What is the record for longest distance of a production vehicle using the factory gas tank?
 

Does anyone know this?

I remember about 10 years ago there was a '97 Passat TDI wagon hit 1,400 miles (without the vent mod. which increases capacity from 21 to 26 gallons.)

I am sure this has been surpassed by now.

I assume plug-in hybrids don't count?

I was curious about non-hyrbids, but if you know the answer for a hybrid I am now curious.

I did find this world record:

https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/I...ne-tank-of-gas

It is funny how it says "tank of gas" when clearly this is diesel powered.

Looking at the photo, the car appears unmodified and its sporting pretty big tires to be achieving 84 mpg.

There is nothing in the article about how this 84 mpg was achieved. P&G? Drafting?

Most likely not.

'longest'
 

I'm unsure whether such a claim has ever been made. And if it had, all the context for the conditions of the 'test' would have to be provided.
Official EPA numbers are all generated on dynamometers, with 'fudge-factors' applied, to attempt an adjustment to 'real-world' driving.
No claim could be accepted on face without all the conditions.
Currently, the highest mpg-e would be attributed to the M-B EQXX driven on dark side of the Moon.:)

Wasn't there somebody here who went a really long ways on a tank of diesel in a Cummins Ram? I can't remember but it was well over 1000 miles. He did it commuting over months no less, not all in one heat cycle.

Maybe instead of just longest distance on a tank (which depends on the size of that tank as much as anything else), we could look at the max distance compared to the manufacturer's declared range?
Has anyone successfully doubled that range? Similar to the percentage over mpg in our Ecomodder signatures...

doubled
 

I got close with my grandfather's 1961 Dodge D100 pickup.
It went from 11-mpg @ 50-mph, to 21.5-mpg @ 65-mph.

Which engine did it have?

My first thought was of something like this:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...xNLA&usqp=CAUp


How big are their tanks? They're "production" vehicles, are they not?

I have seen twin 100 gallon tanks, but only once back when fuel was $1 gal. So perhaps 1200 to 1800 miles? Only benefit would be running a team back home unloaded because it cuts into load capacity pretty severely. Pretty sure it wouldn't be done today.

To take this thought even further down the ridiculous, how about a tanker on a chassis with a hose to the engine?

I think that would hardly count as a factory fuel tank.

Chevy Volt owners love to talk about the number of months they go between fillups. Again that may not qualify for whatever it is OP is after.

I'd say they've used multiple "tanks" of energy, personally.

For some cross-border operators, such high-capacity tanks were useful when the fuel prices in one of the countries along the route was considerably cheaper than in the other (or others). I still see many big-rigs with larger tanks, which are used for hauling between Brazil and neighboring countries such as Uruguay and Argentina.

Some countries have limits of how much fuel the vehicle can have when entering.
To ensure the owner will have to buy (and pay fuel taxes) while in transit.

Like moonshine here in the USA. They don't really care who's making it or how much is being consumed as long as the government gets their cut in taxes. I always thought growing up moonshine was illegal because it was dangerous or bad for society but turns out the government just wants to buy more stuff.

They didn't tell you about the Whiskey Rebellion, either?

I am going to say the record is 1,626 miles on a tank per these folks: https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/I...ne-tank-of-gas

A little internet research found these husband and wife drivers are the real deal and pros. They have broken some 42 fuel economy world records for driving and gas mileage and have their own Hypermiling school.

Well done!

I will say that the 1626 mile record is now questionable since it was done on a 2012 Passat TDI, that was part of the Diesel gate VW scandal of VW falsifying emissions. If they had to do it again with the legal re-tune on that car it would be much less.

I would disagree, de-tuning a motor doesn't make it more stock.

I'm surprised there isn't a pickup truck with dual tanks and a smol motor that can't do better

I had an F150 regular cab with a straight six, tall rear axle and a factory 36 gallon tank. I could approach 700 miles on a (pair of) tank if I was feeling brave.

