You call that mileage!?

[FlagstaffSVX]

Well, I just filled up my tank today and managed to get 16.2 which I will call 17. I think my main problem is distance. My commute is about 3 miles long, filled with 5 or 6 stops. With all the starting of the engine (I travel back and forth from home about 3 times a day) I probably lose gas just starting it up all the time. Oh well, 110k means it's startin' to get older. Thanks for all the responses!

-Craig Lowthorp, Flagstaff AZ
'92 LS-L 110,400 mi

[nvrmore100]

I filled mine on Saturday, and just did my first refill. I only got 210 miles before the E! Now what I'm wondering, am I right saying the tank is like 18.5 gallons? When I filled up yesterday it only got in another 12 gallons. Thats a 1/3 of a tank that I didn't even use...when the needle said empty! I just want to make sure before I push my car another 100 miles or so before I make a fill.

Ryan

[jscorse]

Yes,
This is previously discussed problem with the gauge. Yesterday I took my '97 to 357 miles and filled up with only 14 gals out of a possible 18.5. At 300miles it's pretty much on empty. It's a little unnerving to drive around on "E" but I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

I see people taking it to 400 miles and I'll be doing the same soon. I travel 84miles a day and I'm sick of getting gas all the time. I just don't want to run out of gas and possibly mess up the fuel pump.

Even at 400 miles though I should have 2.5 more gals in the tank.

Maybe I'll just drive until the light turns on. I see somebody else does that. Ya have to be careful though because long FAST highway ramps can shift the fuel and fool the light sensor.

[nvrmore100]

Hmm that is still quite unnerving. Anyone know of any aftermarket gas guages?? Reason being, I may be looking at a 1000mile trip to Calgary soon. Not knowing at all what kind of highway mileage I would be getting, would be a little wierd driving on the E.

[Aredubjay]

I need to get to work on a "Network FAQ." I've been trying to make the time, so I can actually put links to important pages like TSB's, photos, diagrams and such.

The gas guage is, as they say, pessemistic. It's because of our saddle tanks (across the tranny hump under the back seat. the gauge is split and actually reads the "big side" (behind the passenger's rear seat) and the "little side" and tries to "average" the readings electronically (I think that's where our "bugaboo" is). A "jet pump" is depended upon to pull the gas from behind the driver's rear seat into the "big side" using vacuum from the engine.

People say you don't have to worry too much til your "Low Fuel" light comes on. I couldn't swear to that, because I've never seen mine. When I drove to the Smokies, I went on one tank, drove to Bill's house, and when I left, noticed the needle was below "E" -- I almost freaked. Still no "light." I went straightway and filled up -- just for peace of mind. She hasn't gotten that low since.

I used to drive back and forth from SE Wisconsin to the twin cities, 365 mi. door to door. When I'd arrive the guage would be "E" sometimes the low fuel light would come on other times not. It took around 14.something(less than 1/2) to refill. When the low fuel light comes on, I still only put 14.something gallons in to fill it. One time, when at a different gas station than usual, I put in 15+ gallons of gas. I thought the pump was wrong,and I was getting ripped off. I even checked the cal. date on the pump. This was before you gents gently reminded me I have an 18 gal. tank.

[wasions]

Wife does the commute in the SVX. She gets a solid 26 mpg nearly all of of the time, and regularly goes over 350 miles on a fillup. She drives 68 mph.

