Dented fuel tank

Satter

Satter

New member
Last year I started noticing that whenever I filled up my tank I was only able to get a little over 14 gallons of fuel in as opposed to the usual 16 gallons ('98 4Runner comes with an 18 gallon fuel tank). I thought that maybe their was a clog so I took it to the dealership. They told me my fuel tank had a big dent in it. Therefore, I wasn't able to fill it up all the way. I asked if this would impeed any functionality of the vehicle. They said "No, you'll just have to fill it up more often."

My question is should I replace it? It would cost $2,500. However, I only put 6,000 to 7,500 on my 4R a year. I don't take long trips, and I usually only need to travel 5 miles, to and from work, each day. I would imagine this would hurt the resell value, but I have no plans to sell it. Thanks. :)
 
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Some people have found replacement tanks on ebay or at junk yards. There are some differences in the pickup tubes on later models (2001-2002) so make sure it fits your year.

Some people have dropped their tanks, removed the pickup tubes and popped the dents out if it can be reached.

I would first take a look for your self. The thin skid may have some dents but the tank may not be too bad. Remove the skid and take a look (the tank is mounted separately from the skid and will stay in place when the skid is removed) ***(spray the 5 mounting bolts heavily with a penetrating oil for a day or so before, especially the one by the rear tire, it gets a lot of road dirt on it)

There is a way to prevent future dents.
 
My tank is dented in as well...I can only ever put 14 gallons in as well. On top of that, my fuel gauge doesn't work at all. It always reads empty.

Right now, I just use my trip meter and fillup every 200-230 miles. However, sometime in the future I'm going to drop the tank, push the dent out, and replace the fuel sender.

$2500 is a joke for a fuel tank. They are nuts.
 
Hell, engines are $2500! I would try to pound it out or maybe use a suction cup to pull it out from the outside. If you have to get a new tank, I would try to find one from a junker. I'm surprised my gas tank isn't dented because my stock skid is hammered...

1002101419a-1.jpg~original
 
now im no astro physicist or anything but even if your gas tank is dented it would hold the same amount unless it has a hole in it...someone correct me if im wrong but say you bought a gallon of milk and on the way home it falls in the floorboard and gets a big dent. Its still got the same amount of milk inside even though the outside is distorted.

** if you are even considering spending $2500 on a gas tank you have much deeper pockets than i do. good luck
 
A dent can lower the volume. It depends how it dents it if it is significant volume loss. What you're thinking of is a container filled completely with incompressible fluid that has give.

Where did $2500 come from? MSRP is only $545.

And a loss of 2 gallons is not a dent, that is a whole section of it crushed. Can you take pics of the dent? This just doesn't seem to make sense.
 
No way at $2500. Even at $545 I'd have to think very hard about it. Is there a way the dent can be pulled out some? Maybe using some kind of heavy duty suction device? How about drill a hole , pull out the dent and then seal the hole with gas tank patch?
 
01t4rnr said:
now im no astro physicist or anything but even if your gas tank is dented it would hold the same amount unless it has a hole in it...someone correct me if im wrong but say you bought a gallon of milk and on the way home it falls in the floorboard and gets a big dent. Its still got the same amount of milk inside even though the outside is distorted.

** if you are even considering spending $2500 on a gas tank you have much deeper pockets than i do. good luck
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I'm no astro physicist either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. :) Dent a gallon of milk and take some measurements of how far the level goes up at the top before and after you put the dent in it. In a gas tank, if it goes over the stock max level at the top of the tank, the fuel pump (from the gas station) will backup and shut off. Denting the tank will make it get to that cut-off point faster.
 
A dented tank will certainly reduce the volume, although I agree that something is fishy with the dented tank diagnosis. You would probably know if you crushed your tank wheeling, no?
Have you visually confirmed there is a good sized dent?
 
brian2sun said:
I'm no astro physicist either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. :) Dent a gallon of milk and take some measurements of how far the level goes up at the top before and after you put the dent in it. In a gas tank, if it goes over the stock max level at the top of the tank, the fuel pump (from the gas station) will backup and shut off. Denting the tank will make it get to that cut-off point faster.
Click to expand...

yeah that does make sense,guess i better not quit my day job huh:shrug::lmao:
 
brian2sun said:
I'm no astro physicist either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. :) Dent a gallon of milk and take some measurements of how far the level goes up at the top before and after you put the dent in it. In a gas tank, if it goes over the stock max level at the top of the tank, the fuel pump (from the gas station) will backup and shut off. Denting the tank will make it get to that cut-off point faster.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but how big would that "dent" have to be to displace 2 gallons of fuel?! Methinks I would not call it a dent...

And BTO, $545 is just MSRP, as in anyone charging over that is probably not an authorized dealer and is trying to rip you off.

I found it brand new for under $400.

The milk jug analogy isn't very good, the bottle is elastic, so the situation is completely different.
 
Look into the fuel hose not going all the way into the bottom of the tank. I think I've seen some people on here who have had theirs extended or something of that matter.

Spending $2500 to be able to hold 2 more gallons of fuel is re****ed.
 
OP- for 6000-7500 miles a year this does not affect yourusage. Nor do I feel it would detract from resale value either. Also if you do a search you will see that a lot of people are only able to put in 14-15 gal. of when showing empty even though we have 18.5 gal tanks.
 
01t4rnr said:
elastic?i prefer plastic personally
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I was referring to the material property of "elasticity" Even metals are elastic to a point (hence they have a modulus of elasticity). It just isn't worth comparing the elasticity of metal to that of the plastic milk jug.

I still want to see a pic of the "dent"
 
I got a "dent" or whatever you'd call it about the size of 1/2 a baseball in my oil pan on an old Honda Civic. It held ~1/2 qt. less oil after that, but I agree it would have to be a big 'ol dent to displace 2 gallons.
 
Nelsonmd said:
The milk jug analogy isn't very good, the bottle is elastic, so the situation is completely different.
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i agree. there are several other points to consider with the milk jug. the indented round circle on the side will push out and take up some of the volume of milk. Also I don't think the elasticity would come into play before the top would burst off. I think the seal and flimsyness of the milk jug is what allows the jug to distort.

You put a big enough dent in a container holding something pressurized and it will explode because you just decreased how much volume it will handle. Therefore a dent will decrease volume.

The dent in the tank would have to be close to the size of a basketball or just really a long dent I guess would do the same.
 
Thanks for the responses, guys. Actually, I've never seen the dent. And the price I was quoted to fix it was from the dealership.

Nelsonmd, I'll try and get you that pic.

It's not just that I can't put as much fuel as before. My gas gauge only reads 3/4ths of a tank full after I fill it up. It no longer goes all the way up like it used to.
 
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