Hi folks - new member here. Not sure what's up with the Dart, but I've wondered for years.
My shop manual says the gas tank is either 18 or 19 gallons. Got gas yesterday, and the gauge read about 1/8 of a tank. Filled it up, but it only took 9.7 gallons.
The previous fillup was four days before. Gas mileage was normal for the car: just over 15. Modified Slant 6/auto trans.
My question is, why does it normally take only 10-12 gal when the gauge reads almost empty? It's been that way for many years. I only get about 150-170 miles per tank. This car rarely gets driven, and that's one reason. In the last seven years, it's only been driven 4,000 miles.
I keep gas and mileage records in a little book, and since 2005 the most I've been able to get in the tank is 12.7 gallons. I had thought maybe it was evaporating or had a really small tank, but took the factoy service manual to the doctor's office this week and was surprised at the size tank it's supposed to have. I think this last tank lasting only a few days rules out evaporation. Maybe somebody put some inflated beach balls in it way back when...=P~
The sending unit's float sprang a leak a couple years ago and was replace, but didn't change the situation. The voltage regulator stuck several years ago and fried the gas and temp gauges. Replacing them also didn't change anything. So I'm really confused about what's going on. I'm tempted to carry a gas can and just let it run out of gas one day when I'm not in a hurry to get where I'm going, just to see if the gauge is accurate. Other than that, I don't know how to diagnose this problem.
It's no fun having to get gas every 170 miles or so, 'specially when it comes gushing out the filler neck almost every time... :puke:
So I appeal to you, A-body experts! What's going on with my little Dart? Thanks!
My shop manual says the gas tank is either 18 or 19 gallons. Got gas yesterday, and the gauge read about 1/8 of a tank. Filled it up, but it only took 9.7 gallons.
The previous fillup was four days before. Gas mileage was normal for the car: just over 15. Modified Slant 6/auto trans.
My question is, why does it normally take only 10-12 gal when the gauge reads almost empty? It's been that way for many years. I only get about 150-170 miles per tank. This car rarely gets driven, and that's one reason. In the last seven years, it's only been driven 4,000 miles.
I keep gas and mileage records in a little book, and since 2005 the most I've been able to get in the tank is 12.7 gallons. I had thought maybe it was evaporating or had a really small tank, but took the factoy service manual to the doctor's office this week and was surprised at the size tank it's supposed to have. I think this last tank lasting only a few days rules out evaporation. Maybe somebody put some inflated beach balls in it way back when...=P~
The sending unit's float sprang a leak a couple years ago and was replace, but didn't change the situation. The voltage regulator stuck several years ago and fried the gas and temp gauges. Replacing them also didn't change anything. So I'm really confused about what's going on. I'm tempted to carry a gas can and just let it run out of gas one day when I'm not in a hurry to get where I'm going, just to see if the gauge is accurate. Other than that, I don't know how to diagnose this problem.
It's no fun having to get gas every 170 miles or so, 'specially when it comes gushing out the filler neck almost every time... :puke:
So I appeal to you, A-body experts! What's going on with my little Dart? Thanks!
