Smiths, Autometer or Kirkham

[maurice19]

Same here, Dyno Room

A dowell marked in 5 gal. increments

Maurice Lawremce

[Jamo]

Broomsticks too fancy...I just fill at the hundred mile mark. Usually takes about 12 gallons...keeps the tank air down to a minimum.

The Kirkham gauges are sweet...if the Autometers ever go, that's what I'll use.

[Lew Ledyard]

If I wanted to install the Kirkham gauges, what is required? I currently have the Autometers.

Tom/David - sorry for the stupid "Priceless" line in my earlier post. I shouldn't post when I have the flu.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Jamo

I just fill at the hundred mile mark. Usually takes about 12 gallons...keeps the tank air down to a minimum.

That's exactly what I do as well. My Smiths fuel gauge starts moving very slowly, and then speeds up very fast -- you can go from almost half a tank to nothing in the blink of an eye. If you relied solely on it you would probably run out of gas sooner or later.

[427sharpe]

I really like the programmable sender idea...I guess I found a new update for my car! I replaced the Smiths () with Autometer, but they have their issues too (nite lighting esp and my speedo has erratic needle movements) so Tom K's are looking very good to me!

[Ronbo]

As I recall GM sending units are around 60 ohms but I think ford used a different value. Also the sensor can be 180 out from the gauge in some apps although fuel gauges are fairly universal. (there are always exceptions)

Big problem is the float arm needs to only have one bend max, two bends can cause a non-linear arc in the travel (changes length of the arm). Another factor is a non-square fuel tank. Idealy the resistor is located half way down in the tank.

The resistive element in the sender is wound nichrome wire so the resister is linear. (half travel is half resistance, a quarter is quarter, ect) There may be ceramic elements in use now but these didn't exist 20yrs ago so they have to match the wire elements properties.

Unless a guage is specifically adjustable at say 1/4 tank increments the only way to fix non-linear readings is to correct the sending unit.

In the case of a non-square tank the mfg has to calibrate the sensor to the tank. Typically by using bends in the arm or specific arm lengths and custom resistive elements.

Hopefully your never having to deal with custom stuff from a long gone mfg. This can be tough to get right.

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Lew Ledyard

If I wanted to install the Kirkham gauges, what is required? I currently have the Autometers.

Tom/David - sorry for the stupid "Priceless" line in my earlier post. I shouldn't post when I have the flu.

No offense here. I am just jealous of the all aluminum 582 FE.

To convert over and get a fuel level sender you will need to weld a bung to your tank. This is the most difficult part of the job.
You will also need to change out the Auto Meter senders for ours.
And then you will need to hook up the wires.

If you bring your car out for the track event I am sure we could take care of it here.

I hope you get feeling better.

[xlr8or]

I have the autometers in my car and when I swapped the fuel pressure for a level gauge I experimented with the float by leaving a mounting screw out and running a piece of string into the tank and tied to the float. Because the tank isn't reasonably square it's difficult to be accurate on full and empty measurement. I set it up so it's accurate at full and shows empty when there are still 5 or 6 gallons in the tank. I hate running out of gas.

[Lew Ledyard]

Thanks Tom. I will do my best to take you up on that!

I am feeling better already. Are you sure you didn't go to med school? This little visit helped more than my trip to the doctor's office.

[SantaFe66]

Here's an option for those whose Smith's tach (or other gauges) went south. I took mine to a company in Albuquerque called MO-MA (505 766-6661). The staff that operate the business are real pros at refurbishing old Brit or Euro gauges and had all the parts to fix my tach, if that's what I wanted. As it turned out though, I had the rather delicate Brit guts replaced with VDO internals and it works great now. Looks like a Smiths but works like a German engineered piece.

They can even refurb the Smith's dial face so it looks like new if you need it. I saw completed work in her shop from vintage Brit cars, old Mustangs, everything imaginable.

Paul

[Don]

I am not an Engineer, the tests used by Formotion Products as mentioned on their web site, comments ? While not researched, anyone recall tests performed by other vendors ?


Gravel Bombardment Testing
Altitude Testing
Talladega On Track Testing
Vibration Simulation Testing
Weathering Testing
Solar Radiation Testing
Ramp Temperature Testing -40F to 140F
Mechanical Stress Testing

Fine Motorsport Instruments: Motorcycle & Automotive Clocks & Motorcycle and Automotive Thermometers - Motorcycle Handlebar Accessories

MotorSport magazine, published in the UK and available at Barnes & Noble etc, has had advertisements on replacement gauges and rebuilding services

[David-JBL]

Tom,

The Kirkham web site has Kirkham gauges and Brock Racing Enterprises gauges. What is the difference? Why put competing gauges on your web site.

David

[Tom Kirkham]

Actually it not the Kirkham website, it is the Cubic Performance web site. What happened was that I was so impressed with the new gauges we were using at Kirkham Motorsports that I formed a new company to sell the gauges. BRE (Peter Brock) was one of our first customers who wanted his own line of gauges so we had them made for him. If you will look real close you can see that the BRE gauges have tach recall as well as a programmable shift light.