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Fuel Capacity 5 Gallons SHORT! Anybody know WHY?

A

Autoworks

New member
Hey, 1st time poster here.

I have a 2000 GT n/a that i bought back in the ending of summer. The car already had a bad sending unit which was replaced by the dealership, but since then, I could fill it up from the E line, and only get no more than 12.5 gallons.

Is there a specific reason behind that? I have yet to even attempt to drop the tank and inspect it for myself, to see if its actually 5 Gallons short, nor have i attempted to drive it till i knew one way or another.
 


I can see 1.5, maybe 2.5 gallons, but 5 gallons? That's around 1/3 of the gas... i know on other cars, once the light comes on, there is usually no more than 3 gallons left.
 
You don't need to drop the tank to look at the fuel pump. There is a plate in the trunk that unbolts so you can get to it.
 
Something probably got messed up when they did the repair. Just because the sender is saying you are empty, doesn't make it true. If you really want to test it drive around with a 1 or 2 gallon can of gas in the car and see how far you can drive on empty. If you go another 100+ miles then there is your 5 gallons.
 


Steel Armadillo said:
My car says E with about 1 gallon left...
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thats what i figured it should be like. i know on other imports i had in the past (91 525i, 92 maxima), when the gas light came on, that usually meant GET GAS NOW!

stealthee said:
Something probably got messed up when they did the repair. Just because the sender is saying you are empty, doesn't make it true. If you really want to test it drive around with a 1 or 2 gallon can of gas in the car and see how far you can drive on empty. If you go another 100+ miles then there is your 5 gallons.
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I'd rather see for myself before I learn the easy/hard way. that way, i can inspect for a bad connection, float, etc.
 
stealthee said:
Something probably got messed up when they did the repair. Just because the sender is saying you are empty, doesn't make it true. If you really want to test it drive around with a 1 or 2 gallon can of gas in the car and see how far you can drive on empty. If you go another 100+ miles then there is your 5 gallons.
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NEVER a good idea to run a GM fuel pump out of gas.
 


after 97 or 98, weren't the tanks dropped from 18 gal to 15 or something? i think i remember reading that somewhere. always thought i had a 15(16?) gal. tank and found out it actually holds 18.

'standard' for most low fuel lights i've seen is right around two gallons.
 
noreasonwhyy said:
after 97 or 98, weren't the tanks dropped from 18 gal to 15 or something? i think i remember reading that somewhere. always thought i had a 15(16?) gal. tank and found out it actually holds 18.

'standard' for most low fuel lights i've seen is right around two gallons.
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18 to 17.5
 
"and see how far you can drive on empty" You said it bro. Seems to me the only way you can "see how far you can drive it on empty" is to drive it until it stops right? Otherwise you not realy seeing how far you can drive it on empty... So maybe be a little more clear with what you are telling people to do. You of all people should appreciate that.
 


I'd rather see for myself what the issue is, than take any unnecessary risks, since no one has a fixed solution to this issue. I will end up popping the pump off when its "Near Empty" and visually inspect it myself.
 
Not a solution, but if the canister/sender has been replaced, it might have an incorrect resistance. Going back to Bonneville, I know GM swapped that resistance a few times in the mid 90's and then in 98. Not sure on the GP's. But from what I've seen it's possible.
 
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