Steve

Hey all,

I usually got around 17 point something while driving around, probably 45% City - 55% highway, during the winter season but then I think that's becasue during the winter season, gasoline companys "thin out" the gasoline so your mpg will not be as high as in the summer.
Now that it's getting warmer I'm looking forward to better MPG. I think I was starting to get 19 MPG but my memory is terrible so I can't be sure.
I was supposed to fill my gas tank a few days ago and check but I had to put my girl in the shop so she can finally get the body work to fix the huge dent the snow accident in Feb. caused.
I gave her to them when she was hitting the E.. I don't want to incourage them to do any test driving... Gavin's sad story of his 1st SVX, was something I did not want to have repeated.
From what I understood on the SVX, the Empty mark is the 12 gallon mark. They gave us the 6 gallon reserve I have measured my MPG to where the needle was at each mark and it does seem to be the case as the space between the lines seems to be 3 gallons. Also I have gone 100 miles after hitting the Empty mark and had no problems..
That is definitely something I would not do in any other car! LOL

My gauge only goes to about 3/4 when the tank is full. It also goes to "E" after about 140 miles and stays there! Now used to driving on empty I employ math to calculate remaining fuel. The "worst" milage I've gotten is 21mpg. 18.5 x 21=388.5 mile range. I usually get better milage and normally refill at the 300 mile mark. After reading the other posts I now have absolutely no urge whatsoever to repair my misreading fuel gauge.

For me, it's all in the numbers.

JP

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by Aredubjay
A "jet pump" is depended upon to pull the gas from behind the driver's rear seat into the "big side" using vacuum from the engine.

Ummmm, Aredub....

[FlagstaffSVX]

Jet pump? i remember someone saying somewhere something about the Venturi Effect. for those of you that don't know what the venturi thingy is, it's basically an application of Bernouli's Principle and/or the Ideal Gas Law. when matter is displaced areas of low pressure are created. (i.e. the gas goes from one tank to the engine) i'm assuming the smaller saddle tank is the one directly hooked up to the engine. the displacement of the gas in the smaller tank (when it goes to the engine to be burned) literally "sucks" the fuel from the main tank.

enough of the physics lesson though, is there anyone who drives 100% city? i mean like 3, 5-10 mile trips per day? that's probably the reason i get such sh!tty mileage,
heavy car + lots of stops + lots of starts = 12.2mpg

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by FlagstaffSVX
Jet pump? i remember someone saying somewhere something about the Venturi Effect. for those of you that don't know what the venturi thingy is, it's basically an application of Bernouli's Principle and/or the Ideal Gas Law. when matter is displaced areas of low pressure are created. (i.e. the gas goes from one tank to the engine) i'm assuming the smaller saddle tank is the one directly hooked up to the engine. the displacement of the gas in the smaller tank (when it goes to the engine to be burned) literally "sucks" the fuel from the main tank.

Yes, it's called a jet pump. And you are one hundred percent right on how it works. Not on the tank size difference, but that don't mean anything, they're the same size side to side. But please tell me, how can someone know all this and not know what hub covers and rims are? I was reading a post from another thread and that just blew me away.

[FlagstaffSVX]

LOL! Let's just say I am a wealthy tome of usless knowlege. Bernouli? I could show you how to derivate Bernouli's Principle from the Ideal Gas Law but what good does it do me? Wheel covers on the other hand, apparently you need to know what they are so they don't become yellow. (although I don't know that for a fact because I still haven't gone outside to look at my wheels...) ***grin***

Good day to everyone!

[vkykam]

Nvrmore100,

The fuel light can be trusted. I've got a dead guage (the only time it's accurate is when it is full and dead empty), and when the light starts to come on, you've got at least 30 miles, even in city driving.

I put in typically 2 tanks a week, and almost all the time I wait until the light comes on to top the tank up.

VK

[Aredubjay]

<<Originally posted by Aredubjay
A "jet pump" is depended upon to pull the gas from behind the driver's rear seat into the "big side" using vacuum from the engine.


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Ummmm, Aredub....>>


Okay, so the diagram didn't say which was which side, but, it's still close to similar . Actually the terminoligy of vacuum may have been skewed (the velocity of the fuel returning from the engine creates a negative pressure -- generally known as vacuum). However the diagram below clearly shows a larger and smaller size in capacities as does the other pictures of the tank in my locker. If I misspoke, forgive me, but, I was only going by the service manual (I didn't have any HotRod or Sports Car Digests to pull from )

http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/fil...dubjay/165.jpg