fuel gauge folly
- Thread starter Barry Ankney
- Start date
-
You do not need to change your IVR when running a meter match. It has an internal regulator to power the fuel gauge. They say its only rated to run one gauge so you would need to use your existing IVR to power the temp gauge. So some modifications will be required to isolate the two.
You can buy those "calibration box"....its called a resistance decade box. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00023RTZO/?tag=fabo03-20
You can buy those "calibration box"....its called a resistance decade box. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00023RTZO/?tag=fabo03-20
This idea doesn’t really make much sense. The IVR is located IN the fuel gauge. It would be difficult and pointless to try and isolate it. Why would you completely disassemble the dash and go to the work of isolating a 50 year old mechanical regulator that is known to fail?
Makes much more sense to replace the ivr. The meter match with the built in regulator is a cool thing, but likely designed for when you are not using the other stock gauges.
$90 for a decade box? Mine cost about $10. That one would likely burn up anyway. Most are less than 1/2 watt capacity. Fuel gage pulls about 1/2 an amp at full. On a 10 ohm resistor that is about 2.5 watts.
Sorry didn’t respond to all you questions. You can buy the meter match off the internet. I think I paid about $40.
If you want to borrow the cal box I will send it to you. Just send it back when you are done. I think it will fit in a small flat rate box. Just let me know.
RPMagoo
Just An Old Motorhead
-- I have a aftermarket tank, and sender, in My 64 Falcon. -- My gage is a Summit unit, mounted under the dash, with temp & oil pressure gages, and I was told that The IVR was built into the gage. When the tank is full, the gage reads full, but it drops, quite, quick to an empty reading, and the 16 gallon tank still has aprox. 5 - 6 gallons in it. This is OK, in that I should not run out of gas, but I 'd rather that the gage be accurate. -- Do You think that the Meter Match device will work with this set up ?
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2012
- Messages
- 7,095
- Reaction score
- 4,244
I currently have the spectra sender but updated all my gauges with the Charger specialties units. Not perfect, but not at all to bad either! I have my original sender and may have it rebuilt, but even though, who knows! Pretty confident at the moment, and Hope for years! Good money spent!
It has been in 6 years now and pretty accurate.
It has been in 6 years now and pretty accurate.
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2012
- Messages
- 7,095
- Reaction score
- 4,244
Also, why would the factory only put a 5/16 line to feed a BB? Choices limit us to a few. One of the reasons for spectra 3/8 with return line. Although blocked it may yet serve a good purpose down the road!
There's that modern Hemi rearing its head again, lol.
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2012
- Messages
- 7,095
- Reaction score
- 4,244
You know my feelings to well! These cars may be rare but modern stuff resells!
Barry Ankney
Member
Barry Ankney
Member
I tried a yard stick but it wouldn't go around the bend. ;-)
Barry Ankney
Member
Barry Ankney
Member
My gauge is a NOS unit.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Be careful that box may not have enough heavy enough (wattage) resistors to handle the current.
Not all of them have the voltage regulator built into the fuel gauge. In fact, most of them do not. Meter match is running a standard 7805 regulator and wont power more than one gauge. So, you need another regulator if you want to use the oem temp gauge.
Have you even installed a meter match before? What I said is not "difficult and pointless", in order to use the meter match it runs off its own regulator.
I dont use 50 year old regulators, I install my own additional 7805 on a heatsink along with the meter match. Much safer than risking the bi-metal type and having the contacts stick closed and frying the gauges. Although in 30 years of owning mopars I have only had them go open, I know its a possibility for them to hang closed.
RPMagoo
Just An Old Motorhead
-- Never used a Meter Match. -- Summit Tech says that the gage has a resistor built in.
What???
RPMagoo
Just An Old Motorhead
-- Sorry -- You were talking to Mike69cuda
sorry, my mistake the rally dashes are the only ones with the regulator built into the fuel gauge.
The high current version of the 7805 regulator, with a proper heat sink will power all the gauges. Look here on the forum. There are tons of examples of people replacing their IVR with a single 7805. Too lazy to do the math again, but I believe it runs about 1/2 rated current at full scale on all gauges.
I am not familiar with the Meter Match with the built in regulator, as I didn’t consider it useful for this application for reasons previously stated. It may be using a lower power 7805, however I suspect they rate it for only one gauge due to the size of the heat sink. 7805 regulators are very sensitive to heat sink size. To small and the current capacity goes way down.
Not trying to be a jerk, but I still don’t understand why you would pay the extra money for a meter match with a regulator when one IVR would work fine. Could be done your way, I just don’t see the point.
I think a meter match would work fine in this situation. I have never used one on anything but a Mopar, but seems like it would work. Look on their site for info.
I think all you would have to do is cut the sender wire and hook it up to the meter match. Hook up power & ground & then program it. The biggest pain is adding measured amounts of gas to program it.
Last edited:
The meter match has its own VR built into it. I dont think you can run it off your own existing VR. Maybe im missing something here, I dont know. Do you actually have any experience using a meter match?
I dont know of any high current version of the standard (TO-220 package) 7805. There is a low power version, 7805L which should not be used for this application. A good option would be the TO-3 7805K 7805K Voltage Regulator - Twisty Wrist Arcade and Pinball Parts regulator but they are getting hard to find and mounting it could be an issue.
But yeah, a standard 7805 would probably work with a big enough heat sink. On a dash like an E body its easy because you can use the aluminum housing to sink to. The good thing with the 7805 is it has internal protection so if it gets too hot it will cut itself out and reset when it cools down. They are fairly tough to kill.
I dont know of any high current version of the standard (TO-220 package) 7805. There is a low power version, 7805L which should not be used for this application. A good option would be the TO-3 7805K 7805K Voltage Regulator - Twisty Wrist Arcade and Pinball Parts regulator but they are getting hard to find and mounting it could be an issue.
But yeah, a standard 7805 would probably work with a big enough heat sink. On a dash like an E body its easy because you can use the aluminum housing to sink to. The good thing with the 7805 is it has internal protection so if it gets too hot it will cut itself out and reset when it cools down. They are fairly tough to kill.
The meter match I have in my cuda does not have an internal regulator. It was pretty easy to wire in. I used info off this site to construct the calibration box from the graphs of sender resistance so I didn’t need to add gas to the tank.
I bought a bag of 7805s off Amazon pretty cheap that work. However I think the switching power supply is easier for most who do not want to do electronic fab.
I bought a bag of 7805s off Amazon pretty cheap that work. However I think the switching power supply is easier for most who do not want to do electronic fab.
Ah ok, they do make the meter match for brand X that does not have the regulator.
Yep, that is what I was trying to communicate, but probably not so clearly. If you are still using all you gauges, that is the easy way. If you are only using the fuel gauge, then the one with the built in regulator might make more sense.
-
