The owner's manual for the 2004 Coupe states the fuel capacity is 15.8 gallons with a 2.1 gallon reserve.

How do we interpret the 2.1 gallon reserve?

Does it mean that the out of fuel light comes on when there is 2.1 gallons left in the tank?

Does it mean that the tank holds 17.9 gallons but the pick-up can only draw 15.8 gallons out?

Does it mean something else?

(The question is raised because I'm trying to figure out how much Sta-Bil to add to the tank for winter storage.)

------------------------ Bill

 

its a 15.9 tank so the reserve goes on at 13.8

 

I wonder what does the 2.1 gallon reserve means too.

One time I was able to squeeze 17 gallons of gas from the tank before I get to the pump, according to my miles calculations from the Odometer, and the fact that I put 17 gallons of gas to fill it up afterwards. I don't exactly know how much gas it holds, but surely more than 16 gal.

 

Well, we have a difference of opinion here.

How many out there have put more than 15.8 gallons into their Crossfire fuel tank at one fill?

Similarly, how much fuel has been required to fill the tank after the fuel warning light came on?

-------------------------- Bill

 

I think I would report that station to the state inspection folks because I think they are definitely gouging their customers. You surely got less gas than you were charged for.

Even running 30+ miles after the light came on, the most I have ever put in was about 14.3 gallons (and that was up to the neck).

 

I totally agree with danimal......

You sure that wasn't 16 litres?

 

Shortly after picking the car up last week and after riding about 10miles with the light on , I put 14.5 gals in . The better question is , how many miles do you get average from a tank ?? Mine is at 200 now with the needle on the downside of the half mark ..

 

aside: There is a mpg thread floating around somewhere thats relevent to this.

In answer to your question: I generally get 300 miles until the light comes on. I usually drive it for 10 to 20 miles after that and fill up 13.0 to 13.5 gallons. The most I have put in was 14.3 pretty close to the last hatch. 15.9 gallons sounds accurate for the tanks capacity.

 

The 2.1 gal "reserve" is included in the 15.9 gal "capacity" specification. The truth is that vehicle manufacturers often publish a fuel capacity that is slightly less than the actual size of the tank. Perhaps the biggest reason they do this is to prevent consumers from running out or nearly running out of fuel. The high pressure fuel pumps used for fuel injected engines are cooled by the fuel in your tank. So the less residual fuel, the hotter the fuel pump will get. At some point the fuel pump can (will) suffer a premature failure. If you started with a completely empty tank and filled it until the filling station pump automatically shuts off chances are you will have put 17 gallons or so in.

Another mistake that people make is filling their tank beyond the point where the pump automatically shuts off. Not to mention the environmental hazards of doing so, it also tends to foul the car's emission system. Have you ever been to a filling station and the pump keeps shutting off several times when you first start before eventually pumping normally? The common reason for that is that the person before you topped off their tank and fouled the vapor return line at the pump.

The simple answer to your main question though, BillP2R, is just prior to filling your car up for the winter dump an entire 8 oz. bottle (treats 20 gal) of Stabil in the tank. A little extra won't hurt.

 

The only real way to know the total capacity for sure is to ask the person that accidentally ran their tank dry and then filled up.

My belief is that the full capacity includes the reserve.

 

I put in 15 .4 gallons in the SRT on Sunday driving from the golf course on empty, a 20 mile drive. I was a bit worried needless to say. That was the most gas I have ever put in my XFire.