Wayne, I did not use the CAPS lock at all in that post....and like I explained before, I made the font larger and bold to take the B-O-R-E-D-O-M out of the post - no other reason at all. These font tools are there to be used, and sometimes I feel like using them. It had nothing to do with the content or the questions or anything else.....All these posts with the same font and color get kinda boring sometimes, would you not agree?

I'm not going to go on an Easter Egg hunt for tank capacities. I just find it incredible that a tank rated at 13.2 could hold 15.0 gallons, that's all. It makes no sense to me. Why would carmakers issue a smaller tank capacity than is really there, in particular in a car where the want to trumpet "miles per gallon" and "cruising range between fillups" as high points of the car?

For example, on the HCH, rated at 46/51, 48.5 combined, why would Honda put a 15.0 gallon tank on there, but only "declare" 13.2 gallons and lose all that bragging rights for the "727 mile cruising range" that they could have? That's bad marketing, and misleading specifications.

I think that Honda wants people to put a max of 13.2 gallons in there, for whatever engineering reason that is, which I do not know and I doubt anyone outside the engineering team knows either. If there is extra capacity in the filter and neck and whatever else is above the tank, I think there are good engineering reasons as to why those areas should not have fuel put into them....am I right on that?

I know you disagree about the "topping off" thing, and I respect that position completely, although it is in conflict with my own views.

Laterz......Larry S.S.

 

Hi Lars-ss:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lars-ss

That would mean a 15 gallon fillup, which I doubt can be done in any HCH.....You think the tank can hold 1.8 gallons more than the rating? I don't see how that could be possible.....

___It doesn’t matter if you agree with max capacity for farther range or not. The ULEV based HCH can take over 15 gallons and with 10 minutes of detective work, you will see someone that has already “Been There, Done That”! Another hint, it’s in the Civic portion of the RHMDB.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

Like I said in my last post: regardless of whether someone has done that, it is contrary to the intent of the Honda engineers and contrary to what the EPA recommends, so I'm all against it... Filling up 27 times versus 20 times in 18,000 miles is of significance if are hurting the environment and your car for the 7 fewer fillups, eh?

But here's what I'll do: I can promise you that if MY tank every runs completely dry I will top it to the max just that one time and find out for myself what MY tank capacity is...and I bet you a shipment of Omaha Steaks my tank does not hold 15.0 gallons....

 

I know I've put it 14.5 in my tank once or twice when I first got my car. Lately I've settled to 11.7 which is about 4 bars left on the tank. I drive the ULEV.

 

Thanks Tom, for that info......Seems so awfully silly to rate a tank at 13.2 and have it still hold almost two more gallons.....I can't get over that craziness !!

 

well, part if it is that there is a vent in there that when you overfill some goes in there. Also, I don't think manufacturers count the filler neck as part of the tank.

 

I've done some harm to another car by over-filling, or "topping off" a gas tank.
The overflow gets routed to the purge, or charcoal canister, which can become plugged up, and stop working, which then causes other problems, not to mention environmental issues. Fuel tanks can then become vapor-locked, and burst at a seam. I've seen it.
Be warned. YRMV. There's a reason the auto's manual, AND the gas pumps themselves have warnings NOT to "top-off".

Just my .02

 

Hi Lars-ss:
___Filling up 27 times vs. 20 is the nuts part imho. Why do you think driving to the station 7 more times is insignificant?

___Because you haven’t looked up the HCH driver that has (2) 1,000 mile tanks to date, I will spare you the wait for the completely dry tank scenario. Just send me the Omaha Steak package now and we can be done with it

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

Firstly, we had this "trip to fillup" conversation a few months ago, but let me rehash....

Unless a person is driving considerable miles out of his or her way to get to the gas station, how many times you fillup is COMPLETELY insignificant as long as you are not topping off. Like myself; I usually go to Sam's Club to refuel my HCH, and I consolidate a trip inside Sam's with a trip to the gas pump. So whether or not I go 27 times a year or 20 times a year, it makes not a bit of diff to me or to anyone, and does not add any miles to my car at all that would already not be there, because I am merely incorporating the fillup with my other business, which brings me to that location ANYWAY. See? Nothing is lost, nothing harmed, no extra miles, no extra effort, no extra anything.

