The last four times I have put gas in my truck I have taken it all the way down to 0 miles to empty on the message center and each time I've only been able to get 26 gallons in the tank. At my current mileage I still have 60 miles before I'm empty. I wish there was more like a 2 gallon reserve at 0 miles to empty instead of 4. The dealer says there is no calibration for this feature. So what is everybody else seeing? BTW this is one nice truck.

 

It's been like that for a long time with Ford trucks. They give you about 50 miles before you run out of gas - the last gallon in the tank probably won't help much. The good news is that you do have some reserve there. I think I would rather have that than zero miles left at the same time the electric fuel pump starts overheating.

 

Crawl under the truck and take a look at the size of that tank. The reserve probably only amounts to an inch or so of fuel in the bottom. Now imagine yourself on an incline of 5-8% with all the fuel shifted out of reach of the intake...it would only take a moment for your fuel pump to be sucking air and you would be stranded. And you want to cut that reserve in half?

 

Sorry if I am dense. But I don't understand the math.
To the best of my recollection, the tank on the 04 is
27 gallons. If you were able to put 26 gallons in it ...
What am I missing?
DanM

 

I typically pull in to fill when it says around 90 miles to empty. The truck usually takes about 20 gallons. I have 30 max. At 13.5mpg I should get about 130 miles. Oh well, I llike having more miles to "E" then reported.

 

Have you priced one of these high-pressure fuel pumps lately? If you go to the Ford dealer, you are looking at $500+ - they are not cheap. That is most likely why Ford gives you a reserve - sucking air on these fuel pumps means early failure. All the manufacturers do the same - this is not unusual. If you don't like it - do like I do when caught in the middle of nowhere. Figure you have at least 40 miles without worrying once the low-fuel light comes on and watch the odometer. Of course, it is much better to simply refuel at 3/4 tank and not worry about any of the above.

 

You must not be in a cold climate. I was always told to keep at least half a tank when it gets real cold to prevent condesation problems or something of that nature. I usually keep at least a third in my past rigs/cars, but I don't know if it would have made a difference.

 

I'm even more **** than you are BigSky. In winter I hardly ever let mine get below 3/4 tank.

I drive by an Indian Pueblo gas station to and from work, where they sell non-oxygenated fuel about 20 cents cheaper than in my city. So I just keep it topped off with that cheaper cleaner fuel.

I had fuel line freezing probs in a car of mine a few years ago when we had an extended period of days of below zero temps. That's a real PITA.

 

DanM.

All 2004 tanks are not the same.
There are 27,30,and35.7 galon tanks.
My lariat has the 35,7 and i don't know
if the low fuel light works as it has never
been that low.

Mike

 

Am I missing something ?

On the Lariat the "Dinger" dings at 50 miles and then says "Low Fuel" without then letting you know exactly how many miles there are left to empty.
I actually find that annoying...I would rather know the EXACT mileage left.

Also the handbook says that the tank should not be allowed to get low for some obscure reason that escapes me now....but I've never come across that warning before.
Will look it up when I can be bothered to go out to the truck !

 

You are right. I didn't think about what the depth of the fuel would be with such a large tank. My wifes 03 Exp has 2 gallons left at 0 miles to empty but the tank is not quite as large either.

DanM,

My truck has a 30 gallon tank. I should have given that info in the first post.

 

Check this out. I too was running it down to empty but only able to get 26 gallons back in. I thought this was odd. Finally I really "forced" gas into it at fill up. The pump kep stopping but I was able to get 3 more gallons into it! I was almost out of gas!!

I would try this yourself once.

 

How do you determine the size of your gas tank? Thanks for any help.

 

edw

Try owners manual page 272 .
And i left out one tank,26 gal.
onthe regular cab truck.

Mike

 

Last time I let it "pop" -- I then "forced" gas in and got another 3 gallons in. I was surprised, my Rangers and my old Escort would get MAYBE another 1/2-gallon before toppling over. Then again, those were 2 19-gallon tanks and a 12 gallon.