Hey all.
I spent yesterday cruising around at the Silver Lake sand dunes. Started with a full tank of gas and burned up the entire tank. The girl I was with had to be home by a certain time so I didn't have time to stop for gas until after I dropped her off. I went another 40 miles after the "miles until empty" display hit 0

But anyway, when I finally did fill up I put 26.3 gallons in. My truck has a 26 gallon tank (that's what the build sheet says), but does it really hold 26 gallons? Where did the extra .3 gallons go? I'm guessing the fill tube holds maybe a half gallon but there had to be some gas still in already in the tank (truck was running fine). I'm just curious thats all.

Or was the gas station screwing me? It was kinda a shady neighborhood...

 

Ah, silver lake. A really fun place to go. Up around St. Helens has some good trails as well.... and I recently discovered an off-road park just 20 miles from home.... Need to get out there and check it out.

I think the capacity of the fuel tanks is just 'nominal' capacity, with a bit of a reserve. I have regularly put 15 gallons of gas in my Malibu's 12 gallon tank........ Always struck me as a bit odd.

 

I can put 22 gallons in my 21 gallon tank in my Mitsubishi Endeavor.

 

How? By giving you extra gas? Where is this station at?

 

Got your math wrong there Purple. If he put more than 26 gallons, into a 26 gallon tank, (assuming the capacity is exactly 26 gallons....) then what is actually the case is, they were overestimating the amount of gas he was getting. So, he would have been paying for gas he didn't get.

 

Ahhh, I see your point.

 

actual tank capacity from bone empty for me is 27.7 gallons after an unfortunate trail incident where my fuel leaked out overnight in my driveway. That includes the mile I drove it with next to no fuel in it to fill it up.

 

I wanna say us guys with the 26 gal tank can hold up to 27 with the reserve? I've filled up on bone dry (still running) and got 26.8 gal to go in...

 

Will a 26 gallon tank hold the same amount at sea level as it does at 10,000 feet?

 

a gallon is still a gallon regardless of altitude. The question should be: Will 26 gallons pumped in at 10,000 feet, still be 26 gallons at sea level.