gas tank?

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Sep 18, 2009 | 08:40 AM

Angela_J

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gas tank?

my 88 bronco 2 book says that i have a 23 gal. tank. but when my gas gage gets to E. it only takes in 11 gal. does this mean my gage is off or what? my milleage is about 225 miles and i'm on E. is this what i'm soppose to get or more?

Sep 18, 2009 | 12:55 PM

powrstrkr

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Mar 2007

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From: Rio Rancho NM

Welcome to FTE Angela. Yes you should have a 23 gal tank. The factory sending unit in the tank is notorious for going out. I am the original owner of my 86 and I replaced mine in 98 or 99 I think. Are you saying you can drive 225 miles on 11 gallons? That's pretty good for a 21 yr old truck. If you're sure it's full and the gauge goes to E after using only 11 gallons your sending unit almost has to be bad. The sending unit and float come as a unit and install through the top front of the tank. You can pull the tank by removing the skid plate and straps to drop it down, or you can cut a hole in the floorboard above the sending unit and make a new cover plate to screw down over the hole. I'm betting you still have a half tank of gas when it says E but I would carry spare gas if you continue to drive after it hits E just to be safe and not strand yourself if you run out of gas.

Sep 19, 2009 | 09:50 AM

Angela_J

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how many miles to the gal. should i get? this way i can just go by my odm. insted of my broke gauge.i have heard from other people i should get aboyt 10 mpg. what did you get?

Sep 19, 2009 | 02:05 PM

Old93junk

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From: McKenzie River

You are getting 20.4 mpg @ 225miles on 11 gals of gas..............Not bad!
On the freeway, you should be getting 25-26mpg at that rate. You are getting pretty good mpg, dont mess with it!

My 89 Ranger 4x4 (Same 2.9 v6 as you have) averaged 19-20 mpg back in the day.

Sep 19, 2009 | 08:48 PM

fenix1

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Joined: Mar 2006

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From: Noble, LA

GAS Tanks

Have '88 BII. Bought it 4 years ago. Guy i bought it from told me he'd had it for years and the Gauge always showed half full or empty when it was on FULL. Anyways, my fuel pump went out and after crawling under and looking at the straps and rusted/corroded bolts decided to cut a plate out with a grinder and replace it from the top. Siphoned out almost all the gas and then took the grinder and cut a plate out above the fuel tank while my son sprayed water on the tank with a hose. After that took less than 15 minutes to replace pump and sending unit. Altogether less than an hour including rigging up and reinstalling the plate. DEFINITELY alot easier and a whole lot quicker than trying to drop the skid plate and the straps and the tank!/ I've found that with all new ignition parts and tuned like a wristwatch i've only been able to get 16mpg average and only 19 on the highway. Also, after replacing the sending unit and pump the gauge STILL showed half a tank to empty when full. Few months later truck developed a "miss" after it would warm up. Found that the Voltage Regulator was going bad. Replaced it and all of a sudden, "the Gas Gauge started working"! I traced the wires from the VR plugin and found that one of the wires ran to the fuel tank. All that time; i think the voltage regulator was allowing just enough voltage to run the system but not quite enough to make the gas gauge work./ After 4 years i've found my BII definitely has some really wierd quirks to it. I've probably spent more time and money on this little truck in the 4 years i've owned it than anything i've ever had but i'm certain it's because the guy who had it before me never took care of it. As of now, runs like a new one and the good thing about it is it's paid for! "Cash for Clunkers"...I don't think so!

Sep 19, 2009 | 10:25 PM

danr1

Lead Driver

Joined: Aug 2006

Posts: 5,670

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From: Sand Lake, MI

i've only been able to get 16mpg average and only 19 on the highway.

You should be getting 24 to 26mpg with that.

The one we have now, and every one we had in the past, got 24mpg and better no problem.

Sep 20, 2009 | 06:11 AM

rebocardo

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Joined: Jun 2002

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From: Atlanta GA

I would like to point out if you are running 33 tires as in your tag line, unless you recalibrated by different speedo gears, your speedo and odometer are off (slower).

fwiw.