Riddle me This Batman

[4V Mayhem]

No, read my post again, I’m not defending anyone. Just an observation of non owners jumping on those who actually own the car.
BTW my GT350’s gas gauge/idiot light works annoyingly well. Miles to empty shown vs real life gallons in the tank are frighteningly accurate. I say annoying because it keeps reminding me like I’m an Alzheimer’s patient.
The second reason I jumped in here is I always want to know where I “actually” stand with gallons in the tank. Most cars fuel gages are pretty inaccurate and I dislike stopping for fuel. It’s bad enough our range is limited due to tank size, 500’s even worse. I know it’s due to weight savings for the track. I also know some of those that actually track their 500’s would like larger tanks even if they give up a weight gain.
In almost 48 years of driving, I’ve never run out of fuel, ever! I’ve also pushed the limit many, many times because I know my car/trucks “real” limit....drives my wife nuts.
Peace out brothers and sisters.

Well there you have it. His gas light is off by 32 miles. I suggest he start a claim with the warranty department and hopefully they can fix this terrible issue. If they can't then he should have them lemon his car and buy it back from him. And hopefully the next GT500 he gets won't be afflicted with the same issue.

By the way... staying out of boost with less than a 1/4 tank of gas was sage advice for S197 GT500s, especially on modified cars. This was to prevent fuel sloshing resulting in cavitation and a subsequent lean condition. Ford solved this problem by putting a sump around the fuel pumps in the 2020 GT500. You can run this car full tilt boogie until out of gas.

I was on the Charlotte track with a gas gauge reading completely empty with zero miles remaining with no way to signal the instructor car in the lead. I drove another two balls-out laps before heading to the pits for more gas... I made it and the car survived with no issues.

Ok then. Going WOT with the gas light on is completely safe on the 2020+ GT500s. I advise him to do it as often as possible. Enjoy.

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[CJJon]

No, read my post again, I’m not defending anyone. Just an observation of non owners jumping on those who actually own the car.
BTW my GT350’s gas gauge/idiot light works annoyingly well. Miles to empty shown vs real life gallons in the tank are frighteningly accurate. I say annoying because it keeps reminding me like I’m an Alzheimer’s patient.
The second reason I jumped in here is I always want to know where I “actually” stand with gallons in the tank. Most cars fuel gages are pretty inaccurate and I dislike stopping for fuel. It’s bad enough our range is limited due to tank size, 500’s even worse. I know it’s due to weight savings for the track. I also know some of those that actually track their 500’s would like larger tanks even if they give up a weight gain.
In almost 48 years of driving, I’ve never run out of fuel, ever! I’ve also pushed the limit many, many times because I know my car/trucks “real” limit....drives my wife nuts.
Peace out brothers and sisters.

"Dislike stopping for fuel"?

It makes no difference it you fill up at every half tank or every empty tank. You will make the same number of fuel stops.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Car manufacturers are so obsessed with making their cars idiot-proof, that they end up alienating normal people.
I also would prefer the fuel gauge and the miles to empty to be accurate, rather than an overly pessimistic approximation. But it is what it is.

Frankly, I don't think this pessimistic approximation is really safer. Because once you realize how it works you'll inevitably start to compensate for it (i.e. you'll see zero miles to empty and will think "oh, that's OK, when it says zero it's actually thirty, so I can relax").

 

[NotagainV2]

Car manufacturers are so obsessed with making their cars idiot-proof, that they end up alienating normal people.
I also would prefer the fuel gauge and the miles to empty to be accurate, rather than an overly pessimistic approximation. But it is what it is.

Frankly, I don't think this pessimistic approximation is really safer. Because once you realize how it works you'll inevitably start to compensate for it (i.e. you'll see zero miles to empty and will think "oh, that's OK, when it says zero it's actually thirty, so I can relax").

They have to compensate for when people like the OP gets behind the wheel.

 

[Houston Kid]

They have to compensate for when people like the OP gets behind the wheel.

And how is that? Because I actually track the car and push it and like to have an accurate representation of current fuel level. Explain to me how having a car that says zero miles to empty when in fact it’s closer to 50 miles is ok?
Really, explain that to me because apparently having a very inaccurate gas gauge is ok with you. 1/8 tank really means 1/4 but because there are idiots out there that cannot figure out when the car is actually empty, let’s put an idiot light that says 0 miles to empty on the car.
Do you not see the flawed logic there? I now know that with a slight difference between the gauge indicator and E, I have approximately one gallon of gas left.
Allow me to understand how having such a dramatic discrepancy is acceptable. I understand 10 or 15 miles, but over 40 and very well likely 50 miles is ok. How can you justify that as acceptable?

I guess y’all feel almost is good enough.

 

[Jmeo]

Car manufacturers are so obsessed with making their cars idiot-proof, that they end up alienating normal people.
I also would prefer the fuel gauge and the miles to empty to be accurate, rather than an overly pessimistic approximation. But it is what it is.

