Gas gage [accuracy, reliability and repeatability discussion]

[joker70]

Ok I was told by the service people when I took my sky in months back that the gage was only there for approximation??? so I thought that was strange but ok so now I am on my 4th tank of gas today and ready to get 5th at about 50 miles the gage read empty and the ding ding thing that I was low went off and so I continued My business got to my destination and turned the car off and did my thing got back in turned the car on and shazam I have a 1/4 tank of gas and no low fuel message so whats with that is that normal for others or what? I have a ford F150 supercrew and the gage in that is spot on never changes and so I have to wonder . I would have taken pics like everyone wants but I was driving and didn't have the camera.

[Rick Tinley Park]

I just get gas when the range gets below 60-70 mi... Why look at a gauge when you have how many miles in the tank right there in front of you?
The tank is so small and most likely oddly shaped I figured you'd never get too much accuracy out of it. The reason your truck is so spot on is that it is most like 30 gallons and shaped - well like a tank!

[joker70]

Its more of an oddety to me than anything I like to look at the gage quick like and am to lazy to pess the buttons it make my fingers hirt. I think the gas tank is square is it not and in this new age of computers and such you would think they could make the thing accurate right. I mean I can see it changing alittle due to temp and that stuff but 1/4 tank even with only 15 gal my toyota is 15 gal and its ooooold and reads accurate even with 233000.

[hyperode]

This phenom has happened to me on a few occasions but I was well aware of what I had before I shut the engine off. If you park on an incline at a quarter tank this will occur and it will usually take a while before the gauge reads the correct fuel level. At a 1/4 tank your fuel tank has approximately 3.4 gallons of fuel left. At a quarter tank you should seriously be considering looking for a gas station anyway. The fuel tank holds 13.6 gallons on the non - turbo model.

[xmicro_Redline]

Originally Posted by hyperode

This phenom has happened to me on a few occasions but I was well aware of what I had before I shut the engine off. If you park on an incline at a quarter tank this will occur and it will usually take a while before the gauge reads the correct fuel level. At a 1/4 tank your fuel tank has approximately 3.4 gallons of fuel left. At a quarter tank you should seriously be considering looking for a gas station anyway. The fuel tank holds 13.6 gallons on the non - turbo model.

These damn new fangled gadgets. Do what my grandpapy used to do, shove a stick in and see what ya got.

[joker70]

yeah I had 2 spitfires and the hole to fill the gas was right on top of the tank like a fuel cell and you could see how much gas you had awhhh the good old days

[Skyflare]

I agree that gas gages should be more accurate these days. I have had many cars with quirky gas gages. In some of my cars the gas gage would move fast in the begining then slow as it got closer to empty. Then in some, slow in the begining and fast at the end, (on those I always got gas when I was half empty, couldn't trust them). Just my opinion, but all cars should have gages that give you the range for that particular car and I think manufacturers should try for a target of at least 350-400 miles.

[Angelqute1]

Just as an FYI, I had to have my "fuel send" replaced...

[joker70]

Did that have any affect on the gage reading the correct fuel levels

[SkyTech]

There is a Preliminary information bulletin out for the concern. So far they are tracking down the concern and just telling us to install a new sending unit and make sure it has its up to date program

[phazer42]

the best thing that anyone can do to see what true level of fuel you have in your tank is to move to a level surface, key the ignition off and on. This will tell you the true fuel level at that time.... or sit parked for a little over a minute and you will get the same results.... its what I have found works... and works well.....

[RedRedline]

Originally Posted by joker70

Ok I have a ford F150 supercrew and the gage in that is spot on never changes and so I have to wonder .

i think it is a function of a small tank and variability of milage(performance).

I have an Avalance with a 30 Gallon tank and that seems accurate too. I have similar issues with the guage on the redline. I have gotten anywhere from 250 to 430 miles on a tank so it is difficult to know when to say when.

I agree with the earlier post though that on a level surface you should get consistant readings.

J

[vrod]

My gas gauge is a little squirly too. I've just accepted it, and refill the tank when it gets low.

