Fuel Tank

[EWT]

Hi Guys,

I noticed something very interesting today. Last week when my tanks were very low (red line) range was only like 29Km (I know i shouldn't have left that low, but couldn't find one at that time) i put in 52.xx Litre of petrol into the tank from a BP servo.

Today It wasn't even redline, but close with range around 100Km and I put in 53Litre of V power.

Just wondering if its a doggy shell servo that i went or sometimes the gauge can be out (which is not likely right??) I had always been adding my petrol at that shell there for years.

What are your thoughts?

[Idle]

Might be nothing wrong at all — the car's metering is at best an estimate that varies with the camber of the road, the amount you put in can vary from pump to pump depending on the angle the car is on and the sensitivity of the pump's auto shutoff.

The only way to get an even reasonably accurate measurement is to always fill from the same pump, have the car in the same position and always fill to the same level (trickle the last bit into the tank until you can actually see fuel) — this applies even more to TDI's, where a fast fill will leave you with a lot of foam when the pump triggers off.

I find I can get up to four or five litres more diesel into the tank after the pump shuts off by using a slow flow to break down the foam.

You might occasionally find an out-of-kilter pump, but in most States there are regulations, random checks and severe penalties for major errors, so it's fairly rare.

[kennyc]

I can't remeber how many liters i put in last week but i did not have much left in my car and filled up from BP and i could only manage like 55 odd liters in the tank before i was struggling to fit more in.

[cameronp]

I can't remeber how many liters i put in last week but i did not have much left in my car and filled up from BP and i could only manage like 55 odd liters in the tank before i was struggling to fit more in.

Given that it's nominally a 55-litre tank, you're unlikely to ever fit more that in it

The Golf trip computer's distance-to-empty seems to place me a lot closer to actually having an empty tank than some other cars do.

[kennyc]

Given that it's nominally a 55-litre tank, you're unlikely to ever fit more that in it

The Golf trip computer's distance-to-empty seems to place me a lot closer to actually having an empty tank than some other cars do.

I actually have not read now many liters the tank is, i did assume it was over 60 liters though...

[nau]

lets put it that way
I think Current affairs will have something to talk about if they do random test on patrol stations

I had 57l in 55l tank ones..... and pretty close to 55 on few occasions whn I had a bit left... not sure how patrol station work and if they do calibration now and then...

[Coaster]

I had 57l in 55l tank ones..... and pretty close to 55 on few occasions whn I had a bit left... not sure how patrol station work and if they do calibration now and then...

There is always a sticker on the bowsers with the last time an independent tester checked it. But they can be quite a while between checks of petrol stations.

[Cossor]

A while back (Several years in fact) Choice (Consumer magazine) performed a random test
on bowsers. Found accuracy quite good.
BUT, look out for places that dilute, such as Toluline, (Not sure of spelling) as occurred in Sydney about 10 years ago.
EL CHEAPO fuel indeed. My Son's Camry was real 'SOGGY' till he got a refill of real fuel!

[HereGoes]

A while back (Several years in fact) Choice (Consumer magazine) performed a random test
on bowsers. Found accuracy quite good.
BUT, look out for places that dilute, such as Toluline, (Not sure of spelling) as occurred in Sydney about 10 years ago.
EL CHEAPO fuel indeed. My Son's Camry was real 'SOGGY' till he got a refill of real fuel!

Yes i have had that before, filled up my bike at the Matilda near d'Aguilar north of Brisbane, she ran really rough at first and then actually choked on me mid corner up a hill, not a fun experience!

[ozgti]

I managed almost 60l once.

Filled up with BP premium (135c/l) last friday, and I got an extra 50km out of the tank. Economy is about 8.5l/100km.

[guest12345]

What you paid 135c for BP fuel? they are free in the ocean!

[hoi polloi]

The practice of diluting fuel with toluene was more prevalent then because the taxation of toluene was a lot less than that for petrol... Once the Gov't got wind of the problem they merely taxed toluene similarly to petrol and the financial incentive to use it disappeared...

As far as fuel tanks go - I always thought that the capacities stated were always "usable" capacities and so excluded the bit in the bottom than can't be sucked out... Hence a 55L Golf tank is actually slightly more than 55L internal volume... Also add to the fact that this does not include the filler pipe itself...

- Anthony.

[Idle]

As far as fuel tanks go - I always thought that the capacities stated were always "usable" capacities and so excluded the bit in the bottom than can't be sucked out... Hence a 55L Golf tank is actually slightly more than 55L internal volume... Also add to the fact that this does not include the filler pipe itself...
- Anthony.

Correct — apart from anything else, fuel comes from the bowser cold and expands as it warms up so allowance has to be made for that.

The filler pipe on most tanks (including my Mk6 TDI — just looked) doesn't go into the top, but usually into one end and a bit down from the top so that air is trapped above the fuel.

When going on a long trip with cheaper fuel at each end I've actually made use of this by raising the car (not the VW, although there's no reason it wouldn't work with it) on the filler side. My 1989 Cressida would accept almost an extra 10 litres this way and it never caused any trouble — always did it just before setting out, though, so there'd not be a problem from expansion causing an overflow while the car was standing.

So it's quite possible to cram more than the specified 55 litres into a Golf tank if the fuel station's forecourt area slopes the right way — this is probably why the more recently built stations have the standing area carefully levelled.

[hoi polloi]

Correct — apart from anything else, fuel comes from the bowser cold and expands as it warms up so allowance has to be made for that.

Good call, I didn't think about the need for expansion room in the tank but it's obvious when you think of it...

Regards,
- Anthony.

[darkfriend]

What you paid 135c for BP fuel? they are free in the ocean!

The problem with the BP fuel is that it's diluted with sea water (not toluene)... maybe the government will tax that next