Fuel Tank Capacity: 1988 Crown Victoria?

X-No-archive:yes(please don't CCP) OK you guys,explain me this one.I filled up the stationwagon in Pomona Calif.and drove it to Studio City,a distance of 67 miles or so and stopped at a gas station to see how much it would take to top it off and thus get a MPG figure. When I removed the cap a stream of gas like a garden hose left the filler tube.I quickly replaced the cap and figured I had purchased the magical car that MAKES gas as you drive!!! Actually I hear that there is a "bladder" in the tank that prevents

100% fill-up. Well mine is "over-active" or something.Maybe the change in temperature from cool underground tank to hot summer day caused some kind of bladder malfuntion. But it's not as simple as some of these posts seem to paint it.Some days the tank just seems to hold a lot more than other days making it near immpossible to figure MPG. Best....Brian O. ********************
Reply to
Brian Orion
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Brian Orion opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@storefull-3235.bay.webtv.net:

It's not a bladder.. just an vapor cushion.. ABOVE THE FILLER TUBE!!!!! :)

And you are right about that thermal expansion/warmer air and you proved our point.

The gas and vapor in the tank warmed/expanded during the trip... You filled the tank with the car slightly inclined one direction, then at the second stop, slightly the other. AT the second stop the gas level was above the filler as it sat, the vapor, expanded, now under pressure. That's why they used to put a label at the filler area to loosen slowly.

Try always refilling at the same location, car pointing same direction.

Also you should note that's ONE reason they say never to top off, let it stop and quit then. Before the "sealed" emission era, when caps were still vented, it wasnt unusual to see a guy start spewing gas on the street by the time he got a block away from the station.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Backyard is correct there is no bladder. But I suspect the evaporative emissions are not working correctly. There should be slight pressure in the tank not enough to do what you say happened, which when you think about it is pert near impossible. A vehicle that went 67 miles with a average fuel consumption of about 18 MPG will have burned off about 3 to 4 gallons.

Reply to
pick one

In a perfect world, maybe. In reality, not even close to providing a perfect airtight seal.

Reply to
Mark

See my above post.

Reply to
Mark

Perfect enough that it works and very well. Do you know how pressure stops the fuel nozzle?

Reply to
pick one

Like I say, you need a study in basic science.

Reply to
pick one

With the standard fuel pump at the standard fuel station, you will never be able to over fill the tank. If you can get the fuel nozzle to not stop, you will only fill the fill neck to over fill and spill out, nothing more. You obliviously do not know why. You can't do it with a funnel and gas can as well. Do you know why? You will never be able to fill a fuel tank to it's total capacity. Meaning by law and design you will never be able to fill a fuel tank beyond 95% of it's total capacity with a gas station fuel delivery nozzle or a funnel and can.

Reply to
pick one

So... what do you say is the "total capacity" of my Taurus tank, rated at 16 gallons in the owners manual, but will take 20.2 gallons at a fill from empty?

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

The tank by law can not hold more than 95% of it's total liquid capacity. So if you were to take out the filler tube seal the opening, take out the vent valve and fill the thing with liquid from the vent opening it will hold more than the

16 gallons in your owners manual. How much more? At least 5% more. But If I remember correctly the Taurus had a 18 gallon option. The 18 and 16 gallon tank have the same physical out size dimensions. Which means that it hill hold at least 5% more than 18 gallons. All fuel tanks by law have to have a space for expansion of vapors and crush ability when the tank is full so that it does not rupture. If the tank is completely full with no vapor space you can not crush it with out it splitting apart.

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.

Reply to
pick one

My Dad had a '86 Olds 88. He could keep putting gas into it after it hit cap. (18 gal. IIRC), all it did was fill up the evap system and when it was parked, it leaked out the evap canister finally killing it. Mark

Reply to
Mark

Which means the tank vent valve did not work. If your story is true.

Reply to
pick one

He was not at a fuel station, the nozzle would shut off. Fuel would also be flooding out the filler tube, not enough fuel would be allowed out and through the evap system to prevent the filler tube from filling up and over flowing. So you are not telling the truth. Why wont you let it go? You obviously know very little of which you want so desperately to argue.

Reply to
pick one

Stop obsessing and replying to your own posts!!

Bottom line is - plain and simple - you're dead wrong.

Try again.

Reply to
Mark

So... what do you say is the "total capacity" of my 1997 Taurus Wagon tank, rated at 16 gallons in the owners manual (and no option available), but will take 20.2 gallons at a fill from empty?

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

So... what do you say is the "total capacity" of my 1997 Taurus Wagon tank, rated at 16 gallons in the owners manual (and no option available), but will take 20.2 gallons at a fill from empty?

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

Hollander lists a 16gal. (F7DC-AA) and an 18gal. (F7DC-BA) for that model. I usually have the problem of getting my workers to empty the tanks, so I can't tell you how much you can overfill them.

Berkshire Bill

Reply to
berkshire bill

Didn't realize this was a 97. The old body style had the option. It was always a pain in the but to get a pump or sender because you had to give the parts guy the tank size 16 or 18. We measured both tanks, both measured the same height width length. Then we looked up the part numbers for the tanks, both the same. Then we checked the part numbers for the fill tubes, different. Did the same for fuel tanks on F series trucks, same result. If you want to know until the past 5 years all I have worked at is Ford Lincoln and Mercury dealerships going back 30 years. Which is why I was able to take the measurements, lots of Ford vehicles around. How much can it actually hold? Don't know, at least 5% more by regulations. It seams yours can hold more which is not uncommon, I would not be surprised if the tank is in reality the same as the tank on the old body style. The vent valve is most likely not working correctly though. The valve should hold pressure to about 1 psi over atmosphere. That is what prevents overfilling and allowing the fuel nozzle at the gas station to shut off to prevent overfilling.

It should seem pretty obvious that if the tank can be filled to it's total liquid capacity meaning there is no vapor space, you then take off onto the street and some one rear ends you. If the tank is in a area that is prone to be crushed by the impact.........remember liquid is considered non-compressible......well you get the point. To achieve the vapor space how do you think that happens if there is no valve to control internal tank pressure? If those vapors are allowed to escape you can not create a vapor space meaning you can fill to the total volume of the tank. A lot of the regulations were a direct result of the Pinto problems.

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pick one

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