Team-BHP > Technical Stuff


Reply
  Search this Thread
100,305 views
Old 21st December 2009, 19:44   #46
Senior - BHPian
 
Surprise's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chennai
Posts: 2,523
Thanked: 453 Times

Fuel tank capacity

Reserve fuel capacity? Do we get any indication other than the needle over the different color shades?

When the needle at my Baleno goes to dead last, I manage to fill around 45 liters with another 6 liters remaining in tank. Does that mean it can run another 60 kms (10 kms/liter) before it dries up
Surprise is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 21st December 2009, 20:12   #47
BHPian
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 952
Thanked: 8 Times

It is dangerous to fill fuel upto the brim. The fuel tank needs to have some air pockets inside otherwise flow of fuel to engine may be hampered (like the classic example of filling a glass with water fully, then covering it with a paper, an turning upside down..that water does not fall..some atmospheric pressure physics I guess). Further, depending on temperature inside/outside, some vapors will be formed which needs some space for expansion.

The 1st/2nd auto-shutoff is the safest option. This also gives you the most consistent way of measuring mileage.
sanjayc is offline  
Old 29th June 2010, 17:47   #48
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 28
Thanked: 5 Times
Reserve capacity of i10 Asta fuel tank

Hi All,

A query to which I have not really got a satisfactory answer is:
"What is the true reserve capacity of the fuel tank of my i10 Asta?" The answers have typically varied from about 3 to 5 liters and/or 30 to 50 kms. The answers were similar for my earlier Santro LS. In neither case did the manual nor the Hyundai service personnel give me a single or accurate answer. My search in this website also was not conclusive - perhaps I did not search well enough. Does anyone here have an accurate idea?

True, I try not to reach the "yellow light" and would prefer to fill the car as soon as I reach the quarter tank stage, but sometimes the situation does end up with one pushing on in reserve. I remember having done up to about 25 kms in case of the Santro and about 30 kms in case of the i10, but this is not something that I would like to find out the hard way! Is there any other way of finding out?

Another thing that I have noticed is that once the yellow reserve light in case of the i10 comes on, it stays on throughout. On the other hand, in case of the Santro the yellow warning light would come on, go off for some time (as I neared the reserve mark, depending on the splashing in the tank or if the car was on a gradient - nose up or accelarate would result in on and tail up or braking would result in the light going out). Progressively the light would become steady and that point would be the one where I deemed that the fuel had gone into reserve. This seemed fairly logical and reasonable to me as the sensor would detect the instantaneous level of petrol at a particular point in the tank and not necessarily the overall level (had seen it in my earlier Fiat Super Select too). With the i10, this does not happen at all. How come? Is there something special done with the petrol level sensor or are there more than one sensors strategically located that together feed an average value to the dash?

Cheers,
Ssbiitm
ssbiitm is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 29th June 2010, 18:50   #49
BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: bangalore
Posts: 156
Thanked: 149 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by ssbiitm View Post
Hi All,

Another thing that I have noticed is that once the yellow reserve light in case of the i10 comes on, it stays on throughout. On the other hand, in case of the Santro the yellow warning light would come on, go off for some time (as I neared the reserve mark, depending on the splashing in the tank or if the car was on a gradient - nose up or accelarate would result in on and tail up or braking would result in the light going out). Progressively the light would become steady and that point would be the one where I deemed that the fuel had gone into reserve. This seemed fairly logical and reasonable to me as the sensor would detect the instantaneous level of petrol at a particular point in the tank and not necessarily the overall level (had seen it in my earlier Fiat Super Select too). With the i10, this does not happen at all. How come? Is there something special done with the petrol level sensor or are there more than one sensors strategically located that together feed an average value to the dash?

Cheers,
Ssbiitm
Could it be that the Santro/Fiat Super select have a slightly older system with the current from the sender unit is directly used to move the gauge/control the fuel light? While in the i10 the sender signal could be passed through the ECU which could compensate for road gradient.

