Fuel tank size question

[13camarossva]

So twice now I've run my 13 camaro 1ss to just about empty. 1st after the dealer fill up to rid the low octane fuel, then put like 20 bucks in to filter out more. And just now at just over 1000 miles. After reading the manual, and every where online, the camaro has a 19ish gallon fuel tank. But, both times within 20 miles (according to dic) of being empty, I fill up and I've only taken 15.5 to 16 gallons. With my calculations at 250ish miles to the tank im averaging 15-16 mpg. So with the math it seems reasonable that I have a 16 gallon tank but contrary to everything I read, why don't I have the 19 gallon?. And I can't see about 3 gallons of reserve fuel, any thoughts?

[Jrichards73]

I can go about 30 miles or so after it says it is empty, so if you are averaging 15-16 then that's 2.6 gallons. I didn't intend to do that, post hurricane and no power for pumps, that is how far I went til I found working Gas pumps.

[nak3dsnake]

Originally Posted by 13camarossva

So twice now I've run my 13 camaro 1ss to just about empty. 1st after the dealer fill up to rid the low octane fuel, then put like 20 bucks in to filter out more. And just now at just over 1000 miles. After reading the manual, and every where online, the camaro has a 19ish gallon fuel tank. But, both times within 20 miles (according to dic) of being empty, I fill up and I've only taken 15.5 to 16 gallons. With my calculations at 250ish miles to the tank im averaging 15-16 mpg. So with the math it seems reasonable that I have a 16 gallon tank but contrary to everything I read, why don't I have the 19 gallon?. And I can't see about 3 gallons of reserve fuel, any thoughts?

Your not the only one, Ive been to near empty and filled up to about the same. Its definitely not 19 gallons. But if it is, that's a lot of reserve fuel.

[nak3dsnake]

Originally Posted by Jrichards73

I can go about 30 miles or so after it says it is empty, so if you are averaging 15-16 then that's 2.6 gallons. I didn't intend to do that, post hurricane and no power for pumps, that is how far I went til I found working Gas pumps.

Interesting, thats a pretty big reserve.

[skibik]

If the book says you have a 19 gallon tank you have a 19 gallon fuel tank. The DIC is just an estimation and I would not rely on it. The only way you are really going to find out is to totally run it dry and then fill up. This is the first vehicle I have had that has had fuel miles remaining and such but all the other ones I have owned that have had low fuel light indicators in them my fill ups have all been close to 3 gallons less then what the manufacturer says the capacity is. Hope this helps. I fill up when it says 1/8 or close to it and hardly ever use the DIC or the low fuel indicator.

Dean.

PS Since I said run it dry I have opened a can of worms on the fuel pump controversy and I am now going to unsubscribe to this thread after I post because there will be 300 posts on how wrong it is to even run your car under a half tank, blah, blah blah.

[Jrichards73]

2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee that gets run to empty every time. It's a game she plays, to see if I can make it to the gas station when the readout says 0 miles to empty. Have yet to get stranded in that either. She ran it out of gas once and drove it for 4 days with the light on, no telling how far she went. It gets 11 mpg by the way.

[Rockamakis]

I seem to be able to get around 300 miles per fill up out of mine and I'm usually able to put 18 gallons in.

[nak3dsnake]

Originally Posted by skibik

If the book says you have a 19 gallon tank you have a 19 gallon fuel tank. The DIC is just an estimation and I would not rely on it. The only way you are really going to find out is to totally run it dry and then fill up. This is the first vehicle I have had that has had fuel miles remaining and such but all the other ones I have owned that have had low fuel light indicators in them my fill ups have all been close to 3 gallons less then what the manufacturer says the capacity is. Hope this helps. I fill up when it says 1/8 or close to it and hardly ever use the DIC or the low fuel indicator.

Dean.

PS Since I said run it dry I have opened a can of worms on the fuel pump controversy and I am now going to unsubscribe to this thread after I post because there will be 300 posts on how wrong it is to even run your car under a half tank, blah, blah blah.

lol ruining it dry once wont hurt a thing as long as you shut off the car. Running it constantly dry however will burn up the pump. Most make the mistake of thinking just because you've ran out of fuel the pump stops pumping and end up burning it up.

[KaBoom1701]

Never run your tank below 1/4 tank...it's bad for your fuel pump and injectors.

[Jrichards73]

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

Never run your tank below 1/4 tank...it's bad for your fuel pump and injectors.

I feel this thread is doing a very good job of illustrating that when the needle is on E the tank is not empty. That is a myth and anyone that understands a fuel pump knows the pickup is at the bottom of the tank so who cares how many gallons you have above it? You are still sucking from the bottom of the tank, through a prefilter. I have drained and dropped many a tank and have yet to find this "sediment" everyone is referring to. If you run the pump DRY as nak3dsnake said then yes, but that is after the car has stopped moving and the pump is still running. At that point you deserve it. The stupid sending units go out before the flipping pump does.

[Angrybird 12]

I usually fill up in summer between 1/8 and empty, I have never gotten a low fuel warning and I have put 17.5 gallons in it before. In the winter I never let it get below 1/4 tank, and if I am not driving it for more than a week in the winter I try to keep it over 1/2 tank.

[danl]

on my 2013 2SS, the most i have put in was 15.8, and the needle was on 'E"...

[skibik]

Originally Posted by nak3dsnake

lol ruining it dry once wont hurt a thing as long as you shut off the car. Running it constantly dry however will burn up the pump. Most make the mistake of thinking just because you've ran out of fuel the pump stops pumping and end up burning it up.

I don't know why I checked back in on this thread but thought I would, I might have been looking for a laugh. There was another thread about this subject of the low fuel indicator. I mentioned the very same thing you did about one time isn't going to hurt. I pretty much got my a$$ nailed to the wall even mentioning running it out. I think at the time I unsubscribed from that thread it was over 150.

To the OP not sure why it matters whether you can get all 19 gallons in. It isn't like GM shorted you on the tank. Not sure if you have ever watched it, but the show Top Gear USA version(not as interesting as the BBC version) there was a show that had a challenge to make it from one city to another on one tank of fuel. They chose 3 different vehicles and if memory serves correct the DIC on all of them were incorrect. Not sure but think one of them ran close to 100 miles after it said 0 miles to empty. Good luck.

Dean.

[leviticus88]

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

Never run your tank below 1/4 tank...it's bad for your fuel pump and injectors.

I have always heard the Exact Opposite... Opinions...

Who has the ability or want to only use 3/4 or less of the tank they completely paid for?