FAULTY PETROL GAUGES

Southland Times, Issue 23649, 26 October 1938, Page 2

FAULTY PETROL GAUGES

SOURCE OF ANNOYANCE TO DRIVERS The vagaries of petrol gauges on some cars at times cause annoyance owing to the driver being stranded on I the roadside through running out of petrol. Before the advent of the curved pipe into the petrol tank and the adoption of the electro-actuated petrol gauge (affected by the potential of the battery in some instances), motorists had far less trouble in this connection. It seems strange that, with all the great improvements incorporated in the car of today, this important feature has not kept step with progress made. A faulty petrol gauge was tolerated in the days when a dip-stick could easily be inserted through the orifice of the petrol tank, but this practice is now impossible with some of the latest designed cars. More dependence has to be placed on the gauge as the means of knowing the quantity of petrol in the tank. The service departments of automobile clubs and associations report that calls from “out of petrol” motorists have increased greatly, attributable in most cases to petrol gauges misleading drivers. Apparently the only precaution available to motorists troubled with an inconsistent petrol gauge is to maintain a well-filled tank by keeping a check on petrol used, based on average consumption, and refill the tank frequently. It may be reasoned that if due care is not exercised owners might attempt to put more petrol in the tank than it will hold, but this is just as likely if too much reliance is placed on an electrically-actuated gauge which has displayed inconsistencies. There appears to be scope for some inventive genius to evolve a system which would allow the motorist to be certain of the volume of the petrol in the tank.