Folks,

I forgot about this!

I stand corrected, the fuel guage reads EMPTY with key off.

The TEMP guage reads HOT with key off.

Regards,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

These comments & results are most interesting!

I've had a '54, & two '55 Fords, and worked on '56's (12 volt, but same basic system), all of which have had the King-Seeley system; which works exactly as I, the original '55 Ford Shop Manual, & the recent Old Cars Weekly all verify, as I first put forward.

Is there another OEM system out there?  Any CVA members out there with the wiring diagrams, or other information.

My curiosity is really piqued now.  More please!!

Thanks,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

The fuel gauge in my ’55 Customline reads empty when the key is turned off.  I’ve switched the electrical system over to 12 volts but have simply wired in voltage reducers for the gauges.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

With the key on I took the positive terminal off the battery and the gauge wend down to 0 and when i reatached it it went up slow to 7/8. I know I put quite a bit in the tank just the other day and we did not drive it much.

Timmy,

That's still strange: Your fuel guage should go to above 'full' with the key off.  Something else is still not right.  I'm really wondering whether your guage system hasn't already been replaced with a different system than OEM-style King-Seeley.

For the OEM King-Seeley system ONLY & per the Ford Manual: To test the guage portion, you momentarily jumper/ground the fuel sender lead from under the dash to a clean piece of dash metal to establish a 'solid' ground connection (with the ignition switch 'off') - be very careful to ground ONLY the lead coming from the sending unit and NOT the side from the ignition switch! - Or you can burn-up your under-dash wiring harness -- maybe worse!

Then sit up on the seat, and, while watching the guage, turn-on the ignition switch. If the guage is O. K., the fuel guage will quickly go to below 'empty'; do NOT leave the ignition switch 'on' any longer than it takes to see whether the guage goes below 'empty', or you WILL burn-out the guage!

DISCONNECT the temporary grounding jumper after turning-off the ignition switch first.

You can 'test' the sender wire between the gas tank & dash guage by simply repeating the grounding procedure AT THE SENDING UNIT CONNECTION under the ~4"-round cover located in the trunk.

Finally, after and only after verifying the above tests first, you can test your gas tank 'ground' by installing an actual wire from a clean metal area on the sender base (not the gas tank) directly to your vehicle frame to another clean metal area (NO RUST!!!!).

Please let us know what you find.

Thanks,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

When the key is off the gauge drops slowly and I found I had a kid help me one time and he did not tighten the screw to the gauge that the wire attaches to. My tank is 7/8 full now so i think it is working fine. Thanks for all the help.

Argggggg!  Too early in the morning, and back to work for retraining!

I meant to say 'your' guages, NOT 'M/T's' guages.

JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

Sorry about the delay -- Off from 'work' the last week, my spouse and I (42-years with the same one as of last week!) are building a retirement house.

As for why M/T's guages would go to 'empty'/'cold' at power off, I don't know; maybe his guage system has been changed to more 'normal' innards. Some folks have don't just that - and don't necessarily tell the new owner.

By the way, Old Carw Weekly just had some comments on the Ford King-Seeley guage system in their Q & A section last week. That information serves to verify my independent findings.

Thanks,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

Rod,

My sincere appologies if my first drawing confused you (or others!).

I do believe in the K. I. S. S. (to me, NOT you folks: "Keep It Simple, Stupid!") principle,; but, tend to go-on, sometimes (engineering background -- yes, I know!).  Sort of like the reminder to ask one's self: "Is it plugged-in, is it turned-on, is the fuse (or circuit breaker) blown, is there power at the wall outlet?", before "digging-in".

I've attached a modification of the initial drawing with the guage & sender shown in the correct 'as-wired' order for the '55 Ford. I hope that it helps 'unconfuse' anyone who looked at the first one.

Both guages read 'high' ('hot' or 'full') without power; this guage system is designed that way: Definitely "fail-safe" for the engine temperature; but, definitely NOT failsafe for the fuel guage.

Thanks,   JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

JLB,



I "a simple very basic" person so I took your drawing to mean that you meant that is the way '55's are wired.



Also when there is no power to the fuel gauge shouldn't it read "E", opposite Timmy's case.










Johnson Rod



Southern California