Fuel Tank Size

[Geo Jeff]

Is there a standard size for fuel tanks. I cant find a spec for my 1994 international am-tram 84 pass 15 window with a dt466.

[2kool4skool]

BB puts theirs inside the fuel door. Ours. Is 45g.

[Asetechrail]

My Genesis has the 100 gallon tank. 1993 Amtran with DT466 and MT643 tranny.

[Geo Jeff]

What do you get for fuel economy I have only drove mine a fuel miles.

[superdave]

109 gal and about 7-8 mpg

[cowlitzcoach]

There is no standard size tank. It could be anywhere from less than 30 gallons usable to over 200 gallons usable. It all depends upon what the original purchaser ordered from the factory.

Some states, like WA, require a minimum number of gallons. On full size buses I believe it is now 60 gallons.

Somewhere on the tank there should be a tag that tells what size it is. It probably is not in a convenient place to read it though.

You can take outside measurements and do the math to determine the cubic volume and change the cubic inches into gallons.

Or when it gets down to 1/4 tank fill it back up a couple of times and then do the math to determine how far you should go before filling up.

[Geo Jeff]

I just did the math on your name here. So are you a team coach in Cowlitz or is it the cowlitz coach like like BUS.

Does it matter on fuel economy what engine is in these beats. I see super Dave has a cummins?

hard to believe they all did not get the same tanks.

[cowlitzcoach]

Coach as in bus.

Some of the engines get better fuel mileage than others.

Transmissions and rear end gearing also have an impact on fuel mileage.

Speed also has a dramatic impact on fuel mileage.

As to why the difference size of tanks, there really is not any "standard" bus. Every bus is built to order depending upon what options are chosen.

[Geo Jeff]

I'm a slow driver, but I wonder how a gear rear end change would effect the MPG. I though i saw a gear change runs about a 1k$. Plus maybe sell yours?

if you have a international is this the same rear end as in a fl60 or 70 model

[Stu & Filo. T]

Mines 112 gal

[NowhereFast]

Just drove 500 miles today. 50 gallon tank, averaged 8.2 over the the trip.
DT466 mechanical 643 trans in FL

[cowlitzcoach]

Geo Jeff--most rear end gear sets will interchange as long as they were made by the same OEM.

Most use Meritor axles these days but there are still some that are not. If they are not the same they may or may not be compatible with other makes.

[Asetechrail]

I don't know why but I am getting consistently better mpg than most. My bus is stripped of seats and floor and I don't go over 62 mph. Last trip was just over 300 miles and used 25 gallons of fuel. 12 mpg is really good for a 40 foot bus!

1993 Amtran Genesis, mechanical DT466 with MT643 Allison.
I do need to replace my fan clutch as it never does engage. When it starts to get warm, anything over 210, I have to slow down and turn on my heaters.

[milkmania]

Not sure what mine is.... But $25 didn't move the needle

[cadillackid]

my DEV bus (7 row carpenter GVWR 27500, DT360 / AT545).. has a 25 gallon tank and at 55 MPH gets 10-11 MPG..(Top speed 68 MPH flat ground at 2700 RPM)

my new bus (6 row Bluebird GVWR 17,000, T-444E / AT545) has a 30 gallon tank and at 60 MPH gets 10-11 MPG.. at 65 MPH it gets 9-9.5 MPG (top speed 73 MPH flat ground at 2700 RPM)

-Christopher

[karrlot]

I have a 91 Ward (Amtran) Volunteer with a DT466. It has a 65 gallon tank.

Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach

There is no standard size tank. It could be anywhere from less than 30 gallons usable to over 200 gallons usable. It all depends upon what the original purchaser ordered from the factory.



Or when it gets down to 1/4 tank fill it back up a couple of times and then do the math to determine how far you should go before filling up.

What do you mean by "usable"?

In cars gas gauges don't really read the amount left in the gas tank. By that I mean, there is more gas in the top 1/4 (as read on the fuel gauge) of the gas tank than in the bottom 1/4.

Is that the case with busses also?

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by karrlot

I have a 91 Ward (Amtran) Volunteer with a DT466. It has a 65 gallon tank.




What do you mean by "usable"?

In cars gas gauges don't really read the amount left in the gas tank. By that I mean, there is more gas in the top 1/4 (as read on the fuel gauge) of the gas tank than in the bottom 1/4.

Is that the case with busses also?

in cars its possible to top-off the tank to the point that you submerge the float for your gas gauge... the gauge is designed to read F at usually when the gas pump shuts off.. well most people top off...

in our busses the float is near-er to the top of the tank ive found... and of course in a bus you are simply filling the tank like you would fill a gas can.. most people just fill until they see fuel right up in the shoirt filler neck.. when on most busses is close to where the float is..

on the old mechanical diesels, running out of fuel could be a really big ordeal...

you could unprime the complete fuel system... sucking your water separator, fuel filters, and the injector pump dry before the engine stalled..... it resulted in a lot of time to get back on the road as there was no lift-pump to reprime the system so you took stuff apart and poured fuel in and hand pumped, and cranked, and poured.. and in general were a completely fuel covered mess by the end.. so most of them the E was where the fuel pickup generally wouldnt accidentilly suck air on hard stops or acceleration.. quite a bit of fuel left in the tank if you were sitting still...

im not sure on the newer electronic series engines if the gauge float bottom is still well above the pickup or not.. im guessing it is ... even with a lift pump it can be tough to work air out of a diesel systrem without some manual interaction of bleeding things..

-Christopher

[AlleyCat67]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

even with a lift pump it can be tough to work air out of a diesel systrem without some manual interaction of bleeding things..

-Christopher

Tell me about it.... I ran my big rig out of fuel once, it was a bear getting it restarted.... 10-15 minutes of priming and cranking, priming and cranking, before it would start and stay running.

[Iceni John]

Originally Posted by AlleyCat67

Tell me about it.... I ran my big rig out of fuel once, it was a bear getting it restarted.... 10-15 minutes of priming and cranking, priming and cranking, before it would start and stay running.

And that's why you install an electric priming pump! The first time you need to prime the engine after changing fuel filters or doing repairs, and all it takes is to flip a switch and close a valve and wait a minute or two, then you'll be thankful. I use a cheapo fuel pump plumbed in parallel to the main fuel line between the primary filter and engine, a fuel-rated ball valve on the main fuel line, and a switch and indicator light on my rear start panel (you can't hear the pump running when the engine's started). Well worth it.

Or just fill up every 500 miles or when quarter full, whichever comes first.

John

[cowlitzcoach]

Usable means how much of the fuel in the tank can you use.

We had two IHC buses that had 60 gallon tanks but for some dumb reason the fuel pickup tube didn't go far enough down inside the tank. Both buses would run out of fuel with almost 20 gallons still in the bottom of the tank. We had two more buses that were identical to those two that could use 57 gallons before they started to stumble.