Frankly, I don't think this pessimistic approximation is really safer. Because once you realize how it works you'll inevitably start to compensate for it (i.e. you'll see zero miles to empty and will think "oh, that's OK, when it says zero it's actually thirty, so I can relax").

I'm a whopping 5'5" with a receding hair line, pot belly and a small ................. I have been compensating my whole life.

 

[Houston Kid]

I'm a whopping 5'5" with a receding hair line, pot belly and a small ................. I have been compensating my whole life.

That is funny as hell.
Well I’m 6’5”, 245 lbs with a 32” waist and a giant.....
It’s internet key board cowboy time. I’m also a French model.
Haha

 

[Jmeo]

That is funny as hell.
Well I’m 6’5”, 245 lbs with a 32” waist and a giant.....
It’s the internet key board cowboy time. I’m also a French model.
Haha

HA!

I couldn't even get a hand modeling job, that's how good looking I ain't.

 

[Houston Kid]

Well there you have it. His gas light is off by 32 miles. I suggest he start a claim with the warranty department and hopefully they can fix this terrible issue. If they can't then he should have them lemon his car and buy it back from him. And hopefully the next GT500 he gets won't be afflicted with the same issue.

Ok then. Going WOT with the gas light on is completely safe on the 2020+ GT500s. I advise him to do it as often as possible. Enjoy.

Nah. I’ll just use the gas gauge like I have been for the last 37 years. Knowing true E has served me well. Only ran out of gas once when I was 16 and 1/2 a block away from the gas station.
Some of life’s best lessons are learned from your mistakes and depending on idiot lights ain’t smart.

 

[Houston Kid]

Any who. Back to working on the car. Camber plates are next then off to get a track alignment after the new Cup2s come in next week. I will likely not finish the Vorshlag camber plates this weekend so maybe the alignment will have to wait until the following week. I spent too much time chasing down a slow leaking rear tire that developed after last weeks track day. Found a small nail that the rubber had almost covered up from being hot and/or OPR (other people's rubber) sticking to the tire.

Yes, I turn my own wrenches like many on here do. It is a joy to work on the car and see the results of your efforts on the track and the street.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

What, what? If I fill up every half tank, that's roughly twice as many fuel stops if I waited until the light. I'm getting fuel roughly every 100-150 miles. Assuming the same driving mix, filling at the light would be stopping every 200-300 miles.

It's like the old joke, guy orders a pizza, person taking the order says, "Would you like it cut into 8 or 16 slices?", guy says, "Oh, just 8 there's no way I could eat 16 ..."

 

[Blithe16]

It's like the old joke, guy orders a pizza, person taking the order says, "Would you like it cut into 8 or 16 slices?", guy says, "Oh, just 8 there's no way I could eat 16 ..."

Its like that if you're going to the pizza place for single slices. . .

I was always told not never let my car run on fumes. . . we let the car go to E once I believe to test where we stood with the gauge.

 

[Hack]

And how is that? Because I actually track the car and push it and like to have an accurate representation of current fuel level. Explain to me how having a car that says zero miles to empty when in fact it’s closer to 50 miles is ok?
Really, explain that to me because apparently having a very inaccurate gas gauge is ok with you. 1/8 tank really means 1/4 but because there are idiots out there that cannot figure out when the car is actually empty, let’s put an idiot light that says 0 miles to empty on the car.
Do you not see the flawed logic there? I now know that with a slight difference between the gauge indicator and E, I have approximately one gallon of gas left.
Allow me to understand how having such a dramatic discrepancy is acceptable. I understand 10 or 15 miles, but over 40 and very well likely 50 miles is ok. How can you justify that as acceptable?

I guess y’all feel almost is good enough.

Enjoyable conversation. In all seriousness and leaving any insults out - it really isn't good for the fuel pump to run when there's very little fuel left. The fuel does actually help to keep the pump cool.

I don't think Ford's engineers made a mistake here. They left extra wiggle room and called the tank empty because the GT500 can use a lot of fuel quickly and it can also generate very high G forces, sump or not there is a risk of damage when fuel levels are low.

I always fill up my cars at about 1/4 tank. On track I fill them even earlier. I used to put it off, but there have been too many times in my life when I had to be somewhere and I was running low on fuel. I'd rather just get the fuel earlier - one less thing to worry about.

Either way, now you know and you can choose what to do with your car.

 

[Jmeo]

I am guessing this happened because of your recent track sessions. The mpg / miles till empty got beaten up and need a few more cycles to relearn. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[P4mnceblue82]

I am guessing this happened because of your recent track sessions. The mpg / miles till empty got beaten up and need a few more cycles to relearn. I wouldn't worry about it.

100% agree with this. But man I just read thru this entire thing..... really wow'd at how this thread immediately took a left. Glad it got back on track!
The Raptor forum used to have a lot of needless bickering but this is the 1st I've seen it on the GT500 portion of 6G. 99% of the time it's been VERY informative and helpful!

Thanks JMEO for lightening the air and getting it back to being helpful and productive!

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