Ok I'm shopping for gas tanks.

Pretty much settled on using a marine tank with a steel shell around the plastic tank. I can get ~30 gallon marine tanks for under 100 bucks with sender. However it seems as though no one uses the same cubic inch to equal a gallon of gas. It varies from 231 to 287 cu in equals one gallon of gas. Which is correct? Are they just being conservative when they say a tank is 36.5x16x11.75=24 gallons?

Also anyone every use the marine tank solution and what did you do for fuel guage?

1 gallon = 231 cubic inches

http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu/weights.htm

Try Here

Adam,

Originally posted by Adam Ant
http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu/weights.htm Thanks Adam!

So my calc of 36.5x16x11.75=6,862 cu in.

6,862 / 231 = 29.70563 or nearly 30 gallons, yet it is advertised as a 24 gallon tank. Seems to be a huge "margin" difference. There is no mention of bladders or baffles or anything in the tank that would take up space and especially THAT much space. Any clue?

EDIT: Added link so you can see what I'm looking at.
http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=30050&hvarSearchValue2=553&hvarSearchValue3=927&hvarSearchValue4=00&hvarTarget=search

What about the guage, just use the odometer like I do now?

There are 2 different kinds of gallons - the one you want is equal to 231 CI. The other one is the British Imperial gallon which is 277 CI. But then, they drive on the wrong side of the road too.

Just saw your last post - all gas tanks leave lots of room for air when calculating capacity, because gasoline expands/contracts pretty good with temperature. For example, the standard Jeep XJ 20-gallon gas tank actually can hold about 25 gallons if you move the float/vent, but if you fill it on a cold night and park it in the sun you'll find a puddle around the truck next day.

Your looking at the OD. The ID of the tank will be ~1" less due to the 0.5" wall thickness. Still doesn't make up all the difference but it helps. ;) :p

DUDE!! Killer link!! Thanks......I was looking into a new tank for the cruiser. :D:D:D

Also, take off 1-3/4 inches for the filler neck, if I read that web site right.

Glow-in-the-dark, I like your ID picture (hey, I'm a newbie so I'm seeing all this stuff for the first time). You ever been on one of those hunting trips where you have to keep the beer in the cooler so it DOESN'T FREEZE?

Don't forget that the pickup is not really at the bottom of the tank usually either, so you need to discount the volums of tank in that inch or so area under the pickup.

Originally posted by 92xj
Also, take off 1-3/4 inches for the filler neck, if I read that web site right.

Glow-in-the-dark, I like your ID picture (hey, I'm a newbie so I'm seeing all this stuff for the first time). You ever been on one of those hunting trips where you have to keep the beer in the cooler so it DOESN'T FREEZE?

HAHAHA That pic was taken on a wheeling trip like that!