V6 Discussion and questions about the base carbureted or MPFI V6's and the rare SFI Turbo V6.

how many gallons do our gas tanks hold?

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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 12:34 PM
  #1  
3.1 firebird's Avatar
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From: st.louis
how many gallons do our gas tanks hold?

I swear that ahwile back when I was on empty my car held 13 gallons. I;m trying to figure my gas mileage up because I am in Chicago right now and I have just a tad bit under half. The trip was 275 miles, but we all knw that when the gas guage gets under halfway its starts going down faster, but I still think I can squeeze out another 50 miles at least. I;m thinking my car can go at least 325 pure highway miles.
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 03:02 PM
  #2  
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Helms shop manual says my 1985 has 16

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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 08:27 PM
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well.... 13.4 on fumes today. damn $hitty gas...
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 08:53 PM
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15.5 US gallons. If anyone tries to tell me there is another size, I'm gonna come over there and beat them. There is NO "special size" found in 1LE or B4C models. None. Period.
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 08:58 PM
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Alright, then how do you explain that when my wife ran out of gas last week, it only took 13.7 gallons at the station?
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 10:17 PM
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Car: 99 WS6 / 00 SS / 11 CTS-V / 13 300
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Axle/Gears: 3.23 / 3.42 Auburn / 3.23 / 2.62
87 Firebird is 110% correct. Case closed, don't argue, y'all go home and have a good night
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 11:06 PM
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Car: '10 Subaru Forester
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I've put up to 15.7 in my tank and it wasn't sputtering or anything...
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Old Sep 23, 2001 | 11:14 PM
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What the tank will hold and what it will suck are two different numbers, so what you just put in after running out means exactly squat. The facts are the carbed cars will hold something like .4 gallons more because of the lack of an in-tank pump. The capacity is still like just under 16 for injected cars and just over 16 for carbed cars.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 12:07 AM
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From: UCIrvine or SFV, CA
Car: 1999 Pontiac Trans Am
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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I've put up to 15.7 in my tank and it wasn't sputtering or anything... </font>
Same thing happened with my dad's Expedition, tank capacity is 26 gal (US) but the gas station said 26.333 gal and it wasn't even FULL YET! I'd bet it was the gas station's fault. Check if they have a weights and measures sticker/certification on the pump.

For all you SFV third-genners, don't buy gas @ the Mobil at Zelzah and Devonshire, they're very inaccurate. (That's where the expedition incident happened)

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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 12:08 AM
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I have found this not to be true... two cars 1990 Firebird and 1992 Camaro, Camaro held 15.5 gallons, Firebird does not hold 15.5, for damn sure. It has a 13. somethine gallon tank being I have coasted into a gas station and still didn't put 14 gallons in! My Camaro, however, I have put 15.4 gallons in... so 87, you are wrong.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 01:07 AM
  #11  
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From: First one out of liberty city, burn it to the ground
yea my firebird only holds around 13 gallons.

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1989 Firebird. Modded.
700r4--&gt;t5 w/ram clutch
Cold air, 1.6 rockers, 21lb injectors, 3" y-pipe, random tech cat, 3" ipipe, flowmaster 80 series 3" in 3" out hand made stainless tips, Lakewood LCA's, Msd 6a, Msd coil, Wonder Bar, 180* stat,

I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT have run at all"
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 08:53 AM
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From: LaFayette, NY
Car: '10 Subaru Forester
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Axle/Gears: 4.44
I've seen this topic floating around for a while and I guess it's kind of amusing that half of you refuse to believe the owners manual... it has tank sizes listed for different engine packages and they all range from 15.5 to 16.5 gallons... do you think the manufacturer just put special 13 gallon gas tanks in your cars? I think not...


------------------
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 02:11 PM
  #13  
I_Live_4_my_RS!!!'s Avatar
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Hey guys, the Camaro V6 3.1 has a 12.5 gallon tank. Taken right from the owners manual the owners manual.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 03:35 PM
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according to my haynes manual it's 15.8. and It's damn close as I've totally run out of gas (wouldn't even run) and When I filled it, the car took 15.75 gallons and I didn't top it off.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 04:01 PM
  #15  
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From: Sarasota FL
Car: 99 WS6 / 00 SS / 11 CTS-V / 13 300
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Transmission: 4L60E / T-56 / 6L80E / W5A80
Axle/Gears: 3.23 / 3.42 Auburn / 3.23 / 2.62
I am curious to see I Live for my RS's owner's manual, as every road test, Chiltons and MY owner's manual say 15.5 for an FI car and 15.8 for a carbed car.

Why the difference?? FI cars have an in-tank pump (actually, L69 cars do too I think..) while carbed ones have an external pump that takes up no space in the gas tank. THE TANKS ARE THE SAME SIZE.

Damn, like I said, y'all go home now and realize the third gen in your driveway physically holds no more than 15.8 gallons....
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 05:08 PM
  #16  
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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by AmorgetRS:
...so 87, you are wrong.</font>
That may well be, I can only go by the information I have on hand. That would be my chilton manual.

EDIT: I just looked and my manual is Camaro specific so the birds could have a different capacity.

[This message has been edited by 87RS402 (edited September 24, 2001).]
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 05:26 PM
  #17  
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From: Garland, TX, USA
Car: 1992 Camaro RS & 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: 3.1 L v6 & 305 (5.0L) v8
Transmission: 4L60 Auto
1991-1992 3.1L V6 Camaros have 15.5 Gallon Gas Tank, NO BUTS, check the gas station, I think they are cheating YOU if your putting in more, this is not counting what you can put in the filler tube.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 06:28 PM
  #18  
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Fine Then. Tomorrow, I will go to work, look up Third Gen F-car, and print out every damned fuel tank combination that third gens can fit. This printout will be from the GENERAL MOTORS ELECTRONIC PARTS CATALOG. I will then go to the trouble of scanning the page, uploading it onto my site, and posting a link for you all to see. Then, maybe you will all see reason. But then again, maybe not....
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 08:37 PM
  #19  
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Me personally do not fully trust the haynes, chiltons manual. I have found many a descripency in them in dealing in the "real world". I know the most I have ever put in and this is sitting dead at the side of the road is about 13.5 maybe 13.9. and this is outta gas, not starting not even fumes. 92 camaro 3.1.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 10:03 PM
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I have a '91 Camaro RS 3.1l V6 and I can assure you that I have never been able to fit 15 gallons of gas into the car's tank (according to the guages on any of the pumps at any of the fuel stations that I have visited). I will admit, however, that I have never ran the tank so dry that the engine would no longer run.
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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 10:38 PM
  #21  
I_Live_4_my_RS!!!'s Avatar
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Whoops... that was supposed to be a 5, not a two...

The owners manual on the 1992 RS 3.1 V6 says 15.5 Gallons.

Though I've never had the pleasure of actually putting in that much.

Here are a few engine specs included in the manual

VIN code T
Compression ratio 8.8:1
Fireing order 1-2-3-4-5-6
Fuel Delivery Injected
Piston Displacement 191 CID
Valve Arrangement In-Head


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Old Sep 24, 2001 | 11:58 PM
  #22  
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I said my 1992 Camaro has a 15.5 gallon tank, but my 1990 Firebird only has a 13. Do you guys not see a trend that it is ONLY Firebird owners who claim to have a smaller tank? And you see it is uniform at 13 gallons?
I would not trust manuals or even what GM says, they do weird things, such a 350 91/92 Firebird with t-tops...
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 12:28 AM
  #23  
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Yea, but the only thing that mistified me is the fact that the camaro and firebird suspension and basically undercarriage should be the same.. except one thing i thought of. TTA's came with baffled tanks, whats the possibility the baffled tanks were smaller and the firebirds got em, or just later (88-89) firebirds got them? my tank only takes 13 gallons..no matter what.


------------------
1989 Firebird. Modded.
700r4--&gt;t5 w/ram clutch
Cold air, 1.6 rockers, 21lb injectors, 3" y-pipe, random tech cat, 3" ipipe, flowmaster 80 series 3" in 3" out hand made stainless tips, Lakewood LCA's, Msd 6a, Msd coil, Wonder Bar, 180* stat,

I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT have run at all"
See my car Here!
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 10:03 AM
  #24  
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From: Sarasota FL
Car: 99 WS6 / 00 SS / 11 CTS-V / 13 300
Engine: LS1 / LS1 / LSA / 5.7 Hemi
Transmission: 4L60E / T-56 / 6L80E / W5A80
Axle/Gears: 3.23 / 3.42 Auburn / 3.23 / 2.62
87 Firebird,

Thank you for hopefully putting the scans up, and we can put this to an end. BTW, can you see specifically what the L69 tanks "held"?? Just curious as to whether an L69 had an electric pump or not.

Again, I know for a fact ANY FI car holds 15.5...I do remember carbed cars as being able to hold more.
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 10:15 AM
  #25  
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TTA had a baffeled tank yes. But it was the same tank as the 1LE camaros got and it only decreases capacity a little.
I had my tank completely drained and refilled(seeing as it had set for 4 years when I got it) well anyways I had it on the roll back when filling and I got 15.3 gallons give or take a little.
The GM specifications on capacity of the actual tank is 15.5 Gallons. If you have an intake fuel pump or baffel then it will take up some space.
Guys I dont trust haynes or Chilton either. I have a Chilton for 86 Models that list the 305TPI in a Z/28 to have 265hp and the Trans Am to have 225 and we all know this is not true, but its there.
Though in my TTA manual it states for all 89 Firebirds that the capacity is 15.5 gallons and the TTA spoecific supplement sayes nothing to the contrary. So I know I had my tank completely drained and I know how much went in and I know what the owners manual says therefore I know its 15.5 gallons if you fill up from empty. You know your fuel pump doesnt really reach the bottom of the tank thats why you get less than that and also because your not completely out of gas when you reach the gas station.

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Past Thirdgen:
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Old Dec 7, 2015 | 12:09 PM
  #26  
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From: Pacific Northwest
Car: 1991 Firebird Formula 5.0
Engine: Built L03
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.23 7.5" 10 bolt lsd
Re: how many gallons do our gas tanks hold?

So I currently own a 87ta and a 91 formula and despite the fact that upon a bone dry fill up they only take 13.something they both have thanks that are 15.5 I have an aunt who also owns an older formula that upon fill up will take well over 14 gallons and surprise her car still has the 15.5 Gallon tank how low your car will get before it dies from lack of fuel will vary depending on many circumstances the ones I consider most common is whether or not the car is fuel injected and had a fuel pump replaced since it rolled off the showroom floor. There might be other size tanks on these cars but it can be assumed your car has the 15.5 gallon tank. I would not count on being able to run on less than 2 gallons.

P.S.
Always buy gas of the correct octane from a reputable has service station that has been weight and measurement certified to assure you're getting what and how much you are paying for.
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Old Dec 7, 2015 | 12:46 PM
  #27  
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From: Tyler, Tx
Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
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Re: how many gallons do our gas tanks hold?

Holy necro-post Batman!
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Old Feb 28, 2021 | 11:20 AM
  #28  
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Car: 87 trans am gta /89 chevy corvette
Engine: 350
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Re: how many gallons do our gas tanks hold?

I’m going to bring it back from the dead. I bought a 87 gta trans am. 1/4 tank I start having fuel starvation while braking. Filled up and a little over 13 gal. My Pontiac service manual says should be a 15.9 gal tank. But there’s a twist. My tank was replaced by previous owner with a spectra tank have the receipt. Looked it up on spectra site and it’s a 14 gal tank!!!! I’m thinking there is also an issue with the sending unit working with the aftermarket tank. Something to consider maybe some of the gas tanks were replaced that’s not filling up with as much gas??

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