Is three quarters of a tank really three quarters of a tank?

[1993CivicVX]

Well, been sipping my little VX on its first full tank. Been using googlemaps to keep track of how far I've driven. So far I've driven 184 miles in mixed driving (no interstate) with a top speed of about 60mph but a mean speed of about 45 and the gas gauge is hovering about halfway between the full line and 3/4 full. I've done a some ICE off coasting in neutral but not as much as I could and not all the time. It's a 10.0 gallon tank. What kind of mileage am I getting so far? I find that on most cars 3/4 full generally isn't 3/4 full (usally less).... What have other VX owners noticed about their gas gauges? Right now the gauge bobs from just below the Full line to just a little less than 7/8. It hasn't actually reached 3/4 yet. But even assuming it's at 3/4 full now, that means I'm looking at 736 miles or 73.6mpg for the entire tank. Is this possible? Or is my gauge lying to me? I did top off the tank about $.40 @ $2.67/gallon which is about 0.15 gallons. I think the car was pretty level when i filled it. Everything is stock on this car. Except the tires which I don't think are helping its case any.... the fronts almost look like snow tires. I guess I should wait till 1/2 tank before getting too excited.

[Hockey4mnhs]

Hmm 73 seems a little high for how you are driveing it would take alot more to get that, im not saying you cant with that car but im guessing your around 45-55 range. Do you have a trip botton that you can push that will count your miles? This would be alot more close to actual miles so you would know for sure.

[Bill in Houston]

3/4 of a tank is definitely not 3/4 of a tank. Not on any car I've owned, anyway.

[2TonJellyBean]

I have yet to see a car with a linear gas gauge. Tanks generally have very irregular shapes to them plus the floats only go so far within them. Mine shows empty even though it has 15L/4Gal left.

Try and take note how far you have gone when you hit each major marker on the gauge and then you can gauge the tank from that.

xx miles down to where you are even with the full, at xxx miles you are at the 3/4 marker, then ?, then ?...

Then you'll have some reference as to how well each tank is doing.

[GasSavers_StanleyD]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

...I find that on most cars 3/4 full generally isn't 3/4 full (usally less).... is my gauge lying to me?...

DAMN right your gauge is lying. The first time I drove 98 Camry I almost let loose in my panyts I was so happy. It took over 80 miles for the needle to go below the F marker. I thought the needle was broken prior to that. Now that Im driving for FE I can get over 100 miles and you will not even know that I drove the car according to the needle. I makes NO MOVEMENT. I guess its like a 3 gallon "OVER-reserve". Those needles can be used as a reference for someone who KNOWS the car already. Dont be fooled by first tank

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

... I guess I should wait till 1/2 tank before getting too excited.

Ha ha. GOOD LUCK!! You should wait for an EMPTY tank. Once again my high tank of 685 miles in '98 Camry' had hit over 400 miles at half tank, but didnt get anywhere near 800 miles. I expected that but had it been my first tank and I didnt know any better I would have been pissed to be at 415 miles half tank only to get 685 miles at the end of the tank (and that was with nearly killing my reserve. I find that my first half generally gets me about 100 miles more than my second half tank, if I were to go by the needle. I dont want to be pessimistic. Im sure you mpg will be good, I just want you to finish a tank forst for a good reading.

[GasSavers_BIBI]

I don't know for your VX, but my VX cauge is completly wrong. Espacially the first half. If I fill it up completly, I might be doing 60miles and more before getting lower than the F. And I'm pretty sure its a 11.9 gallon tank we have.

[Sigifrith]

Originally Posted by BIBI

I don't know for your VX, but my VX cauge is completly wrong. Espacially the first half. If I fill it up completly, I might be doing 60miles and more before getting lower than the F. And I'm pretty sure its a 11.9 gallon tank we have.

BIBI, if you have a stock tank, its 10 Gallons.
The gauges aren't linear. I can usually get 100 - 120 miles before my gauge comes down to the full mark.

[GasSavers_BIBI]

Originally Posted by Sigifrith

BIBI, if you have a stock tank, its 10 Gallons.
The gauges aren't linear. I can usually get 100 - 120 miles before my gauge comes down to the full mark.

Hum, maybe but I rembember having putting a 40 liter one time, and yes its stock, but anayway doesn't really matter I don't want to start a thread on this you might be right. But yes 47-48 liters seems high. And its also a 1992 gauges with the technology of that time so I don't have a lot of espectation about the precision, from the moment I'm not near below the red line .

[1993CivicVX]

Thanks guys for weighing in. It dropped drastically this morning, as if just because I had opened my mouth. It's now between 2/3 and 7/8. But, yeah, it seems the gauge is pretty unreliable. I'm now at 199.3 = miles at "3/4" tank. I'm projecting 340 miles when it has settled in on the 1/2 way mark and 580 by the time I'm not willing to drive anymore before filling up for fear of running out of gas.

Hockey4mnhs: my odometer doesn't work 1/2 the time so I have to rely on googlemaps. I think it's fairly accurate. If anything I'm driving more as it doesn't take into consideration parking lots and driveways.

[GasSavers_TomO]

THIS post has a discussion on the civic gas gauge for reference.