[JimG]

The more I think about this I can’t understand how making the liquid container smaller ( by adding the rod) is going to change the liquid level. The gauge is a u tube manometer and it measures pressure. As long as the gauge is not clogged, I don’t think it should matter what the diameter of the manometer is. One inch of water is the same pressure whether it is in a small or big tube. But if you try adding the rod let us know if it works.