I have a 1972 Olds Cutlass S. What are the factory options for gas tank sizes? I was told 20 gallons was the only option, but mine has a 16 gallon tank. I found out the hard way

 

The options were 20 gallons or 20 gallons. If yours only holds 16, either it has the wrong tank (unlikely) or it's dented in on the bottom.

 

it is a 16 gallon tank. how strange is that? no dents whatsoever. Then I am to assume that the prior owner outfitted the car with a custom tank. Could have used those 4 extra gallons on road trips.

 

That is really strange.
I'm looking right at my 1972 Owners manual on page 70 and it's pretty darn straight forward. 20 US gallons = 16.75 Imperial (Canadian) gallons.
Naw, couldn't be that. And it couldn't be a wagon tank because they are 23 gallons and the filler spout is different.

I'd be taking a close look underneath to see what the tank looks like. If you're using this baby for road trips, (and assuming you're cruising along at about 70-75 miles per hour) you darn right you need the extra 4 gallons.

If it's not the right tank, you can probably get a proper one for just around 200. Definitely worth the peace of mind.

Is this car stock or a resto mod? Might explain the difference. Anyway, keep in touch let us know what you find.

Allan R

 

I would say a dead animal in your gas tank would take up about 4 gallons worth of volume. You might want to light a match and peer down in there to see if you can see anything floating around.

 

With all due respect to you knowledge of Oldsmobiles

NOT FUNNY,

Sarcasim is the wit of the ignorant.

Your poor attempt at humor could KILL someone.

Sorry, I couldn't let it go as humor

 

Gas tanks have been modified in the past by drug runners to hide their contraband...

 

Yeah, kill someone that doesn't deserve to live.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

While that may be a little harsh, I have to agree that at some point it's evolution in action. When there are more pages of cautions and warnings than actual instructions in an instruction manual, there's something wrong with the world.

 

I agree... Of course the humor in most of those "warnings" make it all the more worthwhile to READ the instructions!
When I buy something, i save the manual to read as a comic book before bedtime...

On the 2-D cell flashlight I bought from harbor Freight:
"Do not use this tool under the influence of alcohol - injury or death can result..." --Maybe if i try to eat it...

On the same tool... "Do not force this tool to do the job of a much larger tool." --I guess I should install a ceiling light in the garage before I set the garage on fire with that flashlight...

Curling iron my ex-ladyfriend bought...
"Do not insert this appliance into any bodily orifice..."
--You know someone had to have tried that for that warning to be there! My view of foreplay is a bit different...

On the door of my dishwasher:
"Do not step on or stand on."
--My mom should have had a label on hers - she tried it once... And busted her butt...

Manual of the new garbage disposal:
"Do not insert any body parts into disposer while unit is running".
--You mean it doesn't know the difference between my hand and a potato??

Manual of a TV tray:
"Do not use this tray to support a TV set or any weight over 5 pounds"
But then what is a TV tray for?? BTW, I tried this 20 years ago. It supported 70lbs, but just not for long...

Personally I think car headlights with 2 prongs should be labeled:
"Do not plug into 120V household outlet - serious explosion will result."
Of course when I was 6 years old, I would not have read it anyway.

Heck, this could be a thread on its own...

 

Trying to piggyback on this thread.
I'm trying to id my chassis. How do you id a gas tank without filling it to capacity and measuring it?
Due to the wheelbase (112"), I've changed my guess from a Delta 88 to a Cutlass

 

Yeah, Too many useless words in all those warnings.
Crude cave-painting-esque pictures get the job done..... hilariously and more efficiently.

 

That is AWSOME J! That way you don't have to read English to know that it is bad news to give a large plastic bag to a baby.

 

...or a bucket.
Those symbols were on one of mine, along with a picture of a baby doing a headstand in it...
Okay, safety lesson: do NOT do a headstand in a bucket, especially if it has water in it!!

J - I am glad you did not ask me details on the headlight incident...

 

I don't know of any identification marks, although there is probably a way to measure width, height, and depth to get total volume in inches and then a way to transpose that to gallons. Any college students here that are up on their geometry? or is that calculus?

 

Whew! I am safe if I do a headstand in a bucket of gasoline then. I just wanted to be sure.

 

Olds64 that is some funny stuff brother....especially the first one.....I'm busting a gut just sitting here.

 

Thats right! The picture does not show of what!


Originally Posted by Olds64
I would say a dead animal in your gas tank would take up about 4 gallons worth of volume

Funny but true. If you saw some of the snakes we have around here, you'd know! I still cannot get over the one I found in my mailbox, eradicating the sparrow nest that was there. How it squeezed in was another mystery. A bigger snake I killed later would have filled a 5 gallon bucket. (I wonder if it would have been safe to do a headstand in it then........)

 

I present Exhibit B: the Husqvarna 570 chainsaw owner's manual. This is a product marketed toward lumberjacks -- people who should already know the dangers of running a chainsaw: http://weborder.husqvarna.com/order_...1151002-95.pdf

The warnings of how NOT to operate the device so outweigh the instructions of how to use the thing that the manual is hard to comprehend. 4 pages to tell you how to put in fuel and start the engine?

 

This guy still needs help with his gas tank. It really sounds like somebody has put the wrong tank on you car. My suggestion is to find a good used one and take it to a radiator shop and have it boiled out and sealed. That is what I would do. Good luck.

 

Jonstringer.
Haven't seen any reply or post from you on this. What did you decide to do? Keep or replace the tank. (there's lots of places that sell the proper replacement tank if you chose this option)

Sometimes these threads do get carried off topic just like it would if you were sitting around having a beer with the guys.

Is your problem fixed?

 

I apologize for causing the post to get off topic. I hope you were able to figure out what was up with your gas tank.

 

You could assume that the end of the pickup tube is about 3 inches higher than it should be. Very possible, if the pickup/sending unit has ever been removed.

Norm

 

The whole world is going crazy on Safety. I liked the good old days when you could actually buy something or do something and get hurt and no one gave a d-- Andy

 

You can't even buy a can of parts cleaner at the store without being over 18. They think you will huff it and die.

 

Of course, no matter what it is, people will try huffing it or making drugs out of it...
Heck I remember huffing late 60's "Marks a Lot" permanent markers when I was a kid... It smelled wonderful gave a unique temporary high!
Whatever they put in those lasted forever. I still have a couple and take a sniff now and then to bring back memories of "the good ol' days"...
What about that Testors model glue in the glass bottle? Goooood stuff!! (And it held the models together well, too.)

 

Try to buy some ammonium nitrate for your corn patch lately?

Ever noticed in a Sporting Goods Store that the gun powder has to be stored in a fire proof box, but they can stack Coleman Fuel to the ceiling.

 

That is interesting. I know the propane for BBQ grills is always stored outside, yet they can have the Coleman Fuel inside Wal-Mart close to the hunting section where all of the gunpowder is. I wonder if one of the Wal-Mart people would stop you if you brought your propane take into the store and back to the firearms counter?