[Beeswing]

I was reading through parts of the Elise manual and came across the fuel tank section. It states that the fuel tank capacity is 10.6 gallons, and that the gauge has 6 bars. But, then it also says that the last bar is equivalent to 1.3 gallons of fuel left.

I'm bad at math but:
6 bars X 1.3 gallons/bar = 7.8 gallons, not 10.6 gallons

Is the explanation because the final bar is worth 1.3 gallons, but the preceding 5 bars are about 1.9 gallons? Anyone know?

No biggie, just curious,
Andy

 

[carphoria]

Andy,

I believe the bar is NOT a linear scale. Just like most other cars. It's a digital display of an analog, and not very accurate, gauge.

Monitor your miles driven. You'll notice you get a lot more miles on your first quarter tank, than the second, third, etc.

-JM

 

[addertooth]

At 200 miles, it is time for me to refuel, some NA cars get much better fuel economy.

 

[dcat151]

Yeah, I always refuel around 200 miles. Right now I'm averaging about 25.5 mpg, which is better than my daily driver. Apparently I need to drive the Elise harder.

 

[sturgeongeneral]

I average about 25.5 mpg but have gotten 30 on a GGLC backroads run in the foothills.

 

[spiller]

My tank is 60L (aftermarket baffled fuel cell). If I add 30L of fuel when its right on empty, the gauge shows 3/4 full. Go figure.

 

[sprocket3]

Mine can go from 2 bars to 0 bars in a few minutes. Then it comes back to 1 bar sometimes. You think you have 1/3 tank, then a few miles down the road it seems empty.

Then you discover what life is like below 4000 RPMs as you nurse the last drops to the station.

 

[Ironmatt]

See, and this is why I track my mileage religiously with the trip odometer... I have never gotten worse than 22mpg so I feel totally safe driving it to 210ish miles on every tank... and still have never had a fill-up of more than 9.5 gallons even with the bars all gone, so I am sure there is some cushion there. Best ever mileage was 29.9 on a road trip where I was forced to drive 70 for almost 300 miles.... /shudder

-M

 

[dcat151]

Mine can go from 2 bars to 0 bars in a few minutes. Then it comes back to 1 bar sometimes. You think you have 1/3 tank, then a few miles down the road it seems empty.

Then you discover what life is like below 4000 RPMs as you nurse the last drops to the station.

When the tank gets low parking on a hill can dramatically change the gauge reading as well. I'm guessing that the sensor is in the back of the tank because if I have less than two full bars and park nose downhill, when I get back in the car it shows zero bars. If I drive on a level road for a few minutes, the gauge will go back up.

 

[Beeswing]

Thanks all. I guess I wasn't imagining it when the final 2 bars seemed to go away quicker than the others (for me at least). I also get about 200 miles per tank. Digital display of analog information is fine by me. I prefer my cars analog over digital anyhow; women too!

A

 

[addertooth]

LOL, if you think the bars are deceptive, just wait till you pop in a V2 tank with trap doors.

 

[Grunschev]

... and still have never had a fill-up of more than 9.5 gallons even with the bars all gone, so I am sure there is some cushion there. Best ever mileage was 29.9 on a road trip where I was forced to drive 70 for almost 300 miles.... /shudder

-M

Filled up just the other day. No bars, put in 9.1 gallons.

I regularly get more than 35mpg. Except at the track, where I regularly get 15.

 

[David Craig]

As others have said the readings are non-linear.

I have always used the trip odometer to decide when to refill. It seems very odd at first to use it for that purpose but it works.