How much does a 28 gallon tank actually hold?
 

OK, I feel like a tard asking "Derrr, how many gallons does a 28 gallon tank hold?" but, um, how many gallons does a 28 gallon tank hold?

The reason I ask is while I was traveling to Georgia I filled up and the pump said I took 33 gallons. I really figured I'd gotten screwed by a inaccurate pump meter, so since then I've let the fuel light come on a time or two just to see. I've used several different pumps around town and have put in between 28.7 to 30.5 gallons. That's letting the foam die down and topping off several times.

So, is every gas station cheating me or does a 28 gallon tank actually hold over 28 gallons because of the filler neck, etc. If so, what's the actual capacity?

I have a 38 gallon tank and on HW pumps it stops at 33 or so...

My truck is the same way, I've been curious of this myself.

Yes you can put 6-7 gals more than spec.

If you have heard of the harpoon mod this will help filling full without waiting for the foam to go down.

33 gals I wouldn't let it get that empty . Injectors on a 6.0 need all the fuel they can get .


BTW I just assumed you had a diesel when you said you had to wait for the foam to die down . If your a gasser don't worry about it.

What truck has a 28 gallon tank? I thought short bed trucks have 29 gallon tanks, long bed trucks have 33 gallon tanks

Mine has a "29 gal." tank. and the most I have ever been able to put in it the last six years was about 26 gallons. The needle was about a 1/4 in. bellow the empty. Most of the time it is about 24 to 25 gallons.

I think you got taken.

I think the long bed has a 38 gallon and the short has a 30.

Short beds are 29 in the 99-07 trucks. Not sure about the 08's

The book for my '06 long bed says it has a 38 gal tank but I've never been able to put more than 33 in it. I keep telling myself I have a bit of reserve after the message center says I'm low on fuel. I'm too skeered to run it dry so I don't really know.

Ive ran mine mine past the point when the message center says "0 miles till empty" so i think there is some more still left in the tank also, dont want to find out how much is exacty left in there though lol

When I bought my truck, the window sticker said 28 gallon tank but the brochure said 29 gallon (or visa-versa). But after doing the harpoon mod to the tank I now regularly put in 30-31 gals.:-X22

Ford makes one fuel tank, the same tank is install whether it is gas or diesel. For what ever reason the gas system requires an expansion area above the surface of the gas, probably emission controls, the diesel does not require the expansion space. To have this space above the surface of the gas, the fuel tank vent protrudes 5" to 6" inches into the tank. When you "Harpoon" the tank, the tank is removed and opened, using a PVC pipe cutter, the vent and fill pipes are cut as close as possible to the top of the tank and this allows for extra capacity and quick filling of the fuel tanks, about 33 USG in the 28 USG tank, and about 42 USG in the 38 USG tank.

That is not correct. Ford makes 2 different size tanks for the long bed and short bed trucks.

I think he was saying there is no difference between the gas or diesel tanks. He does mention both the 29 and 38 gallon tanks at the end of his post.

Same here. 1999 F-250 supercab/shortbed with 7.3. Capacity was listed as 28 gallons for shortbed, 38 gallons for longbed.