dcfluid

So this is why I hate the small fuel tank. Here in BC Canada towns can be a couple hundred kms apart. Now towing my 8000lb travel trailer with my FX4 Ecoscrew getting 8mpg on our hilly terrain requires some thought about fuel strategy.
So here I am driving to the city I will get my next fill at and fuel gauge is showing a 1/4 tank and estimating 20kms of range to spare. Perfect....
Then with 55km left on the DTE the needle drops to E and the DTE drops to 33kms left. Still got a couple km to spare and I know the last 5km is down steep grades that use no fuel. Still close but ok. Needle on E has me worried but must be a glitch....
So now the DTE starts a countdown by losing range of 1km every few hundred meters down the road. In 2minutes it has fallen from 33 to 2. Well no problem, I am only 1/2km from the all downhill to the station section, and every vehicle has that little bit of reserve right?
Wrong. Stutters and quits 10 seconds after indicating 2km to empty.
MOTHERFOCKER, I've never run any auto out of fuel in 30 years of driving. I had been duped! Lousy DTE gauge! Lousy sticking fuel gauge needle! Hanging up ay 1/4 tank then letting go just before dry. Nice pratical joke.
To make things worse the only guy who stopped was in a Duramax with a big **** eating grin : need help buddy?
No thanks, the girls are just having a potty break in the trailer, nothing to see here.
So 1/2 hour to unload the back of the truck to get my 20liter gas can out of the dry box, and another 1/2 to fuel up and reload all the bikes and stuff we are back on the road. 5 minutes later at the pump.
Yes I was smart enough to pack extra fuel while towing. But got outsmarted by a sticking fuel gauge. DTE got fooled by the gauge too.
Give me the big fuel tank. I will install aftermarket or make my own auxiliary tank. Never again!

Brutus Jr.

Hmm, I can't feel your pain with my 36 gallon tank.



I kid, I kid. Just doing my part to be a typical 5.0 owner. The fuel gauge is weird though and not be trusted. Mine will go from 40 to 80 miles left just with a slight difference in incline.

bowlergt

I never really truted the est mileage left on my 5.0 I left work the other day with it saying 65 miles left and the needle just below a quarter. Drove about 30 miles round trip to see my girl friend, went to leave the next morning said 95 miles till empty? I've also had where my needle will go from a quarter down to almost red, ill stop and come out later and it will go back to above a quarter. My old jeep wrangler had a more accurate fuel gauge then my 2011 f150

Hondafan

There is a separate FE estimator for towing. Check your information settings. Towers beware!!!!
I'm also surprised how many people put a lot of stock on the range "estimator". The only reliable estimator of range is the fuel gague. For me, 1/4 tank means refuel now.

shortride

iTrader: (1)

The key to keeping up with your fuel mileage is to know your truck. If you've driven the truck enough with and without a load you should know what the approximate fuel consumption is. Don't completely rely on the fuel gauge. In either case perhaps you should consider carrying extra fuel.

dcfluid

I have been using the towing DTE setting now for 1500kms.
I was trusting the gauge reading of 1/4 tank that I had enough.
My mistake was not topping completely up at the last station because I wanted the gas war prices that I came up short reaching.(damn you Gadbuddy app)
I'm gonna jack up the next 5.0 I see and swap tanks out on him.

Adobe2X

I really do NOT understand Ford's decisions:

1. No 36 gallon tank with the EB

2. No Max Tow with the 5.0


What's up with THAT???

I too get 8 to 10 towing our TT.......would not enjoy doing it with a 26 gallon tank....

jswd60

1 Ford really screwed up. But I can get about 250 miles towing heavy with my 26 gallon tank and still have fuel in reserve. That's more miles than a bathroom break or eating break for me.
2. Ford didn't want 3 max tow engines. Another way to promote eb.

ric_no_k

Had the same prob when I picked up my TT never having had more than a pop up before. Had just under 1/2 tank and meant to fill up before I left that town heading for home on a two lane limited access highway but forgot. NP it is only 70kms away to the next big town that I know there is a gas station with easy access(remember never towed a house before). The DTE guage dinged just as I saw 28km to that town..figured I was good. Pulled into the pumps with 5km to E showing and put 105L into a 98L tank...figure that one out.

Bjnewton1

Same here! I had a little under 1/4 tank left and I was working out in my rents yard. I pulled my truck around to listen to music, and was parked nose down on a pretty good decline. I got out and walked around the house to get some tools, came back and my truck had died! lol I tried starting it but still nothing. I had about 5 gallons of fuel in the garage so I poured it all in, waited a bit, and still nothing. Finally it dawned on my that everything must be near the back of the fuel tank and all my fuel was sitting up front (36 gal). So I put it in neutral coasted down to the bottom of their lot where it was level and it started right up! lol