Beck Fuel Gauge
- Albert Haefner
- 356 Fan
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- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
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- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Great thread and info!! Just rebuilding my Beck sender now, the bell has completely corroded away so Iāll need to make a new one. A couple of questions from reading this thread:
- Does anyone have the dimensions of the lower bell/cup piece?
- Whatās the consensus on the length of the two capillary tubes in the tank end? Sounds like if may be better to have a bigger vertical head between the two?
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
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2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
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- Albert Haefner
- 356 Fan
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Borg inside the Bell
Long = air from Pump in
Short = pressure signal tu instrument.
This only Worts with intact rubber Ball and valve in the Pump.
Long = air from Pump in
Short = pressure signal tu instrument.
This only Worts with intact rubber Ball and valve in the Pump.
Ā
- Albert Haefner
- 356 Fan
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- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
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- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Thanks Albert!!
Does anyone have dimensions of the lower bell?
Does anyone have dimensions of the lower bell?
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 370
- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Also any suggestions/tips for taking the pump apart. Reading through the thread looks like the base threads into the alloy body, but it also looks like the base was staked at one point to stop it backing out. Donāt want to get rough with it, so any tips appreciated (Albert Iāll email you for one of your replacement rubber pump pieces):
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
- Martin Langer
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:37 pm
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Alex,
My sender is mounted to the fuel tank, in the meantime. However, not in operation yet
Therefore, no dimensions from my side. Sorry! Here is a picture of the cup with the long capillary tube.
Maybe that helps. The brass base of the pump has definitely a thread with the alloy housing. You must get it off somehow (WD40) to gain access to the valve.
Martin
My sender is mounted to the fuel tank, in the meantime. However, not in operation yet
Therefore, no dimensions from my side. Sorry! Here is a picture of the cup with the long capillary tube.
Maybe that helps. The brass base of the pump has definitely a thread with the alloy housing. You must get it off somehow (WD40) to gain access to the valve.
Martin
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
I would also like to know how to dismantle the pump. Anyone can advise?Alex Parmenter wrote: āWed Mar 08, 2023 8:13 pm Also any suggestions/tips for taking the pump apart. Reading through the thread looks like the base threads into the alloy body, but it also looks like the base was staked at one point to stop it backing out. Donāt want to get rough with it, so any tips appreciated (Albert Iāll email you for one of your replacement rubber pump pieces):
- Martin Langer
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:37 pm
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Hello Rafik,
Please see my comment #28. The round brass cover is just pressed in the bottom brass piece. I was able to get the cover loose with very!! light!! knocks with a hammer and some WD40. Good luck!
Martin
Please see my comment #28. The round brass cover is just pressed in the bottom brass piece. I was able to get the cover loose with very!! light!! knocks with a hammer and some WD40. Good luck!
Martin
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Thank you, will give it a try
- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 370
- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Update, and see posts below for full write up and pics
I managed to get my fuel gauge pump body open tonight. I have the benefit of an old Atlas lathe so set the pump brass end in the lathe chuck and used that hold it steady as I used a set of grips on the body. Couple of other tips:
1) the brass end cap on mine was āstakedā at one point on the edge, no doubt by factory to stop it loosening. I tapped the back edge of this with a very fine flat head screwdriver to lift the staked part very slightly so to just āun-stakeā it.
2) fill it and soak it well in penetrating fluid for a few days
3) once I did this i set in lathe chuck, locked headstock and rocked the alloy body with set of grips right & left to get some movement and then it backed off quite easily, with very minimal marring.
I managed to get my fuel gauge pump body open tonight. I have the benefit of an old Atlas lathe so set the pump brass end in the lathe chuck and used that hold it steady as I used a set of grips on the body. Couple of other tips:
1) the brass end cap on mine was āstakedā at one point on the edge, no doubt by factory to stop it loosening. I tapped the back edge of this with a very fine flat head screwdriver to lift the staked part very slightly so to just āun-stakeā it.
2) fill it and soak it well in penetrating fluid for a few days
3) once I did this i set in lathe chuck, locked headstock and rocked the alloy body with set of grips right & left to get some movement and then it backed off quite easily, with very minimal marring.
Last edited by Alex Parmenter on Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 370
- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Well got the 54 Beck fuel gauge finished off and tested tonight, and working perfectly. My one was completely kaput after being off the road since 1980s. The end ābellā had corroded off, the capillary lines plugged with gas varnish, and the pump broken. Thought Iād share some of the things I learned as I see question come up quite often on these, and fun project to rebuild them!
As I said, mine was in a bad way, and probably about as bad as they come I would think, see pic below of when I first pulled it out the tank: Getting the dash pump apart was next, quite tricky to do without damaging, but take your time and itās ok. The brass base screws into the alloy body, so soak it in penetrating oil for a day or two, then try and unscrew, I used my small old Atlas lathe chuck to hold the thin brass base and it unscrewed without too much effort after I ārocked it back and forthā a bit first:
Albert and Till Hefner (Classic Parts) supplied a new rubber pump bladder and also the copper bell for the end of the pipe (or you can use a 1ā plumbing end cap). Pic below shows pump apart and new black pump insert against old original red one: All cleaned up and ready to reassembly the pump. The rubber gets glued to the brass base piece. There is also a check valve in the brass piece, mine seemed to be working fine so i did not disassemble, but see higher up in this thread for that.
