So yesterday morning I remote started my truck to warm it up before leaving for work. About 10 minutes later, I go out to get in and am putting some things in my truck. It dies as I'm doing so. I thought maybe I reached the 15 minute limit that I set for the remote start and it had shut off. So I get in and crank it. It starts, but bogs down, sputters, and dies. I try to crank it again a few second later, and it won't even start. It sounded like I was out of gas. I looked at the gauge, and I had a little less than 1/4 tank of gas and 119 miles to E. The same as it was when I parked it the night before. I had some gas in the garage that I keep for the lawn mower, so I put in about 2 gallons of gas and crank it again. It starts fine. I drive around the corner to the gas station and fill up. I was only able to put in 29 gallons...on a 36 gallon tank

So now I'm really confused. I thought there was a possibility that the gauge was just really that far off. But only being able to put in 29 gallons of gas tells me something else entirely. The only thing I can guess is that maybe my tune (Diablo) is throwing things off? I am wondering if in their tunes they dictate gas tank size? I'm sure I'm reaching, but I don't know what else it could be. So I guess I can't ever let it get down to under a 1/4 tank without fear of running out of gas. I'm just glad it happened in my driveway and not while I was on the highway.

 

So far I've been able to squeeze 34 gallons in my tank. But in every ford I've had over the last 14 years I have never been able to get the full amount in the tank. The closest I ever came was in my 05 that had a 35.7 gallon tank and i got 34.7 in it.

I agree, it's a reach to think the tune if affecting your fuel gauge. Did you check to see if your tank is dented, reducing your capacity?

 

Were u parked on flat ground? I've seen mine fluctuate a bit from long uphill climbs or parking on a slope cause of how much gas is in the tank.

 

You were parked on a hill and all the fuel ran to the other end of the tank away from the pick up tube. The is most common on the 36 gallon tanks because they are longer.

 

I park in my driveway which is on an incline, but on my drive home from work the day before I know I was at just under a 1/4 tank and at around 120 miles to E. I've also seen the incline cause my gauge to be off, but not by that much.

 

I guess I'll just have to deal with it then. Any idea if it matters which way the incline is? Here is how I park, with the front of the truck facing down:

 

Pull in the other way and this won't happen. The pick up is in the rear of the tank since that's where fuel will flow to when you're driving. With the front of the truck pointing downhill and low on fuel the pick up tube will be in the air not the gas. The truck will run for a little bit due to the fuel in the lines and filter. Once that's gone you're in effect out of gas.

 

Cool. Thanks! I had no idea this was an issue. I would have thought if I was closer to E, maybe.

 

I park with the nose up in my garage. My fuel level always shows higher than it is and settles back to the correct level after driving for a bit. the 36 gallon tank is probably 4-5 feet long under there.

 

No problem, with a 26 gallon tank it has to be quite a bit lower before this happens. I've had the low fuel light on and not had this happen. But because the 36 gallon tank is longer the issue is more pronounced.

 

FYI, I took delivery on a 2013 and ran the first tank dry on purpose. It holds 36.87 gal. When DTE got to zero I started a two mile stretch with a fuel station in the middle, never more than a mile from the pump. After 33 trips back and forth I gave up and parked it in the drive, nose slightly up. It ran about 20 minutes and died. I started it again make sure it was out. It hit a few turns and quit. I poured in two gallons, started up without hesitation like it had a full tank. I won't run out again but if I'm mistaken I know it will not have a priming issue.

I noticed there is a sump in the back of the tank. That should hold enough fuel to keep it running on a downhill at signal lights, etc. should the tank be real low. When you take off the fuel will rush to the rear filling the sump again. I run my tanks near empty quite frequently. I know exactly how much they hold and how much was in it by what it takes to fill it. All the talk about running low, burning up fuel pumps and getting dirt in the filter is just rumor that has been around I know of for twenty years. I've never had a fuel problem except for the price. I always back into my drive so if I run out during warm up all I have to do is coast across the street into my neighbors drive and have fuel to burn.

I'm on my second tank and will see how accurate the trip fuel counter is at fill up.

 

Interesting info. This thread is a perfect example of why this forum is so great and why I browse it almost every night

 

I was thinking the driveway thing as soon as I read this cause I know yours is so heavily slanted. I always pull into my driveway (but I'm almost always on the street) and know I get in and enjoy the "bonus gas" that I get from it

I'm still surprised that it's enough to have 7 gallons disappear out of range of the fuel pump, but our fuel tanks are massive. My 30 gallon tank is much longer that I would've thought, and a 36 has got to be even longer.

 

Perhaps I missed something in the last few years of truck production, but you have a King Ranch and it isn't two toned?? How long have they offered this?

As far as incline parking I have noticed similar gauge fluctuations, but never ran dry before.

 

I sure do. '13 was the first year they have offered it. As far as I know, they continued it into '14. Instead of two-tone, they offer the body a single color and sub in a chrome package for the bumpers. The only thing I wasn't thrilled about on the KR was the two-tone. I don't mind it, but when I saw this package, it was perfect for me.