RE: spider fuel gauge, valve cover washers

[Hirsch <Catenary@domain.elided>]

Kenneth M Tubman writes: =

>> =

The fuel gauge on my '77 spider does not read accurately.
It never reads full, and often reads dead empty, even when
there is plenty of fuel in the tank...
I replaced the sending unit with a used one from APE, but
I still have similar behavior. How do I check the sending
unit and gauge?
<<

To check a guage, turn the ignition on and ground the wire that
normally goes to the sensor. The gauge should read full scale.
If it does not, make sure the wire's not broken. Check the
engine-to-chassis ground strap also. Gauges seldom go bad.

Most likely problem with your fuel sender unit is a bad ground.
The fuel sender unit is attached to the fuel tank and the fuel
tank is usually attached to the car chassis via sheet metal screws.
Over time these screws rust and the ground connection suffers.
IMHO the best solution to this is to install a ground wire between
the fuel tank and chassis.

>>
The second question is about the washers for the valve
cover. There are 4 washers and 6 bolts. On which four
bolts do I use the washers.
<<

There should be 6 washers in all, 4 fiber and 2 aluminum.
The 2 Al washers are usually firmly afixed to their bolts,
so you may not recognize them as washers. In any case, the 4
fiber washers are used to hold down the front of the valve
cover, while the 2 Al washers hold down the back of the
valve cover. My understanding is that the Al washers are used
to allow greater compression on the half-moon seals located at
the back of the cylinder head.

Rich Hirsch
'87 Milano
'78 Spider
'67 Duetto
'66 Sprint GTV
Editor, i Saluti, St Louis AROC
Website: http://www.catenary.com/victor/isaluti

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