Beck Fuel Gauge

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Jim Tharp
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#31 Post by Jim Tharp »

Do you have contact info for Albert Häfner? Danke drjtharp356@yahoo.com

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Martin Benade
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#32 Post by Martin Benade »

Does anyone know when Beck fuel gauges were first used? It seems like it would have been perfect on my friends 1913 Reo, with acetylene headlights, magneto ignition, and essentially no electrical system. The Beck gauge is quite clever.
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JohnLiles
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#33 Post by JohnLiles »

At last I have sorted out my Beck fuel gauge , and having started this thread a while ago I thought I should add my findings !

I have to thank Ned Gorski and Martin Langer for their kind guidance on dis-assembly and re-assembly , could not have done it without that.

I removed the pump from the dash and opened it up . I had done so much pumping trying to improve the low gauge reading that something had failed and the push rod was hanging loose. So it had to come out.
Picture 1 and Picture 2 is what I found when I unscrewed the brass backplate from the alloy pump body


Note that the push rod (picture1) has a ragged collar of white rubbery material looking like hardened silicone sealant . Someone had made/poured a flexible 'rubber bulb' using alloy pump body as mould (picture 2 ) , this had ruptured around the collar from my over enthusiastic usage ! It probably worked to some extent previously but this was masked by the failure of the non return valve to work - see below .

I tested the non return valve (NRV) inside the brass backplate by putting it to my lips and blowing - it did not work !

I removed a small circular cover plate set in the brass backplate and found that the ( probably ) original black NRV seal had gone brittle and fractured , needed replacing .

I found a small bicycle tyre tube 'rubber 'repair patch , pressed a 2mm hole in the centre using my wife's dressmaking tools ( belt punch ) , and trimmed the repair patch to fit inside the housing . I cleaned up the metal ball on the end of the spring , this ball appeared to be hollow and very light / low inertia compared to say a ball bearing of same size.
Picture 3 shows the old and new NRV seals . I guess the new one may not be suitable material to stand up to ethanol in fuel , we will see .

Finally thanks to Albert Haefner at Classic-Parts I obtained a replacement 'rubber bulb' see Picture 4 , and assembled the pump following Martin Langer's pictures earlier in this thread .

The final pump does not displace much air per stroke , I tested it before refitting to the car , so I figured I would save time by blowing back down the capillary tube .
I had already had a look at the 'diving bell' sat on the end of the assembly in the fuel tank , this looked like it had been previously repaired with solder ( looked shiny and silvery ) so hopefully just needed displacement of fuel with fresh air . So I rigged up a flexible tube and blew down and hey presto !! The gauge responded to show the tank just under 3/4 full ----which corresponds to my homemade wooden dipstick . Whats more the reading held . It had never gone beyond 1/4 full before.

So reconnected the capillary to the pump , used some PTFE tape to seal this joint , reinserted the pump . Happy .
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#34 Post by Jim Wayman »

Here is a picture of the Beck fuel gage with the 6MM brass tube removed. Perhaps it will clarify the discussion between Ned and Alan. The 2 capillary tubes do not extend the length of the outer brass tube. I recently decided to tackle restoring my gage. As you can see from one of the pictures, the air "bell" at the bottom of the brass tube has disintegrated. Does anyone have a source for these. I removed the 6MM brass tube as it had several leaks and am replacing it with a new tube. What is the final consensus on the relationship between the lengths of the capillary tube, the 6MM brass tube and the air "bell" (haw far apart are the ends of each)? Also, my air pump is the type that does not appear to be taken apart. Am I correct, and if so, where can I get a replacement one (either similar of the "barrel" type) Thanks.
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Martin Langer
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#35 Post by Martin Langer »

Hello Jim,

Both air ‘bells’ I have had indicated the deterioration you described (see picture). If the cracks cannot be soldered, a new cup can be made out of sheet metal or as a turned part, which was my choice.

Regarding the VW type air pump, I doubt it can be opened - and closed again! - with regular tools available to most of us. Try to find a ‘barrel type’ Porsche pump, since it can be opened and also allows more volume in one stroke.

On the dimensions, my 6mm brass tube ended almost at the top surface of the air ‘bell’. From your picture, it looks like yours extended a little into the air ‘bell’. However, this does not effect the pressure measurement. The longer capillary tube extends approx. 3 mm beyond the low open end of the ‘bell’. This dimension has also no effect on the pressure measurement, if the capillary tube just extends beyond the ‘bell’.
As a remark, the important dimension for a correct pressure measurement is the vertical distance between the mounting surface for the ‘sensor’ on top of the fuel tank and the low open end of the cup. This is supposed to be 220 mm. Deviations can be adjusted through the tiny slot screw at the back of the indicator instrument.
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#36 Post by Jim Wayman »

Martin

Thank you for your information. The system in my car is original to the car, which has never been apart. You mention that the pump is a VW pump. I believe that Porsche used the "flying saucer" type in the early cars fitted by the factory with the Beck gage and changed later to the "barrel;" type. It would be interesting to find out approximately when the change was made. My car is a December 1954 production car.

Jim
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Martin Benade
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#37 Post by Martin Benade »

What did VW use that pump for?
Also is there somewhere that explains how this gauge works? I have only a faint idea of it.
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#38 Post by Jim Wayman »

Martin

VW had a fuel gage that was similar to the Porsche one, I believe also made by Beck. It had a different dial face. The Porsche gage had a black face with green numerals like the VDO gages. I have attached a picture of the VW gage. Both of the gages worked on air pressure, similar to the hydrostatic gages used on cars in the 20s and 30s.

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Martin Benade
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#39 Post by Martin Benade »

I thought the first VW gas gauge was 1961. Was this an aftermarket item?
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#40 Post by Jim Wayman »

I am not up on VWs that much
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#41 Post by Spencer Harris »

jim wayman wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:51 pm I am not up on VWs that much
Me neither, but I have a couple of VW manuals I downloaded from Samba. The Oct '57 manual indicates VW offered a tank mounted fuel gauge up to chassis no. 929 745, and a fuel gauge on the instrument panel (dash) from chassis no. 929 746. Evidently, they continued to offer the tank mounted unit (different part no.) from chassis 919 746.
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Martin Langer
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#42 Post by Martin Langer »

My information is from a VW aftermarket package which included instructions for the VW 54 model year.
Other than that, I know very, very little about beetles of that time.
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Martin Benade
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#43 Post by Martin Benade »

I think the tank mounted fuel gauge in the VW literature was a stick, probably aluminum.
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#44 Post by Jim Wayman »

Martin

Can you post a picture of the bottom of the bell of the above picture. Although it appears to be new in the box, there are cracks in the bell.

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Martin Langer
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Re: Beck Fuel Gauge

#45 Post by Martin Langer »

The content of the package was used. I just cleaned the sender unit and got the instrument restored.
The package is sold, in the meantime. Therefore, I cannot take any more pictures. Sorry, Jim.

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