StevethePilot

Folks, I'm wondering if the material I'm reading is correct; I'm finding something saying that the GL320 has a fuel capacity of 26.4 gallons. If this is correct, then I have to wonder if the Love's in Coachella needs their weights-and-measures re-examined, as my wife was showing 1/8 tank of fuel and put in 25 gallons. Unless I'm mistaken - and it's happened before - 1.4 is not 1/8 of 26.4, is it?

Is it just more reliable to go by MPG versus expected range (per the trip computer) to see how much fuel you actually have left? Is the gauge that far off?

I'm so confused.

montesquieu1748

Everything I have read for both GL 450 and 320 said 26.4 as you said. I would hate to know that the station's pump was advertising 25 gallons of fuel but was giving you less or in other words robbing you. There was probably at least 3 gallons left in your vehicle which should mean less than 24 gallons at the pump. I also read that it has 3.4 gallons in reserve, which is about exactly 1/8th of a tank. Was the low fuel warning light on?

StevethePilot

Nope.

blittle

I am confused as well..........the 26.4, does that include the 3.4 reserve they speak of? If your guage is reading empty does that mean you still have 3.4 gallons in reserve and that the guage actually only shows the first 23 gallons OR does it mean that you have 26.4 gallons PLUS a 3.4 reserve?
If the vehicle has a 26.4 gallon tank, then that's that! What the heck is the "reserve?" Reserve, to me, means ....after you think all is gone, you have a reserve to fall back on........beats me

Nevada Jack

The tank capacity is 26.4. The reserve is 3,4 gallons of that total and the low warning light goes on when the tank gets to that level. Do not depend on the range to provide accurate information at very low levels. I did this on my S in New Mexico and found all of a sudden the range dropped from 62 miles to less than 10 and then just bounced back and forth. I was lucky since I found a lonely gas station and put in 22.6 gallons in a 23.4 gas tank! I suggest that you fill the tank when it his 1/4 left or no later than when the warning light goes on.

oknish

NJ nails it.

As always.

Even though he won't buy a GL anymore.

The range shown by the trip computer is an approximation at best. Can't depend on it. I always go by the little needle on the fuel gauge in dash. When it dips to 1/4, I start looking for nearest Mobil.

blittle

Agreed.....thanks NJ..........1/4 tank is my "look" point as well. They should forget the "reserve" language in their manuals......and.....a digital read on fuel remaining would be more helpful than "range"......at least for those of us who tend to get a good feal for the mileage capabilities of our vehicles. At least Roadside Asst. will bring us fuel if we don't pay attention I find that an amusing, if not highly unlikely, picture.......a nice new MB ( any class ) sitting along side of the road waiting for fuel!

Deezel

When you run out of fuel with a diesel don't you have to bleed the air out of the lines? It would seem to me that if you did run out a jug of fuel or AAA couldn't help you. Anybody Know what to do?

Nevada Jack

Thanks nish.

I didn't say I would not buy a GL...just that I did not want the current issue of the 320 pending resolution of the hose situation. Whether there is a 550 or 420 or a Bluetec in my future is unknown territory right now...

StevethePilot

Luckily, 1/4 tank in a deisel offers a bit of range, as it's still something of an "exotic" fuel to a lot of people. It's that way with gas (petrol) in England. Six islands of deisel, two of gas. Weird.

She was going by the gauge and not the range, which is what makes putting that much gas in a little strange.

StevethePilot

Okay, so, should I be upset that last night, when the tank read about 1/8 tank (the needle was still just above the warning light, which was illuminated) and I went to the Shell station that had the cheapest nearby gas (www.PhoenixGasPrices.com), I put - according to them - 26.779 gallons of fuel in my truck?

blittle

The guage needle notwithstanding.......what is probably important in this case, is when did the warning light come on? and, how long after that did you drive? It is my understanding that the light will come on when there is approx. 2 or 3 gallons left in the tank.............bottom line is - gas guages are notoriously inaccurate ( all manufacturers ) and we are all better off by having refference points like 1/4 tank = start looking, warning light = take the first one that you come to! How one gets 26.7 gallons in a 26.4 tank begins to be a mystery..........

StevethePilot

Well, I don't know how an innacurate guage needle can know when I've got two or three gallons left to turn on the warning light. But the Arizona Deparment of Weights and Measures had this interesting article from NIST;
http://www.azdwm.gov/Portals/1/PDF/FuelTankCapacity.pdf

Which may or may not help.

blittle

Interesting, and, further evidence that a driver is in the best position when he/she establishes a "reference point" based upon cumulative experience and that becomes the time to look for fuel.

MERCFAN

My 420 CDI, as all GLs, have a fuel tank with 100 liters of capacity. With very low fuel in my tank, I filled up the tank with 113 liters of diesel.
It is allways good to use the past experience on any car, but as NJ says 1/4 of tank is allways a good time to start looking for the next fuel pump.
Regarding the diesel engine if you run out of diesel, now a days you do not need to worry because new engines do not have anymore injection pumps. After you put some diesel on the tank just start the engine like a gas engine and after a few starts the engine starts litle by litle to come back to is normal activity.

StevethePilot

Well THAT'S good to know! Not that I plan on running it out any time soon, but still, it's good to know.

10-Q!

StevethePilot

Well, Arizona Department of Weights and Measures say they could find no problem with that pump's flow at high or low speeds, so I'm going to see if I can find out if there was a change between printing of specifications and production or some other reason for the big fill.

blittle

Good luck......and keep us posted on what you find.......sometimes I wonder if MB really knows what the correct story is.....check my thread on "open door indicator".......I'm working with my dealer now to try and get an answer on that.

StevethePilot

I saw that. You know, yesterday my wife opened the passenger door before I had come to a complete stop and the outline of the car with that door open came on. When I'm stopped or in park, I get the text warning and can't put it in gear.

I talked to my SA and he said he had no idea but it was very possible that the tank was larger than they said. Then he gave me the advice to "get it to exactly the same point and try a different station." Right. If there were a demarkation every 1/18th of an inch on the gauge, then maybe. Plus, how many ULSD dealers ARE there around me? Two?