HOWEVER: If I try to S-T-R-E-T-C-H that re-fueling trip out for the LONGEST time, then overfill my tank and possibly spill gas on the ground, and mess up my catalytic converter, and mess up the charcoal overfill canister, and VIOLATE EPA SUGGESTIONS and the suggestions EVERYWHERE I LOOK that say "Do Not Top Off", then I am really gaining personally nothing and yet doing harm for no good reason.

See the diff? Why go out of my way to do harm, when I can stay within my normal routine and do NO harm to the environment or to my car?

And the guy who is getting 1000 mile tanks in an HCH? 65.789 MPG for 15.2 gallons? Sorry fella, but I have a hard time believing that. Take a picture of your FCD and another one of your gas receipt and post them, and I will then admit it is possible to accomplish that....but until then, it's "Urban Legend" territory for me Amigos !! Nothing personal, but I can choose to disbelieve something that is so far from my personal experience - it's a free country, right?

And remember: Just because this gent is or is not getting 15.2 gallons into the tank does not mean we can ALL do that.....also, he is violating environmental recommendations and posing potential problems for his car by overfilling......and that's not "Urban Legend" or my opinion at all but completely factual......

See more here:

www.epa.gov/donttopoff/

That link is acting weird when I paste it there - anyway, its www.epa.gov/donttopoff

 

Hi Lars-ss:

___Let us get a few things straight here … You are calling someone that receives just 65 mpg in an HCH a fibber of sorts? 65 mpg in an HCH is just 27% > then EPA highway estimates for the 5-speed. I averaged > then this as a LMPG in the Insight year round and did so in the Ranger throughout the Winter months here in and around Chicago. Do you want to call me a fibber too? Bring that one on as I am sure you would love to place your HCH’s title up that I could hit 65 mpg the first time out in a 5-speed. You are calling the same individual that records 15.2 gallon fillups a liar as well? I don’t know of a car I have owned in the last 5 years other then the Ranger that did not have an almost 2 + gallon reserve over and above the stated Cap. Honda’s in particular have provided me with this excess capacity. You didn’t want to take the time to look them up but you had quite a bit to say about how impossible it was? It makes no sense whatsoever to post non-sense. The next time I am down Phoenix way, we will go for a drive around the state and I will place 15 gallons in your HCH so you can stop posting your own view of reality vs. what is reality. It is a free country indeed and stating facts that are not facts is … Well, you know what it is.

___Next, killing Cat’s? The EGR is unaffected as the waste gases are either burned or they are not. The Vapor recovery system feeds the intake so it is either burned or it isn’t used. I lost my first cat ever at 58K on the Corolla. Do you really think it was because of top off’s? Not a chance. Spilling gas on the ground? The only people spilling gas on the ground is the 04 and possibly 05 Prius II owners who had the stuff spitting back at them when filling in the winter IIRC. I know of some 01 and 02 MDX owners that had the same thing happen but with far less frequency then the original Prius II owners did. I have never spilled a drop and I bring them right up to the filler neck each and every time. It is the only way to get a gauge on your actuals tank after tank. Mess up the charcoal canister? I must have been messing those up for the last 20 years! Never had a problem or expense either … What else. The next time you are sitting at the station, feel free to watch those pushing their tanks drive by you again and again and again. After all, the extra 1.5 - 2 minutes for a top off is far less time wasted then what you are doing 7 extra times a year or however often you refuel?

___Lastly, do you think I haven’t read every page of the EPA’s site on emissions, FE, tips and tricks, automobiles available, and ratings? You know I have. If you wanted to save your local air quality and believe me, you should, you would have purchased a PZEV in the first place. Do you want to know how much cleaner (emissions wise) a non-hybrid PZEV Accord is then a ULEV rated HCH? I can give you an ~ percentage basis better in terms of NOx, NMOG’s, CO, PM, and HCHO in g/mile if you would like? The results should make you cry …

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net