Final answer:
Bulk fuel temperature probes are typically found in the fuel tank and are connected to the fuel and temperature gauges in a vehicle to measure the amount of gasoline and engine temperature. These measurements can be affected by thermal expansion of the materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bulk fuel temperature probes are used to measure the temperature of the fuel in the tanks of a vehicle or aircraft to ensure proper fuel management and efficiency. In the context provided, it discusses how fuel and temperature gauges in vehicles such as a 1996 Volkswagen use voltmeters to register the voltage output of sender units. These units are proportional to the amount of gasoline in the tank and to the engine temperature, meaning that the probes need to be located in places where they can accurately gauge these conditions. The explanation of the gauges implies that the temperature probe would be in the tank with the fuel, to measure the temperature there.
Moreover, thermal expansion can affect the readings on these gauges. This is because materials, including gasoline and the tank's steel, expand at different rates when heated, as discussed in the reference about filling the tank at a gas station and how different materials respond to heat in Heat and Heat Transfer Methods.