CatManDo Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 So when I finished assembling my 2021 360R I found the fuel gauge to be way off. It shows full at full but when it shows in the red I would only put in 5 gallons or so. It is an 11 gallon tank! After talking to Bruce and surveying other cars I found they are all that way. I set out to find out why. After some research I found that Caterham uses a standard Caerbont gauge with a custom face and uses a Ford Focus fuel pump/ sender assembly. The Ford sender is not matched to the Caerbont gauge! FFS! So I still wanted to make the gauge useful. Modifying the gauge is out of bounds and modifying the sender could be done but would be a tremendous amount of dangerous work opening the fuel tank. How to fix then. We wanted a fix that would be easy to install and affordable. Talk on forums talked of adding a resistor here or there but that doesn't really do much. Hmm. After studying the gauge and sender I decided we needed a circuit to remap the sender to the gauge. Making it really linear would require a microprocessor. This would not meet the affordable part. I put together a circuit that would shift the input and change the slope. Not perfect but small and affordable. And, no, it isn't just some resistors. It contains some active elements. Bruce researched and found the molex connectors that the newer gauges use and we had some boards made. So now we have a product that is a 5 minute install on the newer Caterhams that have the gauge with a 6 pin molex connector (I think all cars since 2012 or so) You just remove the gauge plug our unit into the gauge, plug the wiring harness into the other end, and reinstall the gauge and done. The gauge still won't be completely linear. It will stay at full until it is down to about 9 gallons (SV chassis) but then travel reasonably linearly down to having a little under 3 gallons at the top of the red ( remember there is about a gallon that is unusable at the bottom). That means at the top of red you have about 1 1/2 gallons left so it really is time to get gas. This will work just as well for S3 cars but factor everything by 0.8. These should go live on the Beachman Racing site under Featured Products within the next few days. We have 8 in stock. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Love it. I just got my car and the gauge is exactly as you describe. 1/4 is really half full. Sitting on empty means have 3 gals left (1.5 ish useable ) What’s the pricing or do we need to wait for it to go live.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatManDo Posted July 28 Author Share Posted July 28 Will be $75 I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatManDo Posted August 5 Author Share Posted August 5 This product went live on Bruce's site today- https://www.beachmanracing.com/featured-products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Done and done. Thanks for the heads up. Will update when I get it installed thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBe Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 This device has been installed in vehicles for a while now (two local cars; one in MI). The goal was a DIY install, and the packaging needed to be developed. There is just too much variation in dash harness layout, and physical difficulty in the car, to build something that required crimping and significant mechanical manipulation of wiring under-dash. Just unplug the connector at the back of the gauge, and plug it into the module. Then plug the pigtail of the module back into the gauge. It doesn't get any simpler than this, unless the gauge matched the sender in the first place :-) @CBuff - order received, thanks. -Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 If I can get it installed, you have officially passed the "idiot test". You can comfortable say "No skills needed" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Well I can confirm installation is truly plug and play. Gauge seem correct while still. Will test in use but seems to work as described. Now just have to reprogram my brain to not let it run down to empty as before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBe Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 Nice pose with your legs up in the air :-) Generally, you should be able to reach behind the gauge, loosen the lock ring (backing it entirely off the gauge, and pull the gauge forward. This allows you to install the module on the front side of the dash. Then, simply push the gauge back in, align the face, and thread/tighten the lock-ring back down by hand (no pliers/tools please). -Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 Now you tell me. It’s so straightforward you could likely do it blind (just reaching under). But I was curious about everything and how it all works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 I ran it down to 1/4 tank indicated before I decided to stop. It took 6.5 gals (sv 10.8 tank). So that’s about spot on. I’m sure I will push it further and see where the truly empty (or available fuel empty) lands on the gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBuff Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 So slight update. Fuel gauge mod has been working great. Inadvertently ran it all the way down to empty ( a needles width above R) at the USA 7 event this weekend. No issues but opted to fuel up at the track. Took 9.5 gallons (assuming it’s a 10.8 gal tank (SV)) with 1.5 gallons unreachable with the pickup. likely won’t push it that close in the future but very happy with the mod. Thanks again @BruceBe And @CatManDo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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