[C320-list] Fuel Gauges

[James Harkness]

Our fuel gauge hasn't worked for years. But that's because the sender 
unit is u/s. We've repeatedly fought shy of fixing this problem because 
of the fear that breaking the seal would leave us with a smell of diesel 
fuel in the aft cabin (Clear lack of confidence in yard 's abilities 
here?). No problems with monitoring fuel level on engine hours and 
common sense.

Ours is the Westerbeke 30B engine which uses a bit more than 1.5 litres 
per hour running at 2200-2300 rpm, which seems to be our "sweet spot", 
equivalent to a shade over 5kts. I imagine other engines are different 
both from the point of view of consumption and vibration. Our engine 
suffered badly from  vibration at tickover speed until we adjusted it 
upwards a shade - and now that we've insulated it properly we can hardly 
hear it at all!

Jim
#303

mike hunter wrote:
> How many of you have operational fuel gauges?  I have owned 2 Catalina's and neither of them have had gauges that work.  I have heard this is common for all boats.  The manual states fuel consumption at ½ gallon per hour at 2800 RPMs, I'm rarely up this high, so I figure it is safe to go 40 hours on the 20-gallon tank.  I guess what I'm really asking is -- is it worth replacing the sending unit, gauge, etc., if it's going to only last a short while; or should I just continue too guestimate?  
>    
>   While I'm sort of on the subject of RPMs, my boat has a "sweet spot" at around 2000 RPMs, which pushes it along at around 4.5 knots.  When it gets above that, I feel a small vibration at my feet.  How much vibration is normal? 
>    
>   I also have to share my joy with the results of McLube Sailkote.  Before Sailkote it would take everything I had to get the main sail ¾ up the mast and the last ¼ was tough even with the winch.  Now I can pull it all the way to the top without straining.  I also applied it to the shift lever and throttle lever shafts at the pedestal and talk about smooth.  Awesome product!!!  
>    
>   Thanks!
>    
>   Mike
>   #637
>
>        
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