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Filling Gas Tank and Gas Gauge Reading

3K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Deuce40s 
#1 · (Edited)
I recently purchased a 2013 F250 6.7L with a 26 gallon fuel tank. On a couple of occasions I have run the "miles to empty" on the display to around 30 miles and where the fuel gauge itself is to the empty mark...which should equate to around 1.5 gallons of diesel left in the tank. However, even running the tank down that low I cannot put more than 20 gallons of fuel in the tank (and that is topping it off after letting foam settle). I could understand the gauge and the DTE being off a bit....but by 5-6 gallons and 100 miles to "real" empty?

I've owned Ford trucks in the past and always found the gauge and remaining miles to empty to be fairly accurate. Any reason why mine would show almost empty on the fuel gauge but still have 20% fuel left in the tank?
 
#2 ·
I have a 2012, same experience. The most I have ever been able to put in the tank was 21.5 gal. I ran it down to 12miles to empty and got nervous so I filled up. Apparently there is some inaccuracies, or safety margin built in to avoid air locking the engine. I've thought about filling up a can and driving till it died but hesitant cause I would hate to have to pay for a tow cause my balls were bigger than brains!


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#3 ·
:taze:First Don't put gas in your tank!

Second don't run your truck out of fuel, ever. The CP4 HPFP is lubed and cooled by diesel fuel, would you run the engine without oil? Even just for a second?
 
#5 ·
There are 2 settings for the DTE screen. I stumbled on it when I had the same question as the OP. There is one for standard or towing. It seems (I am not 100% sure so someone else can chime in) that on standard it is using the average MPG from your travel screen which doesn't always match your fuel screen MPG depending on when you reset things and if you reset both the travel/trip screen and the fuel screen at the same time it should match. But if you place your DTE to Tow it appears that it uses the avg MPG from the fuel screen to calculate the DTE. I found that one to be much more accurate as I havent reset my trip screen in a long time. Again I am not 100% sure this is how it works but that was what I observed on my last 1600 mile trip.
 
#7 ·
I've always just figured the large "reserve" is to protect the fuel system. I've run it 10-15 miles beyond "0 miles left" on several occasions and never gotten more then 23.x gallons in the tank.
 
#8 ·
I've only ever gotten 18 gallons and some change in my short bed tank. my truck has literally stalled out in my driveway literally just under a quarter tank. Put two gallons into it and it fires up, then 16 gallons at the pump and it clicks off. I've always filled the truck at a quarter tank after that. I don't trust my gas gauge.

But yes the short bed tank is tiny and yes it sucks and yes there are replacement tanks for them that will double your capacity.
 
#11 ·
I reset my Trip A every fill up. I only reset Trip A. The gallons used display is almost identical to what I put in at each fill up. I can put in 23 or 24 gallons if I'm brave enough.

Another problem with waiting until you're 50 miles to empty or whatever is your regen. You need to make sure you're not going to regen before getting to a fuel station because that will reduce your actual DTE by a lot.
 
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