for my oil-fired boiler, the fuel oil tank in the basement has the see-through
plastic fuel gauge on top. It's cylindrical, vertical and marked off in
quarters. Approximately the bottom quarter of it went dark for some odd
reason, as if stained from the inside. The boiler still works the same as
usual. It was a very rainy year. The tank was filled last spring but I don't
think that this problem appeared right after that, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Any ideas what did it?

photo he http://tinypic.com/r/34shxjq/5

On Jan 3, 8:51*am, Ed wrote:
for my oil-fired boiler, the fuel oil tank in the basement has the see-through
plastic fuel gauge on top. It's cylindrical, vertical and marked off in
quarters. Approximately the bottom quarter of it went dark for some odd
reason, as if stained from the inside. The boiler still works the same as
usual. It was a very rainy year. The tank was filled last spring but I don't
think that this problem appeared right after that, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Any ideas what did it?

photo hehttp://tinypic.com/r/34shxjq/5

I used to rent a house that had an oil furnace, the level indicator
was a clear tube that ran from the bottom of the tank to the top. The
bottom portion of the tube also turned dark.I think the fuel just
eventually stained the plastic tube. It seem logical because one tank
full usually last the winter and would not be filled again until the
beginning of the next heating season. The portion that was stained
always had fuel in it.

Jimmie

On 1/3/2012 8:51 AM, Ed wrote:
for my oil-fired boiler, the fuel oil tank in the basement has the see-through
plastic fuel gauge on top. It's cylindrical, vertical and marked off in
quarters. Approximately the bottom quarter of it went dark for some odd
reason, as if stained from the inside. The boiler still works the same as
usual. It was a very rainy year. The tank was filled last spring but I don't
think that this problem appeared right after that, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Any ideas what did it?

photo he http://tinypic.com/r/34shxjq/5



Unscrew it, and see if you can clean it. If not buy a replacement. Here
is a link to a "king"
http://www.amazon.com/Oil-Equipment-.../dp/B0057HNH1U

On Jan 3, 7:51*am, Ed wrote:
for my oil-fired boiler, the fuel oil tank in the basement has the see-through
plastic fuel gauge on top. It's cylindrical, vertical and marked off in
quarters. Approximately the bottom quarter of it went dark for some odd
reason, as if stained from the inside. The boiler still works the same as
usual. It was a very rainy year. The tank was filled last spring but I don't
think that this problem appeared right after that, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Any ideas what did it?

photo hehttp://tinypic.com/r/34shxjq/5

Typical of very old oil level gauges. The PVC cylinder is always
exposed to fuel vapor, and the plastic decomposes a bit, releasing
(probably) micron sized carbon particles which look brown in the
light. Consider replacing the gauge with a new one if the rest of the
system is up to it.

Joe

On 1/3/2012 3:59 PM, RBM wrote:
On 1/3/2012 8:51 AM, Ed wrote:
for my oil-fired boiler, the fuel oil tank in the basement has the
see-through
plastic fuel gauge on top. It's cylindrical, vertical and marked off in
quarters. Approximately the bottom quarter of it went dark for some odd
reason, as if stained from the inside. The boiler still works the same as
usual. It was a very rainy year. The tank was filled last spring but I
don't
think that this problem appeared right after that, but I'm not 100%
sure of that.

Any ideas what did it?

photo he http://tinypic.com/r/34shxjq/5



Unscrew it, and see if you can clean it. If not buy a replacement. Here
is a link to a "king"
http://www.amazon.com/Oil-Equipment-.../dp/B0057HNH1U

I'd say the same thing although unit you refer to does not look the same.

Thread prompted me to look at mine, which is similar, and, I found would
unscrew easily and cleaned up with a damp rag. What was making mine
cloudy was on the outside.