What paint?

[Gin]

I am installing a small wooden bead into my fuel sight gauge as the fuel level itself is so hard to see due to the red dye stains on the wall of plastic walls of the gauge.

However, the natural wood finish has too little contrast so it needs a coat of paint. I've tested a Hammerite coat but it just goes soft and sloughs off.

So what can I use to coat the bead and withstand constant immersion in diesel?

I've got some Bukh engine paint and some car motor engine lacquer somewhere- could they do/

 

[sailorman]

add a white painted batten with say black chevrons behind the tube.
also change the tube if the existing is opaque.
i assume you have a stop cock fitted to the bottom of the tube to isolate the tube

 

[MoodySabre]

Can't you find a small red plastic bead that floats?

 

[Norman_E]

Instead of a floating bead, you should try painting a thin blue line down the back of the tube. It will be magnified by the liquid in the tube, but not above the liquid level. Even better paint the outside of the back half of the tube white after applying the blue line, as this gives better contrast.

 

[jerryat]

Ditch the bead and try a plastic golf tee! We've had a green one (just 'cos that was available!) in our water tank sight tube for years. Perfect and easy to see! I don't know whether they'd float in diesel, but I reckon they would so it's worth checking. Just pop it in point down.

Frankly I didn't even know the things floated at all!

 

[Gin]

Thanks everyone- what I wanted was an ' hdpe' sphere but they are impossible to get in small quantities and a di. of 5-6mm - no smaller and no bigger.

So I have made a fishing type float with a plastic shaft so that the bead can't actually enter the upper or lower unions to the tank and thus eventually cause a blockage.

The golf tee idea is an excellent one since they are tapered and it is just a case of cutting it down to size- I shall check that one, it may be the best solution

Thanks again folks