Fuel Tank Capacity: 1988 Crown Victoria?

~Anyone know what the fuel tank capacity is for ~a 1988 Crown Victoria? ~ ~Thank you.

I had one. Published capacity for EFI models was 18 gallons, I could get almost 22 into it if I ran it down to empty(no, the fuel pump never failed...).

I think the carbed models were 21 gallons.

Rob

I think that means you had a 21gal tank, not an 18....

Like I said... "PUBLISHED"... and mine was EFI not carbed.

Our Taurus wagon has a 16 gallon "PUBLISHED" capacity, I've put over 20 gallons in it twice recently. Our Aerostar ran out once, it took just over 20 gallons in its 15 gallon tank.

So, it depends on your definition of "capacity"... cruise range is typically based on 90% of published capacity, which would be 389 miles for our Taurus, but I can go about 612 miles if it's all highway.

Rob

DOT regulations:

c)(12) Overfill restriction. A liquid fuel tank manufactured on or after January

1, 1973, must be designed and constructed so that -- (c(12)(i) The tank cannot be filled, in a normal filling operation, with a quantity of fuel that exceeds 95 percent of the tank's liquid capacity; and

(c(12)(ii) When the tank is filled, normal expansion of the fuel will not cause fuel spillage.

Meaning the total liquid volume the tank can hold is not the "published" volume. Most if not all manufactures go well beyond this requirement for a number of reasons. One is cost. Many of the fuel tanks on Ford trucks are the same part number, so they are the same tank, yet you can have anywhere from one truck model having a tank with a 16 gallon tank too a 19 gallon tank. How is this possible? It all depends on how far into the tank the filler tube goes. The deeper the filler tube the less the tank will hold.

That's certainly not true. Not unless you are in a perfect airtight situation, which gas tank fill tubes are not.

Can you fill a glass with water through a straw up past the straw bottom? Of course you can.

Mark opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I think he meant that the tank being a closed container, the thing wont fill past the tube

BUT....when did fillers start being placed through the top of the tank, anyway. All I ever saw, they enter through the side... and they dont curve down

The filler on my 1975 Datsun 280Z was straight down into the top of the tank. You could actually see into the tank (pre leaded blocker type filler - last new leaded gas car I bought). Easy to fill the tank full.

Ed

I'm sure it all depends on the make/model as to where the filler enters.

But, even if the tube enters in at the side, you can still fill past it quite easily. The tank is a closed container, but the tube allows plenty of air to allow a fill past it's entry point in the tank. No gas tank system is air tight when the cap is off.

Depends on the model. Some go quite far into the tank and bend, and yes they are a bitch to remove.

It is close enough. Closed container with a valve that holds pressure in a designed high spot.............laws of physics come into play.

By law the fuel tank is very air tight and will hold a very large amount of pressure. The vent valve also is a two way valve it is designed to hold pressure. You can not fill the fuel tank past 95% of it's liquid volume by law, that is how it is designed. Yes you can squeeze a little more than the rated capacity, most of that extra in in the filler tube.

"designed high spot" ? "Laws of physics" ? Thanks or the laugh!

The entry point of the filler tube does not prevent further filling. Period.

Not with the filler cap off and you are putting fuel in. It's a completely open system during filling. That was made very clear in my previous post.

Can you fill a tank with the cap on?

Mark opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

WRONG! Though the tank has a venting system in the emissions system, you cannot -in a practical sense- fill it past the top of the filler tube, which is also the fill vent. Otherwise there would be no point to the vapor recovery rig on gas pumps.

Nice try, but you're welcome to guess again.

Here's an idea. Try actually filling your own tank rather than going to full serve.

Those vapor recovery systems are as good as the operator. Do you think most people take the time to make sure there is a full seal against the filler tube? Please.

It's not difficult to fill past the filler inlet at the tank. As a matter of fact it's more the norm than not.

You can keep playing theory all you want, but I'll just keep living the real world.

This horse is dead. Please stop beating it.

Mark opined

Whatever!

I live in a "smogger zone" and work where vapor recovery isnt required and refill at both. I trust my nose.

Live on in your own little world where you can run gas right out the top of the tank or through the recovery canister.

HOw do you think the emissions system knows the gas cap is not on tight?

No it's not a completely open system. The fuel nozzle is providing resistance to escaping gasses. Those gasses building pressure is what trips the fuelnozzle to cut off . Ever notice you can keep the fuel flowing by partially removing the nozzle from the fill neck? You can do that because you just created a larger opening for the gasses to escape. Notice how the fuel nozzle fits rather snug in the fill neck? It's supposed to be that way. One reason is to shut off the fuel flow at a predetermined pressure and to prevent gasses from escaping to atmosphere. Another one of those little laws. Some states carry that even further by using bellows that seal the fuel nozzle to the fill neck.

Oh yes it does. Just how do you think a container that by law can only hold 95% of it's total volume can do that? There's this thing called science, you should have had some of the very science that explains how this happens in grade school.