As I said, mine was in a bad way, and probably about as bad as they come I would think, see pic below of when I first pulled it out the tank: Getting the dash pump apart was next, quite tricky to do without damaging, but take your time and itās ok. The brass base screws into the alloy body, so soak it in penetrating oil for a day or two, then try and unscrew, I used my small old Atlas lathe chuck to hold the thin brass base and it unscrewed without too much effort after I ārocked it back and forthā a bit first:
Albert and Till Hefner (Classic Parts) supplied a new rubber pump bladder and also the copper bell for the end of the pipe (or you can use a 1ā plumbing end cap). Pic below shows pump apart and new black pump insert against old original red one: All cleaned up and ready to reassembly the pump. The rubber gets glued to the brass base piece. There is also a check valve in the brass piece, mine seemed to be working fine so i did not disassemble, but see higher up in this thread for that.
Last edited by Alex Parmenter on Thu Apr 27, 2023 6:57 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 370
- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Continued*
My capillary tubes were completely plugged with 40 year old gas varnish. To clear this I rigged up a large plastic syringe to each capillary line, then heated the lines from the gas tank mount down with a blow torch (not enough to melt any solder!) and the pressured up the lines with the syringe. The varnish melts easily and this cleared the lines quite quickly and once everything had cooled, I put carb cleaner in the syringe and pumped this through the cap lines, let it soak and pumped it through. Next I moved onto repairing the missing bell from the lower end. The brass pipe had also corroded and the lower few inches missing, so I ordered some 7mm OD by 0.5mm wall thickness brass pipe from amazon. This is a perfect fit on the original 6mm OD brass outer pipe. I cut off the corroded section, bent up a new piece and then slipped it over and soldered in place (donāt forget your flux).
Then I drilled 7mm hole in the bell and soldered in place also. I measured the tank and spaced this all out to put the lower end about 1ā from the bottom of the gas tank when installed. In the pic below the cutting mat squares are 1ā, so you can see approx 8ā from upper mount to lower bell.
I took the opportunity to clean up and polish all the parts as I went along. When I first tested the system my gauge did not move and was stuck. After a few attempts I very gently (weāre talking 0.5psi for this gauge max and very easy to damage, so be careful!!) blew into the gauge and it āunstuckā and then started reading the fuel level in my test can.
I had a lot of dust behind the gauge glass, so i also very carefully lifted 3 of the 4 bezel tabs and removed to clean lens and also dusted gauge face with fine brush.
Tested in a can of gas and the gauge reacts perfectly as you raise and lower to test!
Also tested the air pump and all working well. I did read some discussion as to why there is a hole in the end of the pump button as i has no through hole? Well on mine i blew into the hole and there is indeed a very small air path right through to the other end, so this will prevent pump getting stuck down with suction.
.
My capillary tubes were completely plugged with 40 year old gas varnish. To clear this I rigged up a large plastic syringe to each capillary line, then heated the lines from the gas tank mount down with a blow torch (not enough to melt any solder!) and the pressured up the lines with the syringe. The varnish melts easily and this cleared the lines quite quickly and once everything had cooled, I put carb cleaner in the syringe and pumped this through the cap lines, let it soak and pumped it through. Next I moved onto repairing the missing bell from the lower end. The brass pipe had also corroded and the lower few inches missing, so I ordered some 7mm OD by 0.5mm wall thickness brass pipe from amazon. This is a perfect fit on the original 6mm OD brass outer pipe. I cut off the corroded section, bent up a new piece and then slipped it over and soldered in place (donāt forget your flux).
Then I drilled 7mm hole in the bell and soldered in place also. I measured the tank and spaced this all out to put the lower end about 1ā from the bottom of the gas tank when installed. In the pic below the cutting mat squares are 1ā, so you can see approx 8ā from upper mount to lower bell.
I took the opportunity to clean up and polish all the parts as I went along. When I first tested the system my gauge did not move and was stuck. After a few attempts I very gently (weāre talking 0.5psi for this gauge max and very easy to damage, so be careful!!) blew into the gauge and it āunstuckā and then started reading the fuel level in my test can.
I had a lot of dust behind the gauge glass, so i also very carefully lifted 3 of the 4 bezel tabs and removed to clean lens and also dusted gauge face with fine brush.
Tested in a can of gas and the gauge reacts perfectly as you raise and lower to test!
Also tested the air pump and all working well. I did read some discussion as to why there is a hole in the end of the pump button as i has no through hole? Well on mine i blew into the hole and there is indeed a very small air path right through to the other end, so this will prevent pump getting stuck down with suction.
.
Last edited by Alex Parmenter on Fri Apr 28, 2023 7:02 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
- Greg Bryan
- 356 Fan
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- Location: San Pedro, CA 90732; Fallen Leaf, CA 96150
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- Alex Parmenter
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 370
- Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:57 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: Beck Fuel Gauge
Thanks Greg, very rewarding part of the revival of this old car!
Always searching for parts for my Oct 54 Pre A coupe including these:
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā
2 piece 546/2 engine close to #336XX
Front bumper
Passenger sun visor
Bosch SH/ZS4/1 Ignition switch
Beige knobs for light switch, choke and heater controls
Ā