Inaccurate Gas Gauge?
04-11-2002, 10:23 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Tracy
Posts: 821
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Inaccurate Gas Gauge?
My last three gas fill-ups have resulted in something weird. Okay, so it's not that weird (like an S2000 beating a LS-1 in the quarter-mile) but it still concerns me.
I always completely fill my gas tank when I visit a gas station. I usually wait for the pump to shut off by itself so as not to overfill the tank and spill gas down the side of the car. This always results in a full tank as indicated by all bars being lit on the gas gauge.
With my previous two fill-ups, the same process has shown the gas gauge to be short of a full tank by 3 bars. The gas pump also indicated less than what I normally see when I fill the tank. My very last fill-up, which I did this morning, also shut the pump off just a bit over 7 gallons (had 3 bars left on the gas gauge when I pulled into the gas station). This time I decided to squeeze a bit more into the tank. The pump clicked off quickly and I wasn't able to add much more gas. I started the car and sure enough, the gas gauge was short of 3 bars from full!
Other than running the car down to a completely empty tank (not a good idea) and then refilling it, does anybody have any ideas or insight? My last three fill-ups have been at three different gas stations (all Chevron though). Is my gas gauge inaccurate or am I not filling my tank all the way?
I even ran the tank down to where the gas "idiot" light came on and proceeded to fill the tank on my 2nd-to-last fill-up.
I always completely fill my gas tank when I visit a gas station. I usually wait for the pump to shut off by itself so as not to overfill the tank and spill gas down the side of the car. This always results in a full tank as indicated by all bars being lit on the gas gauge.
With my previous two fill-ups, the same process has shown the gas gauge to be short of a full tank by 3 bars. The gas pump also indicated less than what I normally see when I fill the tank. My very last fill-up, which I did this morning, also shut the pump off just a bit over 7 gallons (had 3 bars left on the gas gauge when I pulled into the gas station). This time I decided to squeeze a bit more into the tank. The pump clicked off quickly and I wasn't able to add much more gas. I started the car and sure enough, the gas gauge was short of 3 bars from full!
Other than running the car down to a completely empty tank (not a good idea) and then refilling it, does anybody have any ideas or insight? My last three fill-ups have been at three different gas stations (all Chevron though). Is my gas gauge inaccurate or am I not filling my tank all the way?
I even ran the tank down to where the gas "idiot" light came on and proceeded to fill the tank on my 2nd-to-last fill-up.
04-11-2002, 10:49 AM
#3
This always seems to happen if 1) you do not turn off the ignition while filling the tank, or 2) turn on the ignition after filling when on an uneven surface. In both cases the gauge should 'refresh' with time, but if you are driving immediately you may never see all bars light.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dangarza
S2000 Talk
14
05-21-2003 01:13 PM