Fuel Tank Capacity
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Poway, CA
2002 C230K
Fuel Tank Capacity
I intentionally drove my C230K today until the range said “0 Miles” (I had a full gas can with me). When I filled up, it took 17.7 gallons, much more than the 16.4 gallons listed in the manual. Anyone else experienced this?
Dave
C230K, manual, Orion Blue, COMAND, C7, C1, C5, K2c
Dave
C230K, manual, Orion Blue, COMAND, C7, C1, C5, K2c
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From: Ohio
Import
I think MB-BOB started a thread on this dare-devil approach to determine fuel tank capacity a few weeks ago - you should check it out.
Reminds me of a very lame (& old) joke: What do you call a driver who runs out of gas? A pedestrian.
Reminds me of a very lame (& old) joke: What do you call a driver who runs out of gas? A pedestrian.
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Oh, Ryan, I see by your profile that you and I were born the same year. Maybe it's an age thing, or that we were taught to make the most of the tank of gas, avoiding fillups until really necessary, because "there are children starving in this or that country." Don't know, just babbling.
Your experiment wants me to fill-up a reserve gas can and run my sedan til it sputters to a stop. One time I put in 16.410 gallons, which is more than the published amount, so I am curious to know what the real limit is. 17.7 gallons represents an extra 35 miles in highway range on my C320, compared to 16.4.
Not that I would run it empty on every tank, but I sometimes drive toll-expressways in Oklahoma with limited access and even fewer fuel stations... You just gotta know what the REAL limit is in an emergency. If I lived in Arizona or New Mexico, I would think this knowledge was critical.
Your experiment wants me to fill-up a reserve gas can and run my sedan til it sputters to a stop. One time I put in 16.410 gallons, which is more than the published amount, so I am curious to know what the real limit is. 17.7 gallons represents an extra 35 miles in highway range on my C320, compared to 16.4.
Not that I would run it empty on every tank, but I sometimes drive toll-expressways in Oklahoma with limited access and even fewer fuel stations... You just gotta know what the REAL limit is in an emergency. If I lived in Arizona or New Mexico, I would think this knowledge was critical.
Last edited by MB-BOB; Feb 26, 2002 at 04:26 PM.
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From: Croton, NY
1991 mr2 turbo, 2002 coupe
How ironic, this thread! I was just watching Seinfeld last night- the one when Kramer and the Saab salesman just keep driving around town to see how far they could go after the needle was on E!! LOL.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 500
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From: NYC
C32 AMG, C300 Sport
not sure about the sludge theory
Most tanks take the fuel from the bottom so there is nothing to build up down there. It goes out first. Again, Im not certain on this one but my old car had the fuel pump in the bottom of the tank. I only hold 16.4 gallons and it doesnt get as good a gas mileage as MB BOB so I need to know where all the stations are..LOL The best I get is 20 mpg and thats on the road. In the city... never mind.. its horrific.. but I just love it.
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Originally posted by benzomonterey
I was always told it was not good to run to completely empty, as there is residue left in the bottom that can gum things up.
Don't know if this is fact or fiction...
I was always told it was not good to run to completely empty, as there is residue left in the bottom that can gum things up.
Don't know if this is fact or fiction...
I am mildly concerned about running the fuel pump dry... I hear differing views about harm that could occur. But I suspicion that this is another "Cover Your ***" caution that car manufacturers feel obligated to say nowadays, whether true or not.
My two-way commute to work each day is 35 miles. If I can make ten full trips (five each week), it amounts to 350 miles and two week's worth of gas per tankful, a nice round number for a goal. At 21.5 mpg, 16.4 gallons will deliver 352.6 miles (if 16.4 is truly IT). So, my situation cuts the numbers pretty close.
I don't know why this is important to me, except for the smile on my face as I pass my neighbor's Ford Expedition at the local gas station every 4th day. He and the station owner are on a first name basis...
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Los Angeles
2002 c230k
Two big bad things can happen when you run the car dry. 1st, the fuel pump lubes itself and cools itself with the gas its pumping. 2nd, the fuel injectors do the same thing. When they overheat they warp and residue frys on the interior blocking flow. The electrical windings of the injector can also melt and fuse together causing the injector to not(inject, that is). Its best to just pretend that the limit is 16 gals and that way you will never find out about these problems!
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From: Poway, CA
2002 C230K
Yeah, Steve I agree with you. It took me about 2 minutes to get the last 0.5 gal in. Not a real effective use of your time unless you were going somewhere remote and wanted the max cruise range possible.
Dave
Dave
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From: California
i535
Originally Posted by pel C
I think MB-BOB started a thread on this dare-devil approach to determine fuel tank capacity a few weeks ago - you should check it out.
Reminds me of a very lame (& old) joke: What do you call a driver who runs out of gas? A pedestrian.
Reminds me of a very lame (& old) joke: What do you call a driver who runs out of gas? A pedestrian.
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From: York, PA
2003 C230K Sport Coupe, 1986 190E 2.3
Originally Posted by Oh, Ryan
Yeah, Steve I agree with you. It took me about 2 minutes to get the last 0.5 gal in. Not a real effective use of your time unless you were going somewhere remote and wanted the max cruise range possible.
Dave
Dave
Read the manual, MB states not to keep pumping after the handle stops you the first time. By filling the tube up you are blocking the tank vent I believe and also filling it with gas. Also running dry as stated above will cause the fuel pump to overheat if left on to long. The fuel is what cools the pump and a dry pump can and will fry in a matter of seconds some times, especially if it has been pumping a while! Also as stated the injectors do not like to not inject anything, remember the fire several times a second! As much as we all want to know how far the car will go it is not the best thing to do to the electronics. After filling up the pump has to re-prime and fill the lines back up, and of course get hotter as it is doing it. I have seen cars with no gas in them take a hell of a lot of time to start after a re-fill. My 190E took 20 minutes of cranking and spraying Ether in the intake before I bought it because the Jackass let it run dry! Probably why I have ****ty idle problems with it!
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From: Bay Area California
W203 C240
gas cars can be ran to empty...you ll just have a few extra cranks when starting for the pump to draw the gass again....however desiels will need to have the fuel manually pumped and basically primed
