[C320-list] Fuel sender

[Jeff Hare]

Hi Jim,

   The starboard shelf board is very close to the top of my tank as well. 

I used a socket wrench with a Phillips screw driver socket to remove the
screws.
You don't need hardly any clearance to remove the sender.  About 2 inches is
all that's necessary since the sender float is connected at the end of a
thin piece of wire so it can be slid out sideways.

I dropped in the port side aft locker and reached in between the rudder post
and the cabin wall.

But with the extreme heat, it's no fun.  I wired my stern rail speakers in
95 degree heat and hated every minute of the job.

I tend to budget my fuel for 1 gal / hr of motoring.  That pretty much
ensures that I don't drop below 1/4 tank.  So, when I've motored for 12-18
hours, I start looking for a place to top off.  I also used to strap a 6
gallon jerry can of diesel on the transom for comfort, but only used it once
because I didn't feel like waiting for the line at the fuel dock.  :)

-Jeff

PS:  Before you unscrew the Sender plate,  Mark the orientation with a Black
magic marker and save yourself the frustration of figuring out the
orientation when putting the thing back in..  The screws on the sender are
spaced in a way that you'll only get all 5 of them back in with the plate
facing the same way it came out.  They're CLOSE in other orientations but
they won't all go in which was a real pain.

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of james_delong
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 10:17 AM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Fuel sender

I'm having the same problem...getting the floor boards off the top of the
fuel tank. After unscrewing them, the inboard one simply slides about 6
inches. Can't get it up, can't twist it, slide it further or anything.
Almost, but resisted, cutting the damn thing in half to get it out!

Any advise on how to get to the sender? Someone mentioned an access hatch in
the stern cabin. 453 doesn't have one. Just a solid wall. 

Any ideas are welcomed!

Jim #453




Thx Chris
The fuel tank is 20 engine hours from full ... think that is something
like 20x1.3 litres ... therefore 26 litres off the full 72 capacity.
That would leave 46 litres still in there. I have tried tapping the
side of the tank with a screw driver handle and cannot detect a
different 'note' telling me what the level is.
Guess I will pull the sender to see what is going on down there ...
problem getting the locker board out of the way ;(