Honda Car Forum

Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?

When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.

Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.

Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?

B Wooster wrote:
>
> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
>
> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
>
> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
>
> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?



Count your blessings...



--
JT

Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4

>Subject: Re: Accord has three gallons left when fuel gauge on Empty?
>From: Grumpy au Contraire Grumpy@doofis.FAKEcom
>Date: 9/11/2004 6:07 PM US Mountain Standard Time
>Message-id: <4143A1ED.5D397C55@doofis.FAKEcom>
>
>
>
>B Wooster wrote:
>>
>> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
>>
>> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
>> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
>>
>> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
>> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
>>
>> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
>> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?
>
>
>
>Count your blessings...
>
>
>
>--
>JT
>
>Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4
>
>
>
>
>
>

They want you to fill up rather than run dry to help prevent contaminants on
the bottom of the tank from entering the fuel lines,pump,etc. Also, keeping
more gas in the tank will help reduce the amount of condenstion of water from
entering the fuel system

On 12 Sep 2004 05:32:56 GMT, azrunr66@cs.com (Azrunr66) wrote:

>>Subject: Re: Accord has three gallons left when fuel gauge on Empty?
>>From: Grumpy au Contraire Grumpy@doofis.FAKEcom
>>Date: 9/11/2004 6:07 PM US Mountain Standard Time
>>Message-id: <4143A1ED.5D397C55@doofis.FAKEcom>
>>
>>
>>
>>B Wooster wrote:
>>>
>>> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
>>>
>>> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
>>> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
>>>
>>> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
>>> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
>>>
>>> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
>>> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?
>>
>>
>>
>>Count your blessings...
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>JT
>>
>>Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>They want you to fill up rather than run dry to help prevent contaminants on
>the bottom of the tank from entering the fuel lines,pump,etc. Also, keeping
>more gas in the tank will help reduce the amount of condenstion of water from
>entering the fuel system

Good point... for 30 year old cars.

Fuel systems today are sealed, no danger of water vapor entering...
most filling stations are covered, so little chance even of rain
entering when you are filling up.

B Wooster wrote:

> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
>
> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
>
> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
>
> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?

yup. so drive another 70 miles, if you want.

B Wooster wrote:

> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
>
> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
>
> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
>
> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?

Yes, it's considered a fuel reserve. Now you know, so you can go the
extra few miles if you want; but IIRC Honda advises strongly against
running out of fuel, so don't push it too much.

> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?

Yes, it's considered a fuel reserve. Now you know, so you can go the
extra few miles if you want; but IIRC Honda advises strongly against
running out of fuel, so don't push it too much.<<

That much? Yesterday I drove my newly-filled (not topped off) 2004 Civic EX
sedan until the gas gauge showed half full (half empty for you pessimists), I
filled up and got 4.25 gallons into the tank before the shut off. The Civic's
gas tank is 13 or so gallons, this means there is a 4 gallon reserve? I guess I
just have to get used to it, I'm anal about gas (no pun), so I end up spending
more time at gas stations than I like to (although as a NJ woman I can pump a
mean tank of gas!).

Azrunr66 wrote:
>
> >Subject: Re: Accord has three gallons left when fuel gauge on Empty?
> >From: Grumpy au Contraire Grumpy@doofis.FAKEcom
> >Date: 9/11/2004 6:07 PM US Mountain Standard Time
> >Message-id: <4143A1ED.5D397C55@doofis.FAKEcom>
> >
> >
> >
> >B Wooster wrote:
> >>
> >> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
> >>
> >> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
> >> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
> >>
> >> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
> >> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
> >>
> >> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> >> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?
> >
> >
> >
> >Count your blessings...
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >JT
> >
> >Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> They want you to fill up rather than run dry to help prevent contaminants on
> the bottom of the tank from entering the fuel lines,pump,etc. Also, keeping
> more gas in the tank will help reduce the amount of condenstion of water from
> entering the fuel system



Good point!

For me, I drive mostly vintage vehicles and had one particular truck
where when it said "empty," it meant just that. You don't wanna know
how many times that I ran outta gas with it.

Now, I "bend" the float mechanism on every car I redo to insure that
there are at least three or four gallons when the empty mark is reached.



--
JT

Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4

Otto wrote:
>
> On 12 Sep 2004 05:32:56 GMT, azrunr66@cs.com (Azrunr66) wrote:
>
> >>Subject: Re: Accord has three gallons left when fuel gauge on Empty?
> >>From: Grumpy au Contraire Grumpy@doofis.FAKEcom
> >>Date: 9/11/2004 6:07 PM US Mountain Standard Time
> >>Message-id: <4143A1ED.5D397C55@doofis.FAKEcom>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>B Wooster wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Does the Honda Accord (1991, V6) really have a 17 gallon fuel tank?
> >>>
> >>> When the fuel indicator was just touching E (Empty), and the fuel
> >>> warning light came on, I could only fill in 13.6 gallons.
> >>>
> >>> Which means there was still 3.4 gallons left in the tank, which is good
> >>> for a long ride - atleast 70 miles in city driving.
> >>>
> >>> Does this sound correct? That even when the fuel gauge shows
> >>> nearly emtpy, the accord has around 3 gallons of usable gas in the tank?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>Count your blessings...
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>--
> >>JT
> >>
> >>Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >They want you to fill up rather than run dry to help prevent contaminants on
> >the bottom of the tank from entering the fuel lines,pump,etc. Also, keeping
> >more gas in the tank will help reduce the amount of condenstion of water from
> >entering the fuel system
>
> Good point... for 30 year old cars.
>
> Fuel systems today are sealed, no danger of water vapor entering...
> most filling stations are covered, so little chance even of rain
> entering when you are filling up.


You might want to bear in mind that today's fuels are far less stable
than the old formulations. More gas than indicated is a helluva lot
better than being stuck on the roadside...



--
JT

Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 06:06:13 GMT, Otto <Otto@SomeDomain.com> wrote:

>>They want you to fill up rather than run dry to help prevent contaminants on
>>the bottom of the tank from entering the fuel lines,pump,etc. Also, keeping
>>more gas in the tank will help reduce the amount of condenstion of water from
>>entering the fuel system
>
>Good point... for 30 year old cars.
>
>Fuel systems today are sealed, no danger of water vapor entering...
>most filling stations are covered, so little chance even of rain
>entering when you are filling up.

Condensation will be with us forever. Unless you replace the air in
the tank with nitrogen, the water vapor in the air will condense on
the insides of the tanks when the outside air is cold. The less gas
in the tank, the more area there is for the water vapor in the air to
condense. The problem has nothing to do with actual water entering
the fill tube (E.G. rain.) Even if the system is "sealed" you can't
stop the air from entering the tank when you take off the cap. That
air contains varying degrees of water vapor.