Ok I have a strange gas tank compacity issue. The manual and the board says the compacity on my 92 loyale is 16 gallons. But I can't seem to get more than 14 gallons in, even when I sputter and chug to the gas station, as i did this morning.

 

The orange 'low fuel' light comes on and I can fill up a little over 12 gallons, so that figures right. My mpg is good at 28, and I get a little over 400 miles to a tank. When the tank is 'full' the gauge needle barely reaches the top mark.

 

So I'm wondering what's taking up the space of that extra 2 gallons? It's not a major issue, or a problem, just something I wonder about at the pump.

 

pat

Have you looked at the tank? Checked for dents?

It could aslo be the float/sending unit in the tank.

Have you actually run out of gas?

 

It has been my experience that they say they're out but still have fuel.

 

I moved my sensor up in one of my vehicles to give me earlier warning of low fuel and more reserve.

I've found that the low fuel light is a pretty honest indicator.

air

I ran out as much as I could this morning, sputtering and chugging to the gas station, wasen't perty! Even after i filled up it took some hard cranking to get it started again, I took that as a sign that the tank was empty.

 

On another note, what makes the gas pump automatically stop, is it something in the neck of the gas tank, or in the pump handle? Maybe it's never been full because of a faulty 'full' signal when the pump stops. I don't keep trying to get that even .50 or .00, I say when it clicks off it's full!

s. I don't keep trying to get that even .50 or .00, I say when it clicks off it's full!

 

 

You can normally get quite a bit more in if you fill untill it clicks off at half speed or so, after it has initially clicked off.

I ran out as much as I could this morning, sputtering and chugging to the gas station, wasen't perty! Even after i filled up it took some hard cranking to get it started again, I took that as a sign that the tank was empty.

 

On another note, what makes the gas pump automatically stop, is it something in the neck of the gas tank, or in the pump handle? Maybe it's never been full because of a faulty 'full' signal when the pump stops. I don't keep trying to get that even .50 or .00, I say when it clicks off it's full!

 

True, when the pump handle clicks off that means your tank is full. There is a sensor in the handle that shuts off the flow when just a little backwash comes up the filler pipe. Try not holding the nozzle all the way in the filler pipe and use the half speed when it starts getting full. Either way tho, the gauge should be reading correcly when the tank is filled normally.

It Is Not Full Until You Can Not Squeeze In Any More Gas, And The Level Is Above The Flapper Door

Ok I have a strange gas tank compacity issue. The manual and the board says the compacity on my 92 loyale is 16 gallons. But I can't seem to get more than 14 gallons in, even when I sputter and chug to the gas station, as i did this morning.

 

The orange 'low fuel' light comes on and I can fill up a little over 12 gallons, so that figures right. My mpg is good at 28, and I get a little over 400 miles to a tank. When the tank is 'full' the gauge needle barely reaches the top mark.

 

So I'm wondering what's taking up the space of that extra 2 gallons? It's not a major issue, or a problem, just something I wonder about at the pump.

 

pat

hmmmmmm..... you take it to mean you are empty, yet you made it to the gas station in fits of stalling...... maybe a vaporlock from sooooo little fuel, just a thought or maybe tired fuel guage....

It Is Not Full Until You Can Not Squeeze In Any More Gas, And The Level Is Above The Flapper Door

HA HA

 

you're in colorado, is it hilly where you live? you might be in the "chugging" region on grade but fine were you on flat ground...meaning you still have some fuel in there, but it's slopping around and not always accessible to the fuel pump like those floridians.

 

i get 15 gallons in mine, but i gotta run way dry to get to that point. after the light comes on i can get about 70 miles more (2.7 gallons are supposed to be left when the light comes on) on flat ground.

i could get about 8 1/2 liters more in the tank if i filled it to the lip of the inlet, as against when the pump clicked off on its own.

 

then i switched to lpg= no cheating when the filler pump says 'thats it'.

From what I have heard on older cars (older then about 95) you can fill the tanks right up to the flapper which I do... just throattle the pump nozzle by hand, ... on newer cars you shouldn't do that... I have no Idea why, just heard that on a car show, something about revents that get flooded and no longer work and it messes with the sensors.... blaa..blaa..bla..

 

also: "Where's my two gallons?" you wouldn't happen to be punning

the paper-boy from the movie, "Better off dead."?

Here's one for ya. As some of you may remember, I was having massive fuel delivery problems getting my sons' hatch ('86) down the road. One of the many things I found, was that when I had dropped the tank to clean it, when I reinstalled it, I slightly kinked the filler neck vent line. This would prevent air from escaping as the tank filled, causing the filler neck to back up with fuel. Which of course causes the gas pump to shut off. You might want to check that vent line. I don't know why it would plug if you've never dropped the tank, but just one more thing to look for....

Good luck!

NV

Did you ever check for dents? I know my subie had a dinged oil pan.

Pumps stop for a reason. Topping off is bad regardless of the year or make of car. Fuel tanks are designed to hold a certain ammount of air pressure and anyone who says otherwise is stupid or lying.

I checked for dents and didn't see anything unusual. Unless it becomes a problem I think I'll chalk it up to the float/sending unit in the tank, since the gauge never reads full. Thanks for all the replies.