I know no cars will suck the tank dry. I had my tank out yesterday to check the fuel pump, it has a Racetronics pump. I looked at their website and it explains the operation of the pump in the module (or bucket).
http://www.racetronix.com/RX-F99-FPKG-2.html

On my tank I pumped out 7 gallons before it started aerating, spitting then it stopped. There was about two gallons left and the bucket was almost empty.
Does this sound normal?
The most I ever put in my SS was 14 gallons but it was still running and it had been on E for a while.

 

I've got an 01 Formula. I have put up to 16.5 gallons in the car once. I think it was really close to being bone dry. It was below E. Not sure about your other question though. I have a racetronix in-tank pump as well.

 

You should not let your tank get that empty, your pump will burn up. The gasoline actually cools the fuel pump.

Edit: to answer your question I believe the fuel tank capacity is 16 gallons total from bone-dry empty. I only put about 11-12 gallons in at a time because I fill up from about 1/4 tank. Also temperature affects the volume of gas that goes in.

 

Very interesting. I won't let it get below 1/8 of a tank again.

 

I am pretty sure the earlier models (98 and 99 maybe) have 15.5 gallon tanks and the newer models have 16.8.

 

98's and older have the 15.7 (in fact, I believe all the way back to 1982 have that tank) 1999+ have the plastic 16.8.

 

What he said 98 and older 15..5 gal,steel tank

 

The 98's are 15.5, not 15.7.

 

No no they are 15.6

 

nope, all wrong. they're 15.6.5

 

I put 15.3 in mine the other day. I guess that's stretching it too far...

 

You know the reason GM started doing the bucket was to keep fuel around the pump when the tank was low to help prevent them from getting burnt up. that idea really only applies to the 98 and older cars. Since the bucket will stay full when the fuel level goes down around it.

 

Then why all the fuel pump failures when people run them dry? And the problems with people running lean from fuel slosh? If the tank is near empty that bucket will not be full.

 

It is a better set up then the old set up where below half a tank the pump was exposed. the pump stays submersed in gas longer. And Yes fuel stays in the bucket when the level does down around it. Trust me I work in a dealership and have pulled many fuel buckets out and had to dump them out when the tank was almost empty. And with the current fuel bucket setup at the dealership level see less fuel pump failures than we used to. but you have to think about it. The fuel pump does run constantly while the engine is running it is bound to fail at some point.

 

My question is when you run the pump until fuel stops coming out, how much fuel is typically left in the tank?

 

I duno I haven't really driven my car in over a year

 

Damn so a 98 f-body tanks capacity is 15+ gallons, i thought it was 14 so that means im getting even worse gas mileage then i thought

 

to figure out your gas milage....all you do is get the mileage....lets say 275.5 miles....and you fill the car up....the gas station pump should tell you how much you put in your car....lets say 14.83 gallons.....18.57 mpg!!! ......you dont go by the max of your tank!

 

x2 i went dry last week...waiting on new pump

 

My tank is 15.5 (98) and I've put in around 15 at the pump before. Yeah, I've run it low a couple times