IIRC, the fuel gauge in the Santro used to show the fuel level even without the ignition being turned on, while in the i10 it is an all-electric affair with the fuel gauge working only when the ignition is turned on.
carZest is offline  
Old 29th June 2010, 22:51   #50
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 28
Thanked: 5 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by carZest View Post
Could it be that the Santro/Fiat Super select have a slightly older system with the current from the sender unit is directly used to move the gauge/control the fuel light? While in the i10 the sender signal could be passed through the ECU which could compensate for road gradient.

IIRC, the fuel gauge in the Santro used to show the fuel level even without the ignition being turned on, while in the i10 it is an all-electric affair with the fuel gauge working only when the ignition is turned on.
Dont know if the ECU can compensate for road gradient as well as accelaration/braking. Is that really possible? IMO it would require a gyro (or an "electronic spirit level") to detect any gradient. Sounds too complex and sophisticated for a i10! Know any cars that have it?

You are correct, CarZest. The Santro fuel gauge used to show the level without the ignition being on - the level the tank was at when the ignition was last turned off. Somehow I liked that system better. Wonder why they changed it?

Ssbiitm
ssbiitm is offline  
Old 30th June 2010, 18:30   #51
BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: bangalore
Posts: 156
Thanked: 149 Times

I was actually trying to connect up the 2 observations - the fact that they went from a mechanical gauge to an electric one, and that despite sloshing of fuel on gradient the i10 light doesn't go on/off once it is triggered.

So my reasoning was that once the level is breached maybe the light in the dash is turned on (directly/through the ECU - am not sure) and it doesn't take any further i/ps from the sender unit. Whereas maybe in the setup in the Santro, it continues to take i/ps from the sender unit accounting for the on/off on gradients etc.
carZest is offline  
Old 7th November 2010, 19:33   #52
mkh
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,072
Thanked: 133 Times

This thread looks like the best place to post this, as no idea where else:
Today my wife got 35 liters filled into the i10. Now the manual says 35L as max, and i believe they mention that but there is about 4-5 more possible ( not recommended though)
My question is- can really about 40L fill into the tank( as the shell folks claimed). Normally shell is reliable, never had any reason not to believe them, but this is something that needs proper understanding.
When the ornage light came out, we ran another 25 kms before reaching the fuel station, so that means about 3-4L must have been left in the tank.
We always fill about 28-30L post the orange light coming out so now am confused who is telling the truth and what reality is. Need some i10 owners to come out with facts. Will also call up hyundai tomorrow, but i expect a standard answer from them- 35L is recommended and mentioned in the manual.
mkh is offline  
Old 9th November 2010, 09:44   #53
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,734 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by mkh View Post
My question is- can really about 40L fill into the tank( as the shell folks claimed).
At the max, you could squeeze in another liter or two to fill up the fuel lines. However, if a pump is able to fill 40 liters of fuel in a car with a 35L fuel tank, their meters are inaccurate. I suggest you spend some time reading this thread.
GTO is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 9th November 2010, 10:18   #54
Distinguished - BHPian
 
condor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Speed-brkr City
Posts: 15,845
Thanked: 15,957 Times

@GTO, I would not say the meters are in-accurate.

In the same set of bunks (of different companies), I have consistently seen that :
1. The Sumo takes about 1 - 1.5 liters more after auto-cut off
2. The Ikon takes upto 6 litres after auto-cut off.

I guess the difference in each of the above quantities is about air getting a chance to come out.

IMO, the capacity mentioned by the car manufacturer is more about intended / safe capacity, and not gross capacity of the tank itself.
condor is offline  
Old 9th November 2010, 10:56   #55
BHPian
 
drive_or_die's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: KA 51/ PB 25
Posts: 99
Thanked: 44 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by Surprise View Post
Fuel tank capacity

Reserve fuel capacity? Do we get any indication other than the needle over the different color shades?

When the needle at my Baleno goes to dead last, I manage to fill around 45 liters with another 6 liters remaining in tank. Does that mean it can run another 60 kms (10 kms/liter) before it dries up
@GTO, Condor

Please refer to the Link from surprise's post. The article details various aspects of fuel tank capacity.

