Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 22

Thread: Fuel gauge weirdness

  1. #1
    Lepton
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Portland Oregon area
    Posts
    304
    Country
    United States

    Fuel gauge weirdness

    OK, so driving down the street, my car goes from over half a tank of gas, to YOU NEED GAS NOW, to 2 bars, to a bar and a half, all over the place.

    1. Is this normal?
    2. What's the appropriate place to measure actual fuel? (I would think flat level ground)


    Since we're talking about the fuel tank, what's the capacity? (Probably in the owner's manual, and I'd look it up if I could find mine).

  2. #2
    Neutron
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    2,677
    Country
    United States
    its about 10 gallons.

    That's another common issue. The best fix is to change the dash to average readings rather than give you instant updates. In the document section, there should be the manual for the dash. You hold down the button on the left side of the dash while turning on the car. You then cycle through until the section on the fuel tank. You can then set it to display the average reading over something a lot longer. I think I have mine set to 10 or 20 seconds. Then then reading wont jump around so much when the fuel is sloshing around.

    Also, it tends to read a little high. like mine used to read mostly empty with 4 gallons left in the tank. You can adjust the dash to account for this as well. Though that's a much more difficult calculation to get right.

  3. #3
    Neutron
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    2,677
    Country
    United States
    here it is
    http://arielatomchat.com/forums/show...ruction-Manual

    the setting is "Fuel Avg Time"

    Owner's manual is in the documentation section as well

  4. #4
    Neutrino
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Dallas Texas...YEE-HAW
    Posts
    1,213
    Country
    United States
    fwiw I followed Lane's instructions from the other forum, mines perfect now, using the adjustments that Lane figured out.

    if you want to go find his thread on the other forum then you can save yourself some trial and error time.


    it's awesome to know that you don't need to fill up until the bars are blinking....and not worry about either having 5 gallons left or running out thinking you're 1/2 full

  5. #5
    Proton Terry Kennedy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    796
    Country
    United States
    Quote Originally Posted by bolus View Post
    Also, it tends to read a little high. like mine used to read mostly empty with 4 gallons left in the tank. You can adjust the dash to account for this as well. Though that's a much more difficult calculation to get right.
    The problem is that the fuel level float / sensor on the fuel pump is designed for a tank of a very different shape, as well as a different display.

    Our tank is tall and skinny while the Cobalt SS one is short and fat. This leads the fuel sensor to go "plenty of gas... plenty of gas... plenty of gas... OMG where did all the gas go?"

    So, unfortunately, the time it has the greatest accuracy is when the tank is half full.

    Plus, the tall/skinny tank means the gas sloshes madly from side to side when the car turns. The only way to solve this would be to add baffles to the interior of the tank.

    The tank's rated capacity is 9.7 gallons, BTW.

  6. #6
    Proton DarthChicken's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Hillsboro, OR
    Posts
    856
    Country
    United States
    There are two types of atom drivers, those that have run out of gas on the road, and those that will.

    After 26,000 miles, I still haven't run out. When I have no bars left I know I will be putting about 8.5 gallons of gas in the car.

  7. #7
    Neutrino
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Dallas Texas...YEE-HAW
    Posts
    1,213
    Country
    United States
    Quote Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy View Post

    So, unfortunately, the time it has the greatest accuracy is when the tank is half full.

    Plus, the tall/skinny tank means the gas sloshes madly from side to side when the car turns. The only way to solve this would be to add baffles to the interior of the tank.

    not sure if you have made the adjustments matching Lane's directions, but with his directions there is absolutely no need for baffles and it's 100% accurate throughout the tank on my car, however, as we all know by now, your results may differ, so this is just to say perfection is achievable, perhaps not in all atoms, but at least in a few.

  8. #8
    Lepton Positron's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    358
    Country
    United States
    Quote Originally Posted by silver View Post
    not sure if you have made the adjustments matching Lane's directions, but with his directions there is absolutely no need for baffles and it's 100% accurate throughout the tank on my car, however, as we all know by now, your results may differ, so this is just to say perfection is achievable, perhaps not in all atoms, but at least in a few.
    Maybe from a fuel gauge stand point, but not from a madly sloshing around running out of gas under a half tank mid way through a session point, I'd have to disagree with 'ya there son.

    For the occasional street romp, let the gauge avg it out, but baffles help with weight transfer slosh and running out of fuel in high g applications. No need for 35-50 lbs of dead weight sloshing back and forth on an already ass heavy car..

    Baffles should have been a standard item with this car.

  9. #9
    Neutrino
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Dallas Texas...YEE-HAW
    Posts
    1,213
    Country
    United States
    Quote Originally Posted by Positron View Post
    Maybe from a fuel gauge stand point, but not from a madly sloshing around running out of gas under a half tank mid way through a session point, I'd have to disagree with 'ya there son.

    For the occasional street romp, let the gauge avg it out, but baffles help with weight transfer slosh and running out of fuel in high g applications. No need for 35-50 lbs of dead weight sloshing back and forth on an already ass heavy car..

    Baffles should have been a standard item with this car.

    yes I'm only referring to the gauge, sorry I meant for that to be said.

  10. #10
    Proton Terry Kennedy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    796
    Country
    United States
    Quote Originally Posted by silver View Post
    not sure if you have made the adjustments matching Lane's directions, but with his directions there is absolutely no need for baffles and it's 100% accurate throughout the tank on my car, however, as we all know by now, your results may differ, so this is just to say perfection is achievable, perhaps not in all atoms, but at least in a few.
    Don't forget, I have the Microdash, which has a completely different set of unpleasant problems:


Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Fuel pump assembly for Ecotec atoms
    By bolus in forum Parts Reference
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: September 4, 2013, 03:15 PM
  2. Need advice: Unburnt fuel coming out of exhaust port
    By Gage in forum US Ariel Atom 2 (Brammo) Technical Discussion
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: August 14, 2012, 03:11 PM
  3. Adding an oil pressure gauge
    By silver in forum US Ariel Atom 2 (Brammo) Technical Discussion
    Replies: 52
    Last Post: May 23, 2011, 08:27 PM
  4. FYI - How much HP the AA3 fuel system can take
    By Payne in forum General Ariel Atom Discussion (for all UK and US versions)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: May 4, 2011, 10:34 AM
  5. What are the specs of this fuel injector?
    By Gage in forum GM Ecotec LSJ Engine Technical Discussion
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: February 22, 2011, 10:19 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •