Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Off-Topic Tech
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 11-11-2009, 10:15 AM   #1 (permalink)
13.59 L/100km
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ontario
Posts: 7

TheGasHonda - '98 Honda Civic LX
90 day: 35.04 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Gas tank dimensions and profile

Anyone have exact gas tank dimensions and profiles?

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 11-11-2009, 10:48 AM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
Thanks: 867
Thanked 434 Times in 354 Posts
What do you plan to do with that info?
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2009, 11:20 AM   #3 (permalink)
13.59 L/100km
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ontario
Posts: 7

TheGasHonda - '98 Honda Civic LX
90 day: 35.04 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
fuel guage

Just get a better idea on how accurate the fuel gauge is. Not that I can really do much with it anyways but it was an interesting thought.

Newer vehicles have digital readouts on how much fuel is left while it's somewhat more of an estimation for needle readers. The needle moves faster in some places more than others.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2009, 04:08 PM   #4 (permalink)
Left Lane Ecodriver
 
RobertSmalls's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Posts: 2,257

Prius C - '12 Toyota Prius C
Thanks: 79
Thanked 287 Times in 200 Posts
Both old and new gas gauges rely on the fuel tank level sensor, which consists of an angle sensor and a float. You can read voltages directly from it, and come up with a pretty good guess as to how much gas is in the tank. It will vary when the gas sloshes around, or if you're cornering, or on anything but perfectly level ground.

Obviously, gas tank geometry is different for different cars. If you really want to calibrate your level sensor voltage vs. volume of fuel in the tank, I don't see any option other than draining the tank, then adding carefully measured amounts of fuel while recording voltage. That's a lot of work, and you might be unimpressed with the accuracy anyway.

P.S. you should create a Garage entry for your car so we can see what you're driving.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2009, 06:17 PM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
vtec-e's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ireland
Posts: 507

De Yaris - '04 toyota yaris T2
90 day: 69.55 mpg (US)
Thanks: 111
Thanked 32 Times in 22 Posts
I've never tried to do something like that but if it's any use: My fuel gauge has 8 bars on it. When i burn off the top two my tank is approximately half empty. I don't know how linear it is below that but it drops quicker than the top two.
When i'm filling up and i let the pump trip out normally and fill no more, the gauge will start dropping more or less straight away. Which tells me that's the way the system is designed. Then you get guys like us filling to the brim and we are in a situation where the needle doesn't move for ages until we burn off the fuel that went above the fuel gauge, so to speak.

ollie
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2009, 11:03 PM   #6 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,534

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 57.73 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,082
Thanked 6,979 Times in 3,614 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
If you really want to calibrate your level sensor voltage vs. volume of fuel in the tank, I don't see any option other than draining the tank, then adding carefully measured amounts of fuel while recording voltage. That's a lot of work, and you might be unimpressed with the accuracy anyway.
krousdb did this - calibrated his fuel level sender's voltage - when he was driving his pre-ODBII del Sol, and he actually managed to get decent accuracy from it. To the point that when parking the car back at home at the end of each day, he was able to make decent estimates of his trip MPG (fairly long trip, though).

It's something I'd do if I didn't have access to either a ScanGauge or MPGuino.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2009, 11:44 PM   #7 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Bicycle Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: N. Saskatchewan, CA
Posts: 1,805

Appliance White - '93 Geo Metro 4-Dr. Auto
Last 3: 42.35 mpg (US)

Stealth RV - '91 Chevy Sprint Base
Thanks: 91
Thanked 460 Times in 328 Posts
It does not have to take a long time to calibrate a gauge. When I got my Metro, I carried a gas can and ran it below "Empty" as far as I dared (140km) This carries some risk of disturbing sediment, though. Now, I'd just go to a not-busy self-service gas station, probably with a friend to help, with the guage on "E." From there, we'd mark the guage at every gallon or 5l as measured by the pump. Subtract the total fill from the rated capacity to find out how much lies below "E," but it is not all accessable.

Given the guage response time, a friend may not really speed this up. You may want to do the initial marking on a strip of tape, and then move it up or down slightly to put zero where you want it.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2009, 12:41 AM   #8 (permalink)
Smeghead
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Central AK
Posts: 933

escort - '99 ford escort sport
90 day: 42.38 mpg (US)

scoobaru - '02 Subaru Forester s
90 day: 28.65 mpg (US)
Thanks: 32
Thanked 146 Times in 97 Posts
Things sloshing around the bottom of your tank is why you have a fuel filter. If there is enough to clog your filter, I would rather do it in a controlled environment when I am expecting it may happen than when I am out on the road somewhere far from easy support.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2009, 09:48 AM   #9 (permalink)
13.59 L/100km
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ontario
Posts: 7

TheGasHonda - '98 Honda Civic LX
90 day: 35.04 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Gas Gauge reading

I suppose it would be more trouble than it's worth. My fuel gauge only has a full / half full and an empty line.

However I did find out, that my fuel light comes on when there's roughly 6-7L of fuel left in the tank (for most people that's about 50 to 100 km left). Also my gauge at halfway = 20L left on my 45.1 L fuel capacity (I just happen to reach halfway so I filled up with gas and figured it out that way - a somewhat crude way of figuring it out but it did the job) probably +/- 2 litres or so.

Didn't know about the voltages though and thanks for that, might be helpful for me if I do any mods.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread






Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com