Accurate, simple, inexpensive fuel tank fuel-level check-it device:
- Securely fasten a 3 to 4 oz. torpedo shaped fishing sinker onto the end of a 3/16" thick relatively dark fabric-line. Medium brown works well - make sure the line is multi strand fabric so it dampens and darkens when dipped into fuel tank's existing fuel level.
- Calculate how many gallons per inch of elevation exists in each of your fuel tanks.
- Have the fabric-line surely long enough so it has plenty length remaining once you feel the sinker hit bottom of the tank. I strongly recommend tying a loop at line end and having that over your hand onto your wrist before checking tank's fuel level. This is because you really do not want to let the sinker and line fall non retrievable into any tank
By gently/slowly lowering the sinker into tank you will "feel" and "hear" when its tip hits bottom. Simply pull it back up and measure the length of line that is wet with fuel. By already having figured the tanks gallons per elevation inch you can instantly multiply and know exactly how many gallons remain.
Storage of this fabric-line, torpedo sinker fuel level tester occupies but a couple of square/cubic inches. Or, it can hang on a wall!
Also, such as the starboard tank on our boat does have; if the fuel filler-tube has a kink in it that will not at all enable a straight stick to reach into the tank - the torpedo sinker on a line works great. If your tank's filler-tube has a severe kink, then spray the torpedo sinker with WD-40 just before dropping down the tube. That slipperiness enables the torpedo sinker to slide through. I know that works... it is required to pass into our starboard tank.
Happy "Fuel-Level" Daze!! - Art