Fuel gauges not right??

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Dec 20, 2003 | 10:13 PM

ltfox

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Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 1,764

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From: CentralEastern Utah

Fuel gauges not right??

I've always heard that its not good but what will happen if I run a tank dry before switching in my 94 psd. I've seen poeple do it before and it has always picked up and kept running but is it really that bad for your truck? The reason I ask is that my fuel gauges will read empty, and I only put 11-12 gallons in it to fill it back up.(18-20 gallon tank I think) I don't want to chance running it out of fuel right?!?!?

Dec 20, 2003 | 11:39 PM

Quadzilla

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Joined: Feb 2002

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From: Bonney Lake, WA

It's not good for your injectors to run dry, but to find out how far down the needle will go before you actually run out of fuel, you almost need to. I've done it on my truck, just to find out how much fuel they'll actually hold. The front tank, which is listed as 19.0 gallons, will actually hold 22.0 if filled all the way to the top of the filler neck. The rear tank is listed as 18.7 gallons, but will hold 21.0. On my truck, when I'm on the freeway and the needle touches the red, I've still got slightly more than 60 miles before the tank actually runs dry.
I hope this helps.

Dec 21, 2003 | 10:56 AM

apemech

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Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 14

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From: KANSAS

My 2001 F350 short bed boasts a 29 gallon tank. I have run with the low fuel light on till I was sweating bullets, and have never put over 27 gallons in it. I have been driving Fords for over 30 years and have never had one that empty means empty. Have run a gasser out before just to see how far it will go on empty, not advisable on a diesel.

Dec 21, 2003 | 05:13 PM

trakman

Elder User

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 568

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From: Kansas

That E at the bottom of the gauge really stands for "enought"

Dec 22, 2003 | 08:02 AM

cangim

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Joined: Nov 2003

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From: Utah County, UT

The last truck and this truck I have, when the needle hits red, and you get the notorious Low fuel light. I still have 5 gallons left at that time. Don't know if it is the same on all or not.