stock GM design, except the adjustability factor!
Those transistor numbers should be fine to use as direct replacements in your GM board, if you don't fancy actually making a new one.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
Likes: 3
From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (theoUK)
Hello folks.
Here's the link to the adjustable low fuel light, all credit to Dale, the guy who did this design, he helped me a lot via email.
http://www.corvettefaq.com/fuellight/
almost the same as the stock GM design, except the adjustability factor!
Those transistor numbers should be fine to use as direct replacements in your GM board, if you don't fancy actually making a new one.
Here's the link to the adjustable low fuel light, all credit to Dale, the guy who did this design, he helped me a lot via email.
http://www.corvettefaq.com/fuellight/
almost the same as the stock GM design, except the adjustability factor!
Those transistor numbers should be fine to use as direct replacements in your GM board, if you don't fancy actually making a new one.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Nottingham
Re: Low fuel light - doing "odd" things. (BSeery)
Sadly no! I can't lay claim to those - they're pretty cool though eh?
All of that page was put together by a guy named Dale, and those are pics of his car (79, I think)
I exchanged a lot of emails with him as I worked my way through building the fuel light circuit board he designed. He was most helpful (and very patient with my lack of electronics knowledge!)
He sent me some more photos of other parts of his car during his body off resto - as you can imagine he does very good work. I believe he built his own rack and pinion setup - steeriods beware!
I think he once used to frequent the forum as dale79, but I haven't seen any sign of him for a while....
All of that page was put together by a guy named Dale, and those are pics of his car (79, I think)
I exchanged a lot of emails with him as I worked my way through building the fuel light circuit board he designed. He was most helpful (and very patient with my lack of electronics knowledge!)
He sent me some more photos of other parts of his car during his body off resto - as you can imagine he does very good work. I believe he built his own rack and pinion setup - steeriods beware!
I think he once used to frequent the forum as dale79, but I haven't seen any sign of him for a while....