Tahoe Usable Gallons

[Stratosurfer]

All,
Tahoe coughed and died last night pulling out of a store, gauge showed 1/8 tank left. After a little cranking the fires lit off again and I went straight to the closest station. I put in 26.5 gallons. By my count I should have had 3.5 gallons left. I was parked sideways on a slope at the store I pulled out of when I stalled. I guess after the stall the new angle on the slope returned fuel to the pickup.
I will 're-label' my gauge to be in the danger zone at a 1/4 tank from now on (this has happened before).
My question is for any Tahoe owners: How many -usable gallons- do we have in our tanks? Manual shows a 30 gallon tank.
My thoughts are that something less than 27 gallons are usable, but am curious as to other folks experiences.

[Robyn]

My advice especially on a diesel is to treat the gauge as a good guess only and when the sucker gets to 1/4 fill it up.

My 94 Burb holds 40 and when its on the lowest part of the RED empty zone will take 36 gallons US to fill it.

The DaHooooley is about the same way. (very forgiving)

My 86 Diesel Burb of many years ago was stopped when the gauge hit the RED

These gauges are notorious for being inacurate and I always like to have some idea of where they are but at my convenience and definately not on a dark cold and rainy night.
Now that you know let the family know too lest thee be receiving a phone call in the dark of night from an unhappy spouse who has discharged the last remaining fuel from the tank and now sits with a system full of air and is issuing forth colorful metafores in all directions at no one in particular and probably making disparaging coments about one particular GM product that is in close proximity to her person.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

Also these can vary a tad bit depending on the pickup tube and if someone has installed a new one along with the sender and maybe tweeked things a little along the way.

Been there done that :D

Best

Robyn

[damork]

My 95 Yukon was on fumes and although I never had it sputter, I got over 27 gallons into it a few times.

[arveetek]

I had a similar problem with my Tahoe last week.

I normally run 100% homebrewed biodiesel, but in the wintertime I cut it down to about 50% with regular #2, to prevent gelling. Last week, the guage was down to about 1/8th of a tank, and I was planning to stop and fill it halfway up with #2, and then top it off with bio. About 5 miles from home, she started sputtering and then died. I coasted to the side of the road, and she started up and then died again.

After about 20 minutes, and right before calling a tow truck, she started back up and I made it another 5 miles (within 1/4 mile of the fuel station) before she died again. After another 20 minutes, and right after calling a tow truck, she started back up and I made it the rest of the way to the fuel station. She died again right at the fuel pump. I pumped the tank full of #2, called the tow truck back and said never mind, and then waited about another 30 minutes before she started up and stayed running.

I am pretty sure that my filter was clogging and gelling with biodiesel, and that I didn't have enough #2 to offset the gelling qualities of the bio. I think that after setting for 20 to 30 minutes, the heat from the engine warmed up the fuel just enough to get me going for a little bit longer.

It could possibly be that I was running out of fuel, though. I'm leaning more towards the gelled fuel. If I had run out of fuel, I don't see how I could start it up and drive another 5 miles. I changed the filter this weekend, and it was pretty nasty. I should have changed it sooner, but have been busy.

What's weird is that I had been driving on the same tank of fuel in much colder weather (20*) without problems, when it gave me problems at only 35*. I can only guess that the low fuel level and dirty filter finally did me in.

From now on, I'm not letting the fuel level get that low, especially in the winter time.

Casey

[Robyn]

The dirty filter will plug easier with jello than a clean one me thinks.
Also the more fuel in the tank the better it will insulate and hold heat. The system is contantly running warm fuel back to the tank through the return line and this will help with the jelling.

The heater in the fuel management system should offset all but the worst jelling issues.

I was chatting with a local contractor here a couple days ago and one of his guys had filled one of the company 1 wheelers up with B99 out in the stick someplace as that was all he could get. The temp dropped off and the stuff got cloudy and really had issues. They were pumping it off and replacing the fuel and the filters.\

I have yet to run any Bio in my big trucks or for that matter in any of my diesels yet.

Just a bit jittery about having issues I guess, especially in the colder weather.

Good luck with it all.

More heat or more dillution me thinks :D

Robyn

[DieselDavy]

Strato,
I've experienced similar events. My Tahoe is looking for a place to coast into when it reaches the first red tick on the gauge! I've not had this issue with all the other properly working diesel gauges I've had over the years. This (97 2Dr) has two red bars at the 'E' side of the gauge. I looked in my fuel records, when it hits the first one, I'm able to get about 26.5 +/- 1 gal into her. I have put 29 gal in her, she died at the pump!
If it sounds like I've done this frequently, I have! This gauge goes from 1/2 to 'E' in no time! It catches me by surprise. I am starting to learn though!
Merry Christmas to all!
Dave

PS. Filler Up!

[micky_blue]

my yukon was not a diesel but it was a 99, and it got 80-90% of its mileage on the top half of the tank. after it hit half a tank u could practically watch the gauge fall.

micky

[DA BIG ONE]

Whats nice about a Tahoe is that the area where the spare tire resides is good for placing an aux tank (fuel cell). The spare will have to go elsewhere but the extra fuel will extend the ride.....................This is good for "DIESEL FUEL" and suggest a class 3 hitch if one is not there to offer some tank protection from rear end hit.

[arveetek]

Whats nice about a Tahoe is that the area where the spare tire resides is good for placing an aux tank (fuel cell). The spare will have to go elsewhere but the extra fuel will extend the ride.....................This is good for "DIESEL FUEL" and suggest a class 3 hitch if one is not there to offer some tank protection from rear end hit.

Not on my Tahoe!

The spare tire already resides inside the rear of the passenger cargo area. The factory fuel tank resides up where you're talking about already, between the rear axle and bumper.

Perhaps the 4-door Tahoes and Suburbans might have the spare underneath the vehicle.

It's too bad that GM never made a 4-door diesel Tahoe.

Casey

[DA BIG ONE]

Not on my Tahoe!

The spare tire already resides inside the rear of the passenger cargo area. The factory fuel tank resides up where you're talking about already, between the rear axle and bumper.

Perhaps the 4-door Tahoes and Suburbans might have the spare underneath the vehicle.

It's too bad that GM never made a 4-door diesel Tahoe.

Casey

I ass-umed all Tahoe's were 4 door now I know better. However, you can still get a fuel cell into that open area under the chassis driver side but not as big.

Good luck!

[arveetek]

I ass-umed all Tahoe's were 4 door now I know better.

Good luck!

No problem!

All diesel Tahoes are two doors, which I think is dumb. To me, they're really Blazers, not Tahoes. GM called them Blazers up through 1994, and then re-badged them in 1995 and later models as two door Tahoes. The name "Blazer" was then used strictly for the smaller 'S-10' SUV's.

Personally, I'd much rather say I drive a Blazer than a Tahoe! :D

Casey