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Redbob
Well-known member
HERE'S how you let your car run out of gas:
You start with a) a healthy mistrust of gas gauges, and b) a new car. You put in a little can with about a gallon of gas in it, and you drive around until the engine won't run. If you're lucky (like me) you're near a gas station, if not, you pour in your 'reserve' gallon.
Then you KNOW how much gas the car takes, and what the gauge reads just before it runs out. This knowledge can be useful in avoiding having this happen again!
Finally, if you ALWAYS run it empty, or nearly so, there IS no build-up of crud in the bottom of your tank to rust it out. Sure, you replace your filter every year, but so what? Gasoline makes a wonderful hair conditioner, don't you think?
I know all about expansion volume in gas tanks, etc. What I DON'T know is why some folks on this thread have experience identical to mine, 18.5 gallon capacity or so, others report 20?
Another possibility, what some car manufacturers (e.g., Ford) do is adjust fuel capacity as a way of improving their emissions numbers. It works like this: If you're close to the 'breakpoint' on weight, or "Inertia Test Weight", which is set in 250 lb increments, and you're just barely passing the emissions test, or maybe barely failing it, you can get the emissions test run at a lower test weight (the emissions dyno setting) if there is less fuel capacity, and therefore less weight of fuel with a "full" tank. Company 'F' at least used to do this without even changing the fuel tank, just by inserting the filler neck farther into the tank. Depending on the car/truck, you could sometimes get another 2 - 3 gallons per fill by pulling the filler neck out to where it was originally designed to be.
My original question on this thread, I guess, had to do with whether this might have been done with the Corvette.
Regards,
R
You start with a) a healthy mistrust of gas gauges, and b) a new car. You put in a little can with about a gallon of gas in it, and you drive around until the engine won't run. If you're lucky (like me) you're near a gas station, if not, you pour in your 'reserve' gallon.
Then you KNOW how much gas the car takes, and what the gauge reads just before it runs out. This knowledge can be useful in avoiding having this happen again!
Finally, if you ALWAYS run it empty, or nearly so, there IS no build-up of crud in the bottom of your tank to rust it out. Sure, you replace your filter every year, but so what? Gasoline makes a wonderful hair conditioner, don't you think?
I know all about expansion volume in gas tanks, etc. What I DON'T know is why some folks on this thread have experience identical to mine, 18.5 gallon capacity or so, others report 20?
Another possibility, what some car manufacturers (e.g., Ford) do is adjust fuel capacity as a way of improving their emissions numbers. It works like this: If you're close to the 'breakpoint' on weight, or "Inertia Test Weight", which is set in 250 lb increments, and you're just barely passing the emissions test, or maybe barely failing it, you can get the emissions test run at a lower test weight (the emissions dyno setting) if there is less fuel capacity, and therefore less weight of fuel with a "full" tank. Company 'F' at least used to do this without even changing the fuel tank, just by inserting the filler neck farther into the tank. Depending on the car/truck, you could sometimes get another 2 - 3 gallons per fill by pulling the filler neck out to where it was originally designed to be.
My original question on this thread, I guess, had to do with whether this might have been done with the Corvette.
Regards,
R
jjones said:
I get a surprise reading with only one bar left. That last bar dissappears quickly and I play a head game with my self that I won't run out. That removes any stress about "running out" and allows me to play Russian Roulette (a game for thrill seekers) to find a station. Sometime though I lose, however it can go quite a distance with low fuel pressure (just can't pick up any speed) and usually roll into a station. 
)
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