Superb II Estate 4x4 Fuel tank

[thepuss]

I've only filled up the car about 8-10 times so far, but I always fill to the top (ie: Autocut, plus a couple of extra tries for luck!)

I generally only fuel once the Range display goes below about 40 miles. So I reckon there shouldn't be much more than 1 gallon, 4.5 litres in the tank when I fuel.

However, I have never managed to get more than 52 litres in the tank... ever.

Now the tech specs say the tank holds 60 litres... but I was wondering if it was less for the 4x4, or if perhaps my sensors need recalibrating?

Any ideas?

Puss

[Gizmo]

Pretty much the same as my non 4x4.

I can only assume there is still a couple of gallons left in the tank when you get to around 40 miles left on the MFD?

[Twelvebears]

Pretty much all fuel gauges have quite a safety margin, i.e. they are a some way from empty even when they say they are. You only have to see how long the guys on Top Gear have managed to keep driving, even when the fuel gauge said empty.

My current C4 has a 60 litre tank and after running it until the trip said 18 miles left and then flashing '0' I managed to get 58 litres in, so in theory still about 0.5 gal left.

I also have a mechanic friend who has confirmed that a surprising amount of fuel is usually left when you really would think it was totally empty.

I does make you wonder how people manage to run out. Do they not look at their fuel gauge?

[thepuss]

I guess its nice to have a safety margin, it's just that it is so noticeable on this car... it's so unlike either of the 2 Octavias that I've owned that I was beginning to think that perhaps the 4x4 had a 55 litre tank for some unexplained reason.

Thanks for the comments,

Puss

[veloplus]

I wait until my Superb shows '0 miles' on the MFD, then can generally drive in an economical manner for another 40-45 miles. This method has only left me stranded once, and that was 200 metres from a filling station I was then given a lift to and from the filling station by a very obliging Asian gent driving a white Sprinter van.

Indeed, last Friday, I couldn't face queueing for fuel and after judging I had 45 miles range I drove home. On arrival, I had hit an all time best of 73mpg, this being from a non-Greenline 1.9Tdi PD. I reckon I had maybe 1 or 2 litres remaining on the tank.

The siatnce covered on that full tank was a not inconsiderable 790 miles. I wonder how much that could be bettered driving a Greenline 1.6Tdi?

[ukcruiser]

Why would you want to run your tank so low?

You run the risk's of getting the dregs of the fuel tank, with all the cr*p into your fuel line and filters, and of course, running out of fuel. - i just dont understand why you would want to risk it - i get to about half, and fill it usually, getting down to quarter is bad enough!

Al.

[Dekagon]

Why would you want to run your tank so low?

You run the risk's of getting the dregs of the fuel tank, with all the cr*p into your fuel line and filters, and of course, running out of fuel. - i just dont understand why you would want to risk it - i get to about half, and fill it usually, getting down to quarter is bad enough!

Al.

+1

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[veloplus]

Why would you want to run your tank so low?

You run the risk's of getting the dregs of the fuel tank, with all the cr*p into your fuel line and filters, and of course, running out of fuel. - i just dont understand why you would want to risk it - i get to about half, and fill it usually, getting down to quarter is bad enough!

Al.

Where's the challenge in filling up every other day?

[bigjohn]

Why would you want to run your tank so low?

You run the risk's of getting the dregs of the fuel tank, with all the cr*p into your fuel line and filters, and of course, running out of fuel. - i just dont understand why you would want to risk it - i get to about half, and fill it usually, getting down to quarter is bad enough!

Al.

I don't agree, as far as I remember back in time all fuel tanks draw the fuel from the bottom of the tank so the amount of cr*p drawn through should be the same whether full or empty.

However - there are some cars that can suffer from fuel starvation on heavy acceleration due to fuel running to the back of the tank although I've never had this happen on my Superb or Octavia ( I had a Fiat Punto that suffered this!)

[HarryP]

I try to keep my tank half empty, unless I need to go a distance. I figure 30 litters of fuel has a fair bit of weight so I should get more mpg with out it.

[Brian W]

I run mine until the lights comes on the mfd and it has around a 30 mile range left then fill up at the next petrol station.

It usually takes just over 50 lts to the brim from there. Last month on a long trip it got to 0 before I reached a motorway service station but I refused to pay 15p per litre more than my local, so I drove the extra 40 miles home and filled up there instead. Still only 58 lts to the brim.

[philpix]

I run mine until the lights comes on the mfd and it has around a 30 mile range left then fill up at the next petrol station.

It usually takes just over 50 lts to the brim from there. Last month on a long trip it got to 0 before I reached a motorway service station but I refused to pay 15p per litre more than my local, so I drove the extra 40 miles home and filled up there instead. Still only 58 lts to the brim.

Love It! I always refuse to pay the m-way rob dogs.

Phil

[Brian W]

Love It! I always refuse to pay the m-way rob dogs.

Phil

I don't mind 3-4p a litre more, but that was just highway robbery.

Must admit it was a but tense in the car for the last couple of miles.

[thepuss]

I don't mind 3-4p a litre more, but that was just highway robbery.

Must admit it was a but tense in the car for the last couple of miles.

... a "but tense" !!!? Bracing yourself, were you?

[Brian W]

... a "but tense" !!!? Bracing yourself, were you?

You have no idea how much grief I would of got off the other half if I'd ran out of juice with her in the car just for being a tight git.

[philpix]

Maxidot read just 25 miles to go.

Filled to brim 52.6 litres

Phil

[London Les]

I wonder is the 4x4 Superb is similar to the 4x4 Octavia in having a saddle-bag style tank - it might be more difficult to fully empty. In the Octavia the tank has to clear the prop shaft and therefore has two compartments with a small pump providing a connection between the two. Les.

[bigjim73]

I try to keep my tank half empty, unless I need to go a distance. I figure 30 litters of fuel has a fair bit of weight so I should get more mpg with out it.

Not a half full type of person then...

[majland]

+1

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-1

What is the reason of having a large theoretical range if you waste your time filling it up half ways. Time used for refueling is time wasted. And the time for a pit-stop (finding the gas station, refueling and getting back out and up to speed) is almost the same for 40 liters as for 60.

I think the system is good with a warning light that comes on when fuel is getting low to draw your attention to it - but i would have preferred that the maxidot showed are more accurate calculation of how much fuel is left. Being able to drive 40 miles when it shows zero is just not accurate enough.

In our other car it shows in step of 0.5 from 5 liter downwards - then you can plan ahead. On average I've tanked 30,1 liter and it has a 33 liter tank.

The same for my motorcycle - it can hold 30 liters to the brim (listed as 26 liter) and on average I've tanked 25,8 liter.

And I've not ever run out of fuel on a car/motorcycle with an accurate fuel meter - I've done it a few time years back on a small aprilia motorcycle that only had a 9.5liter tank. On that i average to fill with 8,0 liter. And on an XT600 i managed to run out within sight of a gas station. But on my current motorcycle i have fitted a small fuel flow meter so i know how much i've used. And it is accurate within 5% - i've adjusted it so that it never shows to little. At moderate speeds it accurate within 1-2% but the flowmeter is not linear, but at high speeds on highway it uses less than the fuel meter is showing.

The last refill was soon after the warning light came on, and i filled with 47,5 liter - i.e the warning light came out with about 12,5 liter left or about 250km. The maxitdot showed a range just below 200. The reason i refueled was that i was about to hand the car over to my wife - and it does not give positive points handing it over without fuel ...

Most of our driving is on the same roads where we know the location of the gas stations. And with a good fuel economy you can go along way on a few liters ...