I picked up a 2011 F250 SuperCab LWB with the 6.2 a few weeks ago. I'm quite happy with the truck, as I've been with all my gas Super Duties.

I've noticed a bit of a problem with the fuel gauge, though. If I run the gauge down to nearly empty, and go to fill up I can only put 20 to 21 gallons in. After putting that much in, the gauge reads full again.

After a fill up, if I divide the distance until empty by the reported miles per gallon, I get a capacity of 35 gallons (almost exactly every time).

Additionally, I've been running E85 in the truck. The ECU reported the ethanol content at 80% before my fill up today. I filled the truck with as much regular old 87 octane gas (E10) as it would take. Even though the gauge said empty and the dash displayed a range of only 37 miles before the fill up, it only took 21 gallons. After the fill up, the ethanol content was reported as 47% and the range was 388 miles with a reported 11.1 MPG.

This leads me to believe that the tank is indeed a 35 gallon tank, but the level sender is reporting the level incorrectly. The odd part is that the gauge in the dash is getting a full range of motion. Usually when a sender is going bad, it will never read empty. I've never seen a gauge still do a full sweep and have a bad sender.

It almost seems like the ECU knows I have a 35 gallon tank, but the whatever reads the resistance at the sender, converts that to level information, and sends the data out over can bus to the dash thinks the sender is in a smaller tank. When I read the level data from the OBD2 port, I see the same level as reported by the gauge.

I've searched, but couldn't find a similar issue. Anyone heard of this or have any ideas besides replacing the $300 sender/fuel pump?

Thanks!
-bj

 

There have been two other threads concerning how empty is empty.

We have all come to the conclusion that when you use the Miles to E. And find that when the Guage reads zero there,you are probably sitting with 50 to 60 miles left. So somewhere around 5 or 6 gallons.

Part of this is to help protect the fuel pumps for burning out. As they are coiled by the fuel that covers them.

So not know how low you actually are when you say almost E, it sounds right.

On that note, never drive it completely empty. Not worth the potential damage to the fuel system. Just consider it as reserve, if you are ever find your self in a situation that you can't get to a station

 

First thanks for the response. I think my issue is a bit more egregious than what you are describing.

When I said empty, I had less than 1/16th showing on the gauge. I packed 21 gallons in, but filled it to the point it was overflowing. That means I had somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 gallons remaining. That's 43% fuel remaining when the gauge indicated 6% remaining.

If I would have driven the extra 30 some miles indicated to empty, I would have burned off another 3 gallons of fuel. That would leave me with 12 gallons when on empty. That would be a reserve of 34% and a range of 130-145 miles. That seems like a problem.

It not a problem in everyday usage around town, but when I'm towing, I'd like to be able to know my range between stops along the interstate.

-bj

 

Well, I've just ran my tank to 50km to Empty, So, I'll fill up tomorrow and let you know how much I fit in. But, the tanks do seem to be smaller than advertised.

S

 

I really don't know what to say. It sounds like you ended up with a smaller tank.

Which I don't remember being an option on the gas model.

I wonder if your pump and sender has been replaced and it's not a Ford factory replacement. And for some reason. It doesn't sit as low in the tank.

Or if your tank got damaged some how where the tank sender is located.

I missed earlier where you said you filled it to overflowing.

Because I have run mine down to around 20 miles to E, I forget where the needle was exactly. But I can put 29ish gallons in.

 

So I ran mine down to 50km to empty and I was able to fit 108 liters in the tank. So with some capacity for reserve it seems that I've got pretty close to 35 gallons capacity. Could it be the E85 confusing the computer? Maybe run a few tanks of regular and see if it resets something.

 

Sounds like bad sending unit to me, but maybe it's computer related? I would start looking tank side first.

 

So I decided to experiment further with this issue. I ran the truck down til the needle was buried in E. I let the range indicator run all the way to 0. Then I drove another 12 miles. (In case you were wondering, the computer won't show a negative range. It just stays on zero.)

When I stopped to fill up, I filled until it overflowed. I got 26 gallons in the tank. This means that there was ~9 gallons in the tank when it first indicated empty on the gauge and range indicator.

Interestingly, the diesel with the shorter wheelbase trucks has a 26 gallon tank. This makes me wonder about the configuration on my truck. It very much seems like the gauge is calibrated for a 26 gallon tank.

Does anyone know if this a programmable feature in IDS? If it is, I think I need to have a dealer check the settings.

-bj

 

Might this work?


Using the Ford IDS and VCM:
1) Ensure IDS is at least version 72.xx - current version is 72.04.
2) Click on the toolbox icon at top left of main screen
3) Select 'Module Programming' - click checkmark icon
4) Select 'Programmable Parameters'
5) Select 'Fuel" - click checkmark icon
6) Select 'Front Fuel Tank - (IC) = xx' on bottom of parameter list
7) Select whatever size you need on right side of screen and click checkmark icon

 

That's exactly what I needed!

Thanks!
-bj

 

I know in my truck I have the option of setting my DTE to towing mode right in the dash board information settings screen. Perhaps your truck has been set to DTE towing and that is the culprit.


SPPD

 

I don't have a setting like that in my information center as I recall. I will have to verify and check in IDS.

I was able to verify with IDS that my truck is configured for a 35 gallon tank. But, multiple times now I have run the truck down until it says 0 miles to empty and drive for another 50-100 miles. Even after running it that low, I've never put more than 30 gallons back in.

Apart from the towing DTE setting, I'm thinking I just have a bad level.

-bj

 

I have the same issue as stated above. Im supposed to have the 35 gallon tank but dead empt is about 27 gallons. What is IDS?

 

IDS is the Ford Dealership programming tools. It is some software plus special hardware to reprogram everything just like the dealer can.

I still have this problem. I run it past 0 miles remaining every week, but never put more than 26 gallons in. It frustrates the hell out of me!

-bj

 

I have the same issue. I've run my truck down to 0 miles to empty a couple times. The most fuel I ever fit in was 30 gallons. On most fillups I have 15 miles (give or take) to empty. It usually takes about 25 gallons to fill it up.