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Originally posted by muskamike:
This seems to be the exact thing I have and is probably happens for all SVT's...takes awhile for the needle to start dropping and when it does it goes fast. I always get stoked when it takes 80-100miles to start dropping...heh
Between my parents' and my own cars, I've had experience with a wide variety of Fords:
'84 Tempo
'88 Thunderbird
'90 Sable
'93 Cougar
'93 Mark VIII
'99 Contour
And they ALL exhibited the same exact fuel gauge behavior. My guess is that it the tank's shape and the baffles inside cause the fuel level to drop in a weird way, and Ford doesn't set their gauges up to compensate for this.
'99 Contour Sport V6 MTX
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i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
00 black/tan svt, #2052 of 2150, born 2/1/00
formerly known as my csvt
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Originally posted by my csvt:
i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
Yes, not sure if it was GM or Ford who started it first. Apparently, customers were complaining of low gas mileage on their vehicles and they issued a TSB to recalibrate the fuel gauge to drop slow during the first 2/3 and then really fast during the last 1/3.
"Always do the cheap and easy ones first."
1996 V6 ATX 96K miles
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27 freeway no ac 22-20 ac freeway driving 20 over the speedlimt/ i drive 20 over all the time.
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Originally posted by Big_B:
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
your car has a fuel light? ive never seen my fuel light turn on/ i dont think i have one maybe thats why i get 40 more miles to than you do per tank lol cause of the weight of the bulb maybe lol
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Originally posted by bigworm:
Originally posted by Big_B:
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
your car has a fuel light? ive never seen my fuel light turn on/ i dont think i have one maybe thats why i get 40 more miles to than you do per tank lol cause of the weight of the bulb maybe lol
I'm saying the same thing!  I've never seen a low fuel light on any one of the three 98's I have, WTF?
I don't "mod" I just fix what breaks!
98 CSVT #2527 T-Red (Limping)
98 CSVT #2228 T-Red (Donor)
98 SE Sport ATX V6 (Running again)
If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me!
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Originally posted by Tony2005:
Originally posted by my csvt:
i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
Yes, not sure if it was GM or Ford who started it first. Apparently, customers were complaining of low gas mileage on their vehicles and they issued a TSB to recalibrate the fuel gauge to drop slow during the first 2/3 and then really fast during the last 1/3.
Hmm, well here's how mine acts. When I fill it up, the needle goes past the full mark. By the time it gets down to about 3/4 tank (I know this because of the mileage), the needle is at or just above the full mark. After that, it drops very rapidly. The only time it is correct is just below the halfway mark, usually after about 200 miles on a tank. It hits empty when the tank is actually at about 1/3, and shortly after the low fuel light comes on. From what I've observed, I still have 4-5 gallons when the needle hits empty, and about 3 when the low fuel warning lights up. By the time I actually need to refuel, the needle is sitting well below the empty mark. I've learned to not let this scare me because it cries wolf so often, and I just gauge how much gas I actually have in the tank by the trip odometer, which I reset every time I fuel up.
E0 Silver Frost CSVT #3095/6535
Alpine CDA-9851
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Which is awesome, though I am not sure I would agree with running quite so low on fuel before each fillup. (garbage in the tank, and the fuel pickup being so prone to clogging, as it is.)
I let the light come on, and fill up within about 5 or 10 miles of that, each time. The tank usually will take about 11.9 or 12.2-ish gallons.
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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The only time I tested my Contour's gas mileage was when driving it home 300 miles just after I bought it from my brother-in-law.
On that trip -- all freeway at about 65 mph -- it seemed to get 35 mpg as I calculated it when filling up. I was very happy!
However, when I told my nephew (the previous driver) I got 35 mpg, he said that he had NEVER gotten that kind of mileage even on the highway. So maybe I calculated wrong.
1995 Contour GL "GEX"
2.0 Liter 4-banger
ATX
162,500 miles
Stock except for two '89 Tempo wheel covers & two VERY COOL cosmic looking '76 Toyota Corona wheel cover
Full size spare
No rust
Green
Purchase price: $500
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I don't run all that low on fuel before I go to a station. I usually fill up 30-40 miles after the low fuel light comes on, and at that point the tank will usually take 12-12.5 gallons. Before this last peak of gas prices, I would fill up regularly once every week, but now I tend to only drive the car as much as I need to and prolong buying gas until absolutely necessary.
E0 Silver Frost CSVT #3095/6535
Alpine CDA-9851
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