SWB fuel tank capacity

[MAroochyrob Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close MAroochyrob]

Hi All,
Hope I'm not duplicating a previous thread but I had a look and couldn't find anything. I have a SWB Prado with a 87 litre tank and filled up the other night. I had 32 k left according to the gauge and it took 90.6 litres according to the bowser. I know there might be a litre or so of diesel in the filler hose but I have never ever put this much in before and the most I have been able to put in previously is no more than 82 litres? Before I take the matter further, I just want to make sure I have my facts right? Is it possible for this to occur and why?
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks Rob

[GUV Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GUV]

Same as your earlier fills, I've only ever been able to get about 81-82 litres in even when its been running on 0 km left for up to 40 kms.

[MacroP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MacroP]

I've had a bowser sucking air before and this gave a wrong reading. It my case it was 5 times out so in your case the bowser may have been sucking a tiny bit of air (or the bowser calibration is slightly out). I didn't think a bowser would allow air to pass by design but I was wrong. When pumping, I realised something was wrong as the sound of the fuel moving didn't sound quite right and I stopped pumping after a while as the flow rate was very low. After arguing with the service station attentent, they were telling there is nothing wrong but I insisted they call their boss on the phone who admitted their underground fuel tanks were low and knew that the bowsers could suck air/vapour when low and give a false reading.

In the end, my fuel gauge needle had hardly moved and I went to another service station and filled up properly. I went and got my money back straight away. I think I had initially put in 50litres by the bowser gauge but in reality only around 10 litres went in. The numbers don't lie. After a while, most people know exactly how much should go in if they only fill-up their tanks. I play a game with myself when fueling up by guessing how much will go in evertytime I fill up. Normally, I guess correctly within a few litres. In the case of my 150, when the fuel light comes on, around 135 litres will go in. If it is out by a few litres I'll start to wonder why.

It is good that you picked this up. I would go a question the service station manager.

[MAroochyrob Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close MAroochyrob]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have spoken to Caltex and they are looking into it. I'll keep everyone posted on the outcome.
Rob

[chappy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chappy]

I keep an log book that I record all my fuel info in and use it as an reference regardless of where I refuel from ie:- both Tom Price and Paraburdoo shell servo's
are selling diesel at 139.9cents a ltr so i know how much it should cost me if I put in half a tank from either servo's.

[Mav282054 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Mav282054]

Just on fuel capacity,
My 2012 D150 is supposed to have a 150L tank but can only ever get 135L on any fill ( Like MacroP ).
Is this the norm? Is there a usable 15L left if desperate?

[Symo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Symo]

Yes there is , drive 100km past your zero range and then fill up at BP slowly and you should get 140+ in.

Sometimes frothing happens, open you can go back after driving around the block and fit 10 more litres in easy.


Sent from my iPhone 6s Plus

[Greenie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Greenie]

I've had a bowser sucking air before and this gave a wrong reading. It my case it was 5 times out so in your case the bowser may have been sucking a tiny bit of air (or the bowser calibration is slightly out). I didn't think a bowser would allow air to pass by design but I was wrong. When pumping, I realised something was wrong as the sound of the fuel moving didn't sound quite right and I stopped pumping after a while as the flow rate was very low. After arguing with the service station attentent, they were telling there is nothing wrong but I insisted they call their boss on the phone who admitted their underground fuel tanks were low and knew that the bowsers could suck air/vapour when low and give a false reading.

In the end, my fuel gauge needle had hardly moved and I went to another service station and filled up properly. I went and got my money back straight away. I think I had initially put in 50litres by the bowser gauge but in reality only around 10 litres went in. The numbers don't lie. After a while, most people know exactly how much should go in if they only fill-up their tanks. I play a game with myself when fueling up by guessing how much will go in evertytime I fill up. Normally, I guess correctly within a few litres. In the case of my 150, when the fuel light comes on, around 135 litres will go in. If it is out by a few litres I'll start to wonder why.

It is good that you picked this up. I would go a question the service station manager.

Its very unlikely that this could happen. Reason being is that they have air eliminators built into all modern bowsers and dispensers. This will rid the system of any air coming from the underground tanks and into the pulser/meter. Most pulsers/meters by design will not read air as fuel in any case. It is possible that the calibration hasn't been done for a while and is out of spec though.

[MacroP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MacroP]

Its very unlikely that this could happen. Reason being is that they have air eliminators built into all modern bowsers and dispensers. This will rid the system of any air coming from the underground tanks and into the pulser/meter. Most pulsers/meters by design will not read air as fuel in any case. It is possible that the calibration hasn't been done for a while and is out of spec though.

That's what I assumed, as ripping off customers on fuel is a massive no-no but the numbers don't lie. Like I said, I could tell something was wrong due to the slow fill rate and unusual flow noise and hence stopped. It didn't seem like a cal error but that there was a air in the system. At the time I didn't think to pull out the nozzle slightly to see the fuel flow. Shortly after I put another 40 litres in to fill to the the brim at a second servo for a total of 90 litres. This was in my Hilux surf with a 60 litre tank where I could only reasonably put it maybe 50 litres when the fuel light came on. I have had the Hilux for 10 years a knew exactly how much should take every time. The servo involved was in Bunbury at the homemaker centre and was last time I fueled up there. The owner admitted to me that is has happened before. I should have reported them at the time. This was a couple of years ago now but the bowsers are quite new.

[Greenie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Greenie]

That's what I assumed, as ripping off customers on fuel is a massive no-no but the numbers don't lie. Like I said, I could tell something was wrong due to the slow fill rate and unusual flow noise and hence stopped. It didn't seem like a cal error but that there was a air in the system. At the time I didn't think to pull out the nozzle slightly to see the fuel flow. Shortly after I put another 40 litres in to fill to the the brim at a second servo for a total of 90 litres. This was in my Hilux surf with a 60 litre tank where I could only reasonably put it maybe 50 litres when the fuel light came on. I have had the Hilux for 10 years a knew exactly how much should take every time. The servo involved was in Bunbury at the homemaker centre and was last time I fueled up there. The owner admitted to me that is has happened before. I should have reported them at the time. This was a couple of years ago now but the bowsers are quite new.

Hahaha you must be unlucky. Would've taken at least 2x pieces of faulty equipment for that to happen! I work in the fuel industry and have only seen it happen myself once on an old busted arse setup that was sucking air from between the air eliminator and a clapped out meter. I agree with you %100 that numbers don't lie.