[wireless]

My Redline was dingin and low fuel. Guess I went a little too far no the past tank. Filled it up 13.26 Gals...... ...... I thought it had a 13 Gal tank. Check the calibration sticker on pump 3/15/07. I don't understand it....

[MidniteBlues]

Actually capacity for fuel is 13.6 gallons--Sounds like you just made it and the fumes gotcha there--

[CRACKTHESKY]

My daily driver is a Chevy 2500 pickup and, of course, my pleasure cruiser is my Sky Redline. Heres what I have observed in both.

1. In the Chevy when the tank is full the DIC shows approx. 310 miles to empty. When the needle is at 1/2 tank the DIC reads approx. 100 miles to empty. When the DIC chimes in to tell me I'm low on fuel I have roughly 22 miles to empty. At 11.5 miles per gallon I better get somewhere pretty darn quick.

2. In my Sky when the tank is full the DIC shows approx. 340 miles to empty. At 1/2 tank the DIC reads around 150 miles to empty, and when the DIC chimes in to tell me I'm low on fuel I still have 47 miles to empty.

Where am I going with this?

Both vehicles are GM products. In both vehicles the needle seems to progress down to 1/2 tank slowly, and from there seems to move every time I look at it. In both vehicles when the needle gets to 1/4 tank I switch over to the DIC for fuel accuracy, and although I wish the miles to empty readouts were reversed they are, in reality, giving me the exact same information which is that I have just under 2 gallons of fuel left in the tank.

In my truck when I hear that "ding" my first reaction is where's the nearest gas station. In my Sky my first reaction is oh crap....then I realize I'm having way too much fun and besides I've got plenty of time to get gas.

Bottom line; Needle guage---not too accurate.
DIC------------Dead on. 2 gallons to empty.

[jel]

I did an experiment and let it get as low as I could without looking like a sap on the side of the road with a red plastic gas container. I put ONE gallon in the tank to see where the gauge would go. It indicated that it was 1/4 full (after letting it settle off the tank sensor). So the gauge is definitely not linear in measurement. The dinging means get gas and quick.

[Rick Tinley Park]

The needle gage is most likely on some sort of float. So if the top is wider than the bottom (these things come in all shapes nowadays) the top half of the liquid will drain slower that the bottom (the opposite if the top is narrower than the bottom)
The DIC most likely is done by a pressure (inches of gasoline) gage. Most likely the shape of the tank is figured in (it's all math folks - we do it on my job all the time) Even if it too uses the float - the computer can figure the shape.
So the gage is approximate and the DIC is much closer to reality... SO far on every test I have done that statement has held water – er; Gas...

[JRinKY]

Rick Tinley Park : The needle gage is most likely on some sort of float. So if the top is wider than the bottom (these things come in all shapes nowadays) the top half of the liquid will drain slower that the bottom (the opposite if the top is narrower than the bottom)
The DIC most likely is done by a pressure (inches of gasoline) gage. Most likely the shape of the tank is figured in (it's all math folks - we do it on my job all the time) Even if it too uses the float - the computer can figure the shape.
So the gage is approximate and the DIC is much closer to reality... SO far on every test I have done that statement has held water – er; Gas...

There is only one fuel level sensor in the tank, according to my service manual. The Fuel Level gauge uses an analog signal from the sensor to approximate the amount of fuel in the tank. The DIC Range calculation uses the same signal and recent mileage to approximate the range to empty. Actually, the BCM calculates both indications and transmits them to the DIC or to the gauge for display.

[Phil]

Brought my car back for the 3rd time in3000 miles for another sending unit . Counting the original factory one this will be #4 car has 6500 miles.
Starting to be a pain in the ass. Every time i bring it back thy give me a free oil change. I gotta have the cleanest engine on the road

[KimberlySky]

Originally Posted by Phil

Brought my car back for the 3rd time in3000 miles for another sending unit . Counting the original factory one this will be #4 car has 6500 miles.
Starting to be a pain in the ass. Every time i bring it back thy give me a free oil change. I gotta have the cleanest engine on the road

MY GOSH!!!!!!!!! Are they giving you any idea why this keeps happening Sweetie? Geez what a pain.....