Long May You Run: A Sampling of Enormous Fuel Tanks
The days of flipping a dash-mounted rocker switch to go from the front fuel tank to rear fuel tank on a half-ton pickup truck are largely behind us. For those who were present back in the day, you likely remember the hilarity of thumbing that switch from ‘front’ to ‘rear’ or vice versa and watching the gas gauge in the dash magically top itself off.
Of course, there were more than a few examples in which one of the two tanks was used more sparingly than the other, meaning one of them inevitably deteriorated and filled with rust. Or the pump seized, or something else equally catastrophic. Switching on that truck led to shouting because the fuel pickup would suck in enormous amounts of gunk and gum up the fuel system. And yet we romanticize the so-called good old days.
[Images: Ford, JoshBryan/Shutterstock.com]
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From a cursory check of the period-correct brochures in my office (yes, readers, I’m that big of a nerd), it seems a 1993 F-150 equipped with dual tanks could carry about 36 gallons of fuel, roughly equally split between the pair of vessels.
These days, a single fuel tank does the trick and reduces costs at the factory by requiring only one stamping for the bed side instead of one for a single port and one for the duals. Depending on options and model year, it is possible to find a late-model Ford Super Duty with a bladder busting 48 gallon fuel tank, ensuring the driver will need a pit stop before the truck.
But it’s not just pickup trucks which have enormous fuel tanks. Surprisingly, the Ferrari 550 Maranello has a 30 gallon fuel tank, meaning one can take a grand tour around Italy without having to stop for benzina very often. Up to you if you stop for gelato or pasta, however.
The official reason as to why this particular Fezza has such a large tank is partly down to the 550’s horrendous fuel economy (sub 10 mpg runs are not uncommon in this car) and partly just because they can. We do love the Italians.
Back at Ford, a modern F-150 generally has up to a 36 gallon fuel tank, provided it is powered by one of the three gasoline-only options: the 2.7L EcoBoost, the 3.5L EcoBoost, or the rumbly 5.0L V8 engine. Thanks to the electrified guts which are part of its hybrid option, the 3.5L PowerBoost setup, the fuel tank shrinks to 30.6 gallons.
This makes room for batteries and the like. However, thanks to its long legged fuel economy numbers, total driving range can easily eclipse 700 miles in the PowerBoost - and you don’t have to worry at all about rusty fuel tanks.
