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  • Fuel Tank

    Hi

    I can regularly put 35-40l of fuel in my 453 when the fuel gauge reads 2 bars left. The blurb says the tank holds 35l with 5l as a reserve and the most I have put in is 40.05l! Merc have recoded the car and swapped the fuel tank sender and it is still the same. I have not dared take it any lower as I don't know if I'll run out or not and I have used 4-5 different garages to fill up incase the pumps were not calibrated correctly!

    Has anyone else had any fun and games with the fuel tank capacity? I am currently ignoring the fuel gauge and driving on distance!

    G

  • #2
    Invest in a 5 litre petrol tank. Keep driving until you run out. Take photo of gauge reading as proof. Repeat a few times. Go back to dealer and request a new car if not fixed.

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    • #3
      There's apparently a software update for the dash for this problem (amongst others) , I've not had the problem myself on my september 2015 plate straight from the factory) , but I've heard a rumour.


      Have you ever took it to the low fuel warning screen ? where it will also count down from 1.1Gallons
      Last edited by 10:45PM; 04-12-16, 02:35 PM.

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      • #4
        Thanks

        I don't really fancy risking breaking the fuel pump and it might be a bit hit and miss where I run out!!

        Apparently the car is on the latest software?? The first time I got the car I filled up at 2 blobs and put 40l so I got very wary about driving it any lower than 2 bars!!

        I have read lots of articles about people not getting the fuel into the cars but I can get plenty fuel in!! I also think the USA, UK cars and the German cars have different size fuel tanks.

        Does anyone have the physical dimensions of the tank so I can work out the cubic capacity?

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        • #5
          The tank will be too irregularly shaped to calculate its volume.
          Fuel pump wont suffer from running dry - just switch off when the engine falters. Safer to arrange running out on a quiet road.

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          • #6
            I have read lots of articles about people not getting the fuel into the cars but I can get plenty fuel in!! I also think the USA, UK cars and the German cars have different size fuel tanks.
            You are correct. The normal capacity is 28 litres, which includes a 5 litre reserve (though I think that is only for the basic models found in Germany) but there is also a 35 litre capacity tank available (I assume this is the norm for the UK and a option elsewhere - I've not seen a 28 litre capacity tank advertised in the UK). The USA have a 33 litre tank which I can only assume is due to the differing regulations over there.

            I can only assume putting 40 litres in the car meant that it was going up the filler neck? The tank is underneath the floor where the seats are given the diagram I have of it so that is a bit of a reach and as Thurmbleux says, the shape is most certainly irregular.

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            • #7
              It's 35Litres over here confirmed. but still only a nominal capacity.

              As said there's no way you'll caculate the actual volume because it's a very complex shape not a simple box.

              You won't break the fuel pump, As also suggested take a 5litre bottle with you and drive it 'til it stutters... but once it starts to miss just park up ' don't continue past that point , it's not doing the engine much good prolonging the misfires.
              It may well be able to reset itself once the software reads the true bottom.

              I'll ask again Have you ever took it to the low fuel warning screen ? where it will also count down from 1.1Gallons
              Last edited by 10:45PM; 05-12-16, 11:54 AM.

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              • #8
                No, I have never taken it below 2 bars and to the 5l count down!! The only reason is that when it was down at 2 bars I put 40l in so assumed I was in vapours!!

                I know the old 452 had a 10usa gallon tank and all my fill ups suggested that was the case, I have three of them and they were all the same!! It just seems that I could end up putting 50l in a car that should only hold 35!! I'd expect from the old 452 tanks school of capacity that you'd get 35l + 5l reserve.

                It seems odd (to me) the new 453 tank would hold so much more fuel that the listed capacity?

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                • #9
                  Well you'll be happy to know , mine goes into the remaining display (I've done it a couple of times) , a 'Low fuel' warning comes up and then it counts it out in Gallon points starting at 1.1Gallon

                  and I put something around the 30/35 mark before it brims , I'll try and do it again in the next few days (out of sheer curiosity) but I can't guarantee I'll do it. depends if I'm near a fuel station at the time and the day leading up to it.

                  Go and do the 5Litre bottle in the boot thing.

                  Also, just because they say they've "recoded" the car and the software is apparently "up to date" doesn't mean it is, some dealers can be soooo useless., same goes for if they've changed the sender unit .....
                  Last edited by 10:45PM; 05-12-16, 05:18 PM.

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                  • #10
                    ok - we need to find that chap and get him to drop the tank out and measure it again if he has got the new smart!!

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                    • #11
                      The only way to find true calibration, is to find out when the low warning comes in, and as said take a photo of the display as proof that things ain't right, as you really need to know the true levels of a fuel tank.

                      On my 451 the outside temperature reading turns into a 50 Mile countdown to zero (goes, 50, 45, 40 etc, when on low fuel), so gives good warning, though I always make sure I buy fuel before it goes below 20 MIles left, as do not want to run dry.

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