Fuel Tank -16 gallons.....why can I only put in 10 gallons?

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Prine

Prine

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Ok.....on my 1974 Dart Sport....Since I got the car...I have never been able to stuff more than about 9.5 gallons of fuel in the tank.

I figured it was a bad/worn sender...and ordered a new Pickup/Sending Unit....got the 3/8" pickup one....ran the fuel level down till the gauge showed empty and pulled the old sender and installed the new one.

Same Issue....its not a HUGE concern....but I sure would like to be able to fill up with more than 10 gallons for Highway Trips.

I cannot figure out WHY with a 16 gallon tank....I cannot fill it over 10 gallons.

I do not know of a smaller capacity tank...and I did not install this fuel tank....does such a thing exist?

Or what is the possible answers to this issue?
 
What is happening when you get to 10 gallons. Is it just that the auto-release is clicking off on the gas pump? I have to pull the rubber nozzel back and use 1/2 flow to get mine to take on fuel.
 
agree some pumps are worse then others if u find good mom an pop we have a couple here that have the old nozzel with the spring instead of the bulky rubber thing.waaaaaaay better
 
not dented or damaged....everything is in place as it should be.

When I get to 9.5 - 10 gallons it clicks and if I try to put more fuel in it.....it overflows and runs down the side of the car...FULL.

I have never tried to run it "below" displayed Empty.....and cant see that (2) senders are inaccurate...or the float arm bent or out of whack.

Makes no sense to me.......
 
I would have to guess, the when your gauge says it's empty, that there's probably 6 gallons or so left in the tank. Maybe you need to have your fuel gauge calibrated, or make sure the arm on the sending unit is not hung up on somthing inside the tank, or bent, etc....just a thought.
 
fanofpetty said:
I would have to guess, the when your gauge says it's empty, that there's probably 6 gallons or so left in the tank. Maybe you need to have your fuel gauge calibrated, or make sure the arm on the sending unit is not hung up on somthing inside the tank, or bent, etc....just a thought.
Click to expand...

Also make sure the ohms on the gauge are same as sending unit.
My dads charger is same way 1/4 tank is empty
 
Get it close to empty again, take out the sender and look in the tank from the sender hole and see what you have inside.

Since this has been happening since you bought the car, the previous owner may have installed the wrong unit. Maybe the replacement sending unit is not the correct one (ohms) for the gauge you have? just a thought
 
Prine said:
I have never tried to run it "below" displayed Empty.....and cant see that (2) senders are inaccurate...or the float arm bent or out of whack.
Click to expand...

Put a 2 gallon can of gas in the trunk when it gets low, and drive until you run out, keep track of your miles driven from empty on the gauge to out of gas. That will answer your question about the gauge.
 
Bad Sport said:
Put a 2 gallon can of gas in the trunk when it gets low, and drive until you run out, keep track of your miles driven from empty on the gauge to out of gas.
Click to expand...

I have thought of this....but never done it....hate running out of gas....starving the Fuel Pump, and the chance to suck debris/crap off the bottom of the tank and clogging up a filter.

Looks like thats what I need to do though......

You earned ANOTHER, THANKS-
 
Prine said:
Ok.....on my 1974 Dart Sport....Since I got the car...I have never been able to stuff more than about 9.5 gallons of fuel in the tank.

I figured it was a bad/worn sender...and ordered a new Pickup/Sending Unit....got the 3/8" pickup one....ran the fuel level down till the gauge showed empty and pulled the old sender and installed the new one.

Same Issue....its not a HUGE concern....but I sure would like to be able to fill up with more than 10 gallons for Highway Trips.

I cannot figure out WHY with a 16 gallon tank....I cannot fill it over 10 gallons.

I do not know of a smaller capacity tank...and I did not install this fuel tank....does such a thing exist?

Or what is the possible answers to this issue?
Click to expand...

Was the first sender you took out an original 30 year old Sending Unit?

My repro sending unit does the same thing. Shows empty and I put like 10 gallons in it. Repro unit have a swinging arc mechanism that is totally different than OE.

Old sending unit I have put 15+ gallons in it. Actually when the original was dead on the "E" stripe it was out of gas I would be walking.
 
Prine, You could also go a "set" # of miles past "E" and then refill. Maybe try 50 miles 1st, then fill up. Then try 70 miles, etc. Eventually, you'd get close to Empty maybe without running out ???
 
6pk2goDemon said:
Prine, You could also go a "set" # of miles past "E" and then refill. Maybe try 50 miles 1st, then fill up. Then try 70 miles, etc. Eventually, you'd get close to Empty maybe without running out ???
Click to expand...

Good stuff here too......worth a THANKS.

just hate the thought of running out of gas in a busy intersection, and getting rear-ended.

Already got cut-off and jumped a curb..3 weeks ago....screwed the front suspension all up....after leaving the scene, and trying to get away...(I had to chase him down with a screwed up front end to get his Insurance Info)....other guys insurance paid me $667 on a $1895 repair bill and made me eat the labor/alignment....not looking forward to the next dumbass.
 
figure your gas milage you are getting from the miles driven and gallons used then multiply that by say 15 gallons and you should know approximate miles you can safely drive without running out.
 
6pk2goDemon said:
Prine, You could also go a "set" # of miles past "E" and then refill. Maybe try 50 miles 1st, then fill up. Then try 70 miles, etc. Eventually, you'd get close to Empty maybe without running out ???
Click to expand...

This might be the better option. If you do decide to do it either way, make sure you have a little gas in the trunk.
 
The issue:
 

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Now that post....really deserves a THANKS and you got it...BEFORE I hit the reply button.

Both of the pickups I have...matter fact I have (3)...they are all like the bottom one.

I have a FULL tank right now, 58,217 miles showing...and I am gonna get my gas can and see where "E" really is.

Here is the Subject Car:
096.jpg

(not taken today...obviously)
 
I gave everyone that replied a Thanks.....all good info here.

:prayer:
 
No problem.

Also because of the short arm and shorter than stock lever ratio, the gauge will show full for a long time and then rapidly go to empty. Another bummer.
 
autoxcuda said:
No problem.

Also because of the short arm and shorter than stock lever ratio, the gauge will show full for a long time and then rapidly go to empty. Another bummer.
Click to expand...

so what do u do to fix this
 
I have not found a happy medium yet. I bent the arm in mine to read 1/4 tank with 4 gallons. So E is without a doubt empty. you could set the float to have a reserve say an 1/8th tank 2 gallons at E, and that would somewhat offset showing full for less of a time.
 
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