Rep Power: 0

This has never happened to me before. Last week some friends and I were driving back from Virginia. My buddy had filled my car up with the regular unleaded 87 gas and zeroed out the odometer.
When I reached NJ, I had covered about 299 miles and the fuel gauge was just above the E - which was normal. So pulled over at a gas station to fill up again. I asked the service guy to fill it up with unleaded 89. Strange enough, my car only took about 5 gallons of gas instead of 9 or 10 which it usually does when the fuel gauge is just above the E. Plus I had covered about 299 miles at the time and I know my gas tank was almost empty because it usually gives me around 300 miles on the highway.

Has anyone experienced this before. I dont think switching from 87 to 89 should make a difference - should it? Any ideas why this happened. Is there a mechanical/chemical reason for this?

 
Rep Power: 287

The gas pump at the station works on a your gas tanks pressure (thats how it knows when to stop when you pump with the clip locked). Anyways, the gas station pump might have trouble detecting the pressure of your gas tank. I doubt you got 60mpg. Since youre in nj, i assume youre not allowed to pump your own gas, maybe the idiot attendent just didnt know what he was doing and stopped when the lock popped on him the first time. Try filling up again next time to make sure. Im sure its the gas stations fault and not your cars.

 
Rep Power: 0

thanks chowmein - it seems to me also that it was pump issue. just fyi..when this happened i asked the dude to try once more and the thing pumped one more gallon and then clicked again. anyway i'll see what happens when i feel up again.

 
Rep Power: 811

every station (and pump) is different. but if you're finding that it says empty and only fills up 5-6 gallons, you have a bad fuel sender.