Elan S2 video showing fuel gauge sender and petrol tank

[PaulH]

Just posted a video showing the next stage of my Elan S2 rebuild. Shows the fuel gauge sender, petrol tank and boot (trunk) floor.

https://youtu.be/yKiuTU5hZTE

Hope this is useful.

[JonB]

Nice one Paul

Although I have a +2 I have been watching and enjoying your vids.

[prezoom]

I know this is trivial, but I could care less about how full the tank is, I am more interested in how much fuel is in the tank that can still be picked up by the fuel pump. With the long distances between gas stations here in the US Southwest, this is quite important to me. Using an electric fuel pump, I pumped out all of the fuel that the electric pump would suck up. Removed the tank from the car and set it on a low perch next to the car. Extended the two wires for the sending unit to the tank so the gauge would be operational. Then removed the sending unit and started tweaking the float arm, so that the gauge needle would show empty when the needle was in the middle of the last mark on the gauge. The white of the needle and the mark on the gauge all line up. Put things back to gather and added one gallon of fuel to see where the gauge would read. I now know when I am on the absolute limit for fuel. The Plus2 is another story as the fuel drains from the bottom of the tank.

[PaulH]

I know this is trivial, but I could care less about how full the tank is, I am more interested in how much fuel is in the tank that can still be picked up by the fuel pump. With the long distances between gas stations here in the US Southwest, this is quite important to me. Using an electric fuel pump, I pumped out all of the fuel that the electric pump would suck up. Removed the tank from the car and set it on a low perch next to the car. Extended the two wires for the sending unit to the tank so the gauge would be operational. Then removed the sending unit and started tweaking the float arm, so that the gauge needle would show empty when the needle was in the middle of the last mark on the gauge. The white of the needle and the mark on the gauge all line up. Put things back to gather and added one gallon of fuel to see where the gauge would read. I now know when I am on the absolute limit for fuel. The Plus2 is another story as the fuel drains from the bottom of the tank.

Sounds like you've got the gauge showing you an accurate empty reading. I spotted this post in these forums which has good information and a link to another website showing how the fuel gauge can be calibrated which might be useful to others: lotus-carbs-f40/fuel-gauge-operation-t25804.html