tof Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I ran out of diesel yesterday on my way to the garage to refuel; something I didn't want to do because of possible damage to the very fussy engines of today. The gauge was showing nearly empty. I walked to the garage to get my 5 litres which then got me to the garage to fill up. To my surprise the tank only took 55 litres. Does this mean I only have a 60 litre tank? This 'van is new (2 months old) and I am sure that my old Fiat 'van (4 years old) had an 80 litre tank. Does this mean that I only have 60 litres for my touring distance (not a lot) considering I use diesel from the tank to heat the space and water (Webasto Dual Top)? Has anyone else got a 60 litre tank? Tof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Standard uk sevel tank is 90litre option of 125litre, either you have a smaller than standard tank or gauge is reading low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tof Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Thanks Colin, that's what I thought. I filled the tank to the brim. The dealer is looking into it. Tof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grocer jack Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 tof - 2009-01-22 12:15 PM I filled the tank to the brim. The dealer is looking into it. Tof What does he hope to find? ;-) :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Just rereading your post, I first read it as you walked to garage with can to prevent running out of fuel, but I now see you actualy did run out so it seems you do have a small tank, maybe in other countries there is an option of smaller tank? one more thing to keep an eye out for when reading spec's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 They save money by fitting a smaller tank and up the payload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tof Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 You could be right there. The dealer has just confirmed with CI that a smaller tank is fitted to save room or weight. It would just have been nice to know beforehand so I will have to make regular pitstops in remote areas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuwsmith Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Another possibility could be that you "ran out" whilst still having a good deal of fuel in the tank! I dont have a Fiat so dont know where the fuel take off is on the tank but if it is anywhere other than on the bottom there must be an internal pipe in the tank ending close to the bottom of the tank. If this pipe doesnt reach the bottom or has a crack or hole in it then the vehicle will fail to proceed when the fuel level reaches either the crack or the end of the pipe. I had this happen to me on a Morris Traveller a few years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 tof - 2009-01-22 3:38 PM You could be right there. The dealer has just confirmed with CI that a smaller tank is fitted to save room or weight. It would just have been nice to know beforehand so I will have to make regular pitstops in remote areas! So you have a 4tonne 7.32 overcab with a smaller tank than my T25? Do they mention this in the specs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tof Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Yeah, the Fiat spec says that the 130 model would normally have a 90l tank but that a 125l or a 60l tank can be specified. The CI spec says nowt. So it looks as though I am saddled with a 60 litre range and mpg in these pre-run in journeys is only 24 then you have the not so economical Webasto Dual Top sucking up to 6 litres a day out of the tank (in sub-zero conditions) but very efficient at what it does. Hey ho, I hope others will be warned and maybe I'll fit a separate tank for the Webasto and use red diesel The 'van is superb in all other ways so win some - lose some Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hi Tof, Before you run your Webasto on red diesel look into the grades of fuel very carefully as a lot of narrow boat users have problems with them caused by sub-standard fuel. Road fuel has to meet a BS whereas Red Diesel doesn't necessarily have to be as good. Keith. PS. If you have the spare payload is it possible to get the larger tank fitted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tof Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Thanks for the warning Keith. I'll check with the Webasto agent in Edenbridge before I take action. Tof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Check your pay-load first before fixing a bigger tank. That might be the reason it has smaller one (small pay-load). Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Ord Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I'm running a Rapido 2005 vintage on a FIAT 2.8JTD and had to have the tank off as i had picked up some contamination and the delivery pump sits in a well in the bottom of the tank and seems to be about 5litres in capacity. I then refilled the tank after cleaning, putting 5 litres from a can and then filling at my local pumps. The result showed a maximum capacity of 75 litres and this was with the tank over filled ie full to the top of the filler tube. I also have a Renault Clio which claims a 50 litre tank and from practical experience seems to be about 43 litre. It maybe in my two examples that the tank has a nominal capacity of the manufactures figure but in practice a lower figure is all that is achievable. I find that on the Rapido that soon after the low level fuel light comes on all I can get in is 62/64 litres so a range of 320 miles is pushing it at my normal rate of travel. Bill Ord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tof Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 A good point Dave, I was going to check the total weight on a weighbridge sometime anyway to see how accurate Fiat's and CI's weight figures are after the fuel tank escapade. I have extra equipment built-in such as washing machine, t/dryer and 130W solar panel which eat into the payload quite significantly not to mention the wife's shoes! I suspect Bill ord is right about capacities being nominal but at least I managed to squeeze in a full 60 litres of diesel into my 'small' tank, thank heavens. Tof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I hope it is not what happened to me some years ago in a TALBOT ALPINE ran out of petrol coming from Amserdam but the guage still read 1/3 full on investigation the tank had imploded due to vent getting blocked cut down capacity by about half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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