Since I have a claimed history of 19-20 mpg and a 36.8 gallon fuel tank, In theory I can do 699-772miles. The 1999 f250 had two 20 ish gallon tanks and a very kludgeish method of control that everyone hates

That wonderful dash switch, and the linkage that tends to leak and have one tank just pump fuel into the other?

You're not including the overflowing the full tank performance option, or the running out of fuel just after switching, but yes, that dash switch.

My '96 Ford F250 diesel with such a fuel tank transfer switch still operates without fail. That truck has been remarkably reliable over the 24 years I've been using it to pull my travel trailer. Still going strong.

engine
 

It's the 235-CID, slant-six, 1-barrel carb, breaker-point, 12-VDC ignition, oil-bath air filter, fixed, 4-blade radiator fan, non-shrouded radiator.

I won't say I haven't accidentally dumped a dozen or so gallons of fuel on the highway because of this.

By the definition of vehicle I'd have to say a Semi truck?

Odd enough, this engine was never fitted to any Dodge in my country, yet it was widely used in neighboring Argentina despite the flathead-six retained some foothold well into the '60s.

I had a 1994 Honda Accord with a 2.3 L4. Fairly large 12 gallon tank. I got 600 miles on a tank once. High 500s regularly.

Guinness says 2,545.80 km (1,581.88 miles): https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com...ange-(standard)


And there is this ;) :
https://ecomodder.com/forum/em-fuel-...?vehicleid=268

longest distance with one tank of fuel
 

Officially (Guinness World Records) it is 1582 miles driven in Croatia in June 2011 with a VW Passat 1.6 TDI. The vehicle was driven until it ran out of fuel. Yes this record could be beaten: I drove a OPEL Insignia 1.5 D around Germany in October 2022 with 'less than a tank of fuel' over 1526 miles (start and finish at the same pump station in Ruesselsheim, still some reserve fuel in the tank). Both cars have a capacity of ~ 20 USG of usable fuel in their factory tanks. OPEL was not interested in a new record since they stopped production of that ultraefficient 3 Cylinder sedan this year.

Even though I am favorable to that 3-cyl layout, as it's at least supposed to be more efficient that a 4-cyl with a similar displacement, that engine having been made was quite surprising. IIRC it was only released well after GM sold Opel to PSA, even though it having identical bore and stroke to the straight-6 currently fitted to the Silverado 1500 would've been a good reason to consider using it in the Chevrolet Cruze, Equinox and Trax instead of the 4-cyl 1.6L which used to be available on them.

I should be able to hit 1,600 miles with my 26 gallon factree tank. Assuming I can keep it running that long and did some long trips. The Passat TDI wagon has a 26 gallon tank but they limited it to a 21 gallon fill by using a vent cut off system, since the gasser version Passat Wagon used the same tank and gas is more volatile and can't be filled to the top and needs some volume for expansion of vapors. With a ventectomy (removal of the vent cut off) I can get 26 gallons in by filling up to the filler neck. I could never get a legit record with this vent mod. If I use only 21 gallons I couldn't hit the record.

The more you put in your tank, the heavier your car gets ;)

Rampaging in Houston.
 

2007 RAM 3500 4.1 gear 6.7L on a good day will get 26 but usually 23 very temperamental to weather conditions in Houston. That's at 58 mph and cruse to work on I-45. Totally filled 55 gallons so at 23 would be 1265. Has a 4k steel flatbed on it for hauling.
Disco

Sometimes it's important to weight the benefits, when there are fewer gas stations on the route or if you don't want to stop so often for refuelings :turtle:

2001 Insight 700mi
 

Not a record distance by the above, but my insight only has a 10.6 gallon tank including reserve. Not vigilantly hypermiling, but try to take advantage of traffic. Regular distance including commute is over 600 miles.
If I find a convenient truck to safely draft the mpg can shoot above 100 mpg for some distance.

I can't post direct link,but make a Google search by words:'' original-test-audi-80-rekordfahrt''. Auto,Motor und Sport magazine make test and result is 3255 kilometers.