But the question is on what principle the auto stopper works?

Last edited by drive_or_die : 9th November 2010 at 11:03.
drive_or_die is offline  
Old 9th November 2010, 12:59   #56
mkh
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,072
Thanked: 133 Times

Well the answer is clear- hyundai guys also confirmed what the article mentions- we can go more than the published capacity. For the i-10 aout 40 can go in, which is what the shell folks also told me. It was hard to imagine shell cheating so that settles this matter. The same is true for all cars, but one should not exceed the capacity to be safe
mkh is offline  
Old 10th November 2010, 00:09   #57
BHPian
 
Born 2 Be Wild's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Roaming
Posts: 813
Thanked: 1,367 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by drive_or_die View Post


But the question is on what principle the auto stopper works?
The Auto Cut off works on the principle of Air lock as soon as the fuel touches the tip of the nozzle there is a minute hole there which gets blocked and hence air lock is created which trips the Lever.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mkh View Post
Well the answer is clear- hyundai guys also confirmed what the article mentions- we can go more than the published capacity. For the i-10 aout 40 can go in, which is what the shell folks also told me. It was hard to imagine shell cheating so that settles this matter. The same is true for all cars, but one should not exceed the capacity to be safe

Firstly this Principle woud not hold true for all Vehicles. The Capacity mentioned in the book is an approximation and not accurate, a anomaly of +/- 10% is what is acceptable and that to not in all cars. My Ikon 1.8 Never took more than 3-4 litres after Cutoff. Its tank was 45lt and once when a friend managed to run out of diesel it took around 44 litres till the brim.

What i would suggest is that under smilar situations you should get the car refuelled from another bunk as well to check how much goes in and then take a call. The Irony is had this been A PSU Bunk People would have got out there Pitchforks And cucified the living daylights out of the Bunk . I understand That Shell has a reputation but at the end of the day its Our beloved countrymen running the show there as well and thats when anything and everything is possible . Be it Shell or be it a PSU bunk if they overfill by 6/7 litres my gut feeling always says something is fishy.
Born 2 Be Wild is offline  
Old 10th December 2012, 19:02   #58
BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Cochin
Posts: 228
Thanked: 660 Times
Re: Fuel tank capacity measurement, how?

I Could fill up 48 lts of diesel in my i20 last week. the booklet for i20 says 45 lts tank capacity. I had run about 20 kms after the warning light came up. I filled up to the brim. I was in real doubt if the bunk guys had cheated me. Reading this post has given me a slight relief. I guess you can overfill the tank than the rated capacity.
nettooran is offline  
Old 11th December 2012, 01:36   #59
BHPian
 
msaudf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Cochin
Posts: 269
Thanked: 163 Times
Re: Fuel tank capacity measurement, how?

it goes both ways.. fuel outlets find a way to somehow tamper their meters, and vehicle manufacturers only specify the fuel tank capacity of the vehicle which does not include the capacity of the hose that connect the fuel lid to the tank, hence slight variations are alright. i myself have filled 98ltrs of diesel in my pajero which had a fuel capacity of 90 ltrs (90 or 95 not sure), the hoses cant definitely take 8 ltrs but maybe 3 or 4 max. so as i said.. it goes both ways people..
msaudf is offline  
Old 11th December 2012, 07:45   #60
Senior - BHPian
 
hrman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,125
Thanked: 1,014 Times
Re: Fuel tank capacity measurement, how?

In my Rapid (should be true of Vento too), as per the manual, it says the capacity is 55 litres. On one occasion, the orange light had come on and 15 kms later I filled in fuel. It took 56 litres. So total is 56+5(reserve)in the region of 61 litres incl the air pocket, fuel line etc.
Can Vento or other Rapid owners confirm?
The fuel pump in question has a good reputation (Nagpals on Residency road, Bangalore), so I don't suspect any foul play although that cannot be totally ruled out.
hrman is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks