Fuel tank size and other questions...

[scrapvn]

Hi everyone
A couple of questions regarding my VN Berlina (stop laughing...)
1: What size is the fuel tank? My fuel gauge is a standard VN one, i.e. it doesnt work. When i run out of fuel and can get it to the petrol station, i can ONLY put about 40 litres in it before it spews out all over me and everything else. I have done the whole waiting and trying to put more in but the fuel is level with the cap! Once i decided to trickle the fuel in (took AGES) but it still got full at about 40 litres... whats going on???? When the odometer WAS working (another standard VN part) i found i could drive about 250-280km on a tank in the city.
2: The engine warning light... very pretty! Why does it come on for about 30 seconds without blinking and then go off, any time it wants to? It happens about once every fortnight. sometimes it will come on 2 or 3 times within an hour and then i wont see it for 2 weeks. It NEVER flashes. When the car runs like cr#p the light stays off. It ONLY comes on when the car is running smoothly.
3: (Last question) How can i get my temperature gauge to work?

I LOVE this forum!

[Garth]

answer to question 1, 65 litres
answer to question 2, comes on breifly if you have a intermitent fault, wont log a fault code (well it will depending on the code) dont worry, just panic when it comes on perminatly and never goes out.
answer to question 3, bash the living snot out of the dash (mabey not hard, a quick sharp tap on the dash above the temp guage will generaly get them working) they stick, go the old holden design flaw

cheers
garth

[scrapvn]

Thanx for the info.
1. My tank must have 15-20 litres of mud/rust/crap in the bottom...
2. Cool about the light... i reckon if it ever stays on permanently i will just take the globe out... problem solved! lol
3. I have bashed, beaten, kicked, hit, slapped, tapped, bumped, nudged, begged, pleaded, swore at, spat at, ignored, dismantled inspected and cleaned, tested and... given up trying to get the fuel gauge or the temperature gauge to work. But you can always spot the other drivers bashing their dashs in traffic... persistent.... lol
Thanx again.

[MarzVP]

You could try to see if you have had a fault logged by checking out this thread.

Checking your Computer for Faults (VN - VP)

There is a thread somewhere that tells you how to fix the dash but you have to pull it apart and solder something I will see if I can find it for you.

P.S. Welcome to the forum mate!

[MarzVP]

I found it

Solution to Sticky fuel/temp guages

[scrapvn]

Thanx MarzVP,
I had a look and it seems simple enough. Ive had the gauges apart before but it never occurred to me to check dry joints... Seems i only do that when im working on the computer.
Cheers!

[scrapvn]

WOOHOO!!!!
Thanx marzVP for the tip. It WORKS! and ive discovered nearly 3/4 full tank!!

[1991_Vn2nV]

The exact volume of the fuel tank is actually 63 litres.

[scrapvn]

Yup it is supposed to be 63 litres according to the bible. That still doesn't sort out my tank and only being able to fit 40 or so litres in it.
I'm just gonna have to run it dry (couldnt care less if it causes problems) and rip the sucker out and inspect it to death!

[mouce]

If you're only getting 280km out of a tank around town, try replacing your oxygen sensor. Should give you much better economy

[jack.mc]

I've been testing my tank out lately, and my needle was not moving from the pin, ie showing BELOW empty. When i filled it up i found it still had ~8L... You just cant trust the gauge!!!

[scrapvn]

The gauge is out of whack! It said between 1/4 and 1/2. Stuck a hose in the tank and it came up with about an inch of fuel on it. THAT AINT OVER 1/4!!! Went to the servo and put $10 in it. About 9 litres. The gauge went up a 1/4 to between 1/2 and 3/4. To my calculations that means its about 9 litres per 1/4 tank. Times by 4 to get a full tank at 36 litres!!!!!!!!
WHAT THA ?!?!?!

[mouce]

There's no fuel gauge in any car that I've ever driven that's ever been any good. Hell...if I nail it off the line in my VN it can drop from 1/2 to 1/4, and if I stomp the brakes it can go from 1/2 to 3/4. That's just from the fuel moving around in the tank.

Then there is all the inaccuracy in the gauge itself. It takes 300km to get to 1/2 from Full, then another 100km to get from 1/2 to empty.

I look for a servo when I hit 300km, and leave it no longer than 400km. Never run out of fuel yet.

[scrapvn]

Thanx for all the input guys.

Fact 1: I run out of fuel, i.e. the car wil not run.
Fact 2: I put hose in tank and hose is dry or 5mm wet. (been dipping the tank for a while. i know when i hit the bottom and not the ridge.)
Fact 3: Fuel can (5L) fuel in car.
Fact 4: Start car, go to servo. (100m or less)
Fact 5: PUT 35 (or so) LITRES OF FUEL IN AND IT OVERFLOWS ALL OVER THE DAMN CAR!!!!!

DEDUCTION FROM ALL FACTS: The fuel tank is only able to hold 40 litres.

Regardless what the gauge says or even if it works or not, the tank in my car is the WRONG SIZE!!
Someone once told me that there is a "well" in the bottom of the tank and it may have moved. Even if that were true, it would have NO impact on the volume if the tank. I have also been told that my tank may be damaged. The tank is fine. I have measured the outside dimensions of the tank and it is the same size as other VNs, but they can fill to the 60 litre mark. There is no sludge, sand or any other crap in the bottom of the tank.
All i want to know is; a: has anyone ever heard of this before? and b: what the hell could be taking up 20L of space in there that doesnt move around or show itself in any way.
Maybe i should pull the tank out and see if i can get the 10kg of drugs out of it, or scrape off the 5 inches thick layer of paint so i can see the true size of the tank, or measure the thickness of the tank wall (couldnt be more than 6 centimetres thick.....)

I'm not bitching to anyone here, i'm just saying whats happening and seeing if anyone has heard of this before. It's driving me nuts!!!!

[greenfoam]

, you must have a special VN there because all the rest of them hold 63 liters, if your sure the tank has 10 kg's of drugs in it, just get another one from the wreckers

[Full Spectrum]

I got a good question to ask on tank sizes. Myn every full tank takes on 66-68litres. Once it took 71litres, These are not from bone dry empty, And it also has some dints under it well maybe more like pot holes, So would anyone know what size my tank could be? it's not factory standard was changed by previous owner who is was to drunk to remember what who and when etc.

[greenfoam]

You would have the V8 tank, if you park it next to a stock V6 you will see that it's slightly deeper and might even have a stone gaurd infront and under it

[lazza44]

Maybe your fuel pump isnt sitting at the bottom of the tank...( someone else may have said this.)

[scrapvn]

Cheers guys for the suggestions etc.
My car is far from normal so it doesnt surprise me that the tank cant hold 63 litres. The previous owner must have been a slack #ss w#nk&r. I have had to fix so many simple things and some not so simple stuff too.
I'm gonna get a tank from the wreckers anyway and detonate the old one somewhere in the hills just for p%ss@ng me off so much!

[teebo]

G'Day,

I have a fuel spill problem with my VR shita. When it gets to around 40 litres on the bowser with about 10 litres in tank, the fuel will spill out of the fill point before the bowser can switch off. I'm thinking its an air bleed problem. Have replaced breather hose and other hoses coming off the filler and top of tank but still having problem. Also after filled to full after alot of fuel spill, the breather off the filler hisses like its trying to either breathe air or dispell air and the pump starts pumping under stress untill the tank is around half full then its ok. WTF?
I had the tank out and checked for blocked hoses, has anyone come accross this problem?

[crazybiker]

@ScrapVN. I've got the same problem too. I can run mine to the point where it'll be on the E on the fuel gauge, actually cough and splutter if you turn a left hand corner semi-hard, and still get to a servo and only be able to put a MAXIMUM of 49L into the bloody thing.

[wortus]

Yup it is supposed to be 63 litres according to the bible. That still doesn't sort out my tank and only being able to fit 40 or so litres in it.
I'm just gonna have to run it dry (couldnt care less if it causes problems) and rip the sucker out and inspect it to death!

Could the breather hoses especially the big one ontop of the tank be blocked or kinked I think that it lets air from the top of the tank out as it fills up.

[Shearer]

I had the '40 litre' tank syndrome on my VN a while ago, until I replaced the tank. Now I have a proper 63 litre tank.

[Shearer]

I had the '40 litre' tank syndrome on my VN a while ago, until I replaced the tank

I had the exact same problems as mentioned as scrapvn described.

EDIT <Double post>

[teebo]

Thanks fella's,
You's are all champions.
Replace the f*%kin tank hey. After I do that, I'll have a new car, with everything else I have replaced on the shita.