Chapter member Joe Foerster found a copy of, as he called it, “a snip” from the Nov.-Dec., 1948 Cadillac Serviceman’s bulletin, as follows:
A PROCEDURE FOR TESTING gasoline gauge tank units, which included lowering the gasoline tank in order to make the tank unit accessible, was announced on page seven of the February, 1948 issue of THE CADILLAC SERVICEMAN. In order to shorten the period of time required to replace this unit, the factory Engineering Department now recommends that the following procedure be used, which omits lowering of the gasoline tank. This new procedure takes less time than that allotted for lowering the tank in the old procedure. The new method is as follows:
1. Disconnect one of the battery cables.
2. Using a standard 4″ sheet metal saw, drill a 4″ diameter hole in the body floor pan directly over the gasoline tank float unit.
3. Disconnect the wiring from the tank unit.
4. Remove the screws which fasten the tank unit to the tank.
5. Lift out the tank unit. The float and arm will come away with it. Test the old tank unit against the dash unit. Failure may have been caused by poor ground.
6. Set the new tank unit with gasket, float and arm in exactly the same position on the tank. Install all screws and tighten securely.
7. Reconnect the wire to the binding post of the tank unit.
8. Fabricate a sheet metal cover for the 4″ hole in the body floor pan. Install this cover, seal with 3-M body sealer and secure it with at least six self-tapping screws.
9. Connect the battery cable.
Joe concludes, “Believe me. Once you’ve done this, you will wonder why the factory didn’t punch a hole there in the first place”.
