Fuel tank fills up 2-3 gallons short

[enapa]

On mine once the pump clicks off, I let it gurgle back down the filler spout and can usually put in quite a bit more. Maybe 1-2 gallons depending on my patience.
On all my other cars I'm done once it clicks off but the 4runner seems to be less than Full if I do that.

Same here. Probably look like a weirdo standing there listening to the fuel gurgle down. LOL. I don't care though. Always get close to another gallon in there.

I would like to be able to get 300 miles on a tank, but I'm too scared to run out. I get gas when I'm at about 200-220 miles on the tank.

 

[feelingstoned]

Hey all!

I have a '96 SR5 with 225k on it. I've only had it for about three months. When I first got it, I noticed that it wasn't filling up above the full line, like most cars. But it wasn't my daily driver yet, so I hadn't put a lot of effort in to it.

I bought an UltraGauge to more accurately measure how many gallons I've used. After a couple of weeks, I decided to keep going just a bit further than normal based on miles.

At about 2.7 gallons left (according to the gauge), I ran out of gas. NO low fuel light ever came on and when I filled it up it would have been accurate to that I was filling it up to 16-16.5 gallons.

Any one have any info on this? Not sure if the bottom of the tank could just be grubby or if it's something else.

Feedback appreciated!

I had my 99 for less than 2 months and I've noticed miine does something close to the same thing. Even though the tank is 18 g mine only fills up about 16 if that. I've ran it to completely empty before (before killing the car) and filled up and no difference. I was going some research on it and it seems to be a common problem with the 3rd gen.

 

[etc.]

What year did they go from 14 gallons to 16-18 gallons?

My 96 & 97 have 14 gallon tanks.

 

[Kotrin]

Like many other people have chimed in about the filling/fuel issues of the 4Runner, i'll add my knowledge just to try to help (or confuse you ).

I've never filled past the 15 gallon point ever in the 2 years I've owned my new (2000) & 97 for years till I couldn't shift anymore. I was the lowest I had ever been during my entire owning of the 4Runner's during my Ouray, CO trip. During this trip I was following my dad as he radio'd me about his current 1/8th of Fuel and still 30-60 miles to Diesel Fuel options. I was about the same @ 1/8th of fuel. I know that my Scangauge said I had 2 miles to go. I couldn't remember if I had set my Scangauge to be dead accurate or not as a safety net. I looked at it during this low fuel issue and it proved I had set it accurately versus the safety net. I've spent a lot of times dialing in my Scangauge and it hasn't steered me wrong. I will say that I feel that my setup, when it say's i'm 0.0 miles to go. I can go another 50 miles (depending on my speed/gears/etc).

I hope this just gives you a little more information.

 

[kendra23]

What year did they go from 14 gallons to 16-18 gallons?

My 96 & 97 have 14 gallon tanks.

That's strange. When researching, I've never seen anything less than 18.5 listed for a 1996.

 

[kendra23]

Like many other people have chimed in about the filling/fuel issues of the 4Runner, i'll add my knowledge just to try to help (or confuse you ).

I've never filled past the 15 gallon point ever in the 2 years I've owned my new (2000) & 97 for years till I couldn't shift anymore. I was the lowest I had ever been during my entire owning of the 4Runner's during my Ouray, CO trip. During this trip I was following my dad as he radio'd me about his current 1/8th of Fuel and still 30-60 miles to Diesel Fuel options. I was about the same @ 1/8th of fuel. I know that my Scangauge said I had 2 miles to go. I couldn't remember if I had set my Scangauge to be dead accurate or not as a safety net. I looked at it during this low fuel issue and it proved I had set it accurately versus the safety net. I've spent a lot of times dialing in my Scangauge and it hasn't steered me wrong. I will say that I feel that my setup, when it say's i'm 0.0 miles to go. I can go another 50 miles (depending on my speed/gears/etc).

I hope this just gives you a little more information.

Yeah, this is why I got the ultragauge. It definitely helps me out, and now that I've run out of gas once, I know more accurately when I should fill up. It's frustrating, but I'll probably get used to it. Seems kind of common anyways

 

[TheDurk]

What year did they go from 14 gallons to 16-18 gallons?

My 96 & 97 have 14 gallon tanks.

Don't think so. I just checked owner's manuals for both years. 18.5 gallons, just like the others. Here is 1997:

 

[19963.4lsr5]

My 97 is 12 gallons to fill up at the 1/4 tank mark. And 250 miles to the 1/4 tank equals 23mpg.

Some GM vehicles have issues with something in the fuel coating the resistor strip of the sending unit and causing problems. Their fix is Techron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[etc.]

Don't think so. I just checked owner's manuals for both years. 18.5 gallons, just like the others. Here is 1997:

From empty to full I can not get anywhere close to 18 gallons on two separate vehicles without ignoring the constant clicks from the nozzle.

 

[TheDurk]

From empty to full I can not get anywhere close to 18 gallons on two separate vehicles without ignoring the constant clicks from the nozzle.

Neither can anybody else. That's not what 18.5 gallon capacity means. At empty on the gauge, there are still a couple of gallons left. You can go below empty quite a ways before the truck will starve for fuel. Even THEN, there is gas left in the tank. Between one and two gallons.

Also, the venting system is kind of funky, and frequently you can't get the tank all the way full. The pump clicks off, but there is still airspace at the top. I think the most I ever pumped into mine was a little over 14.

 

[etc.]

Neither can anybody else. That's not what 18.5 gallon capacity means. At empty on the gauge, there are still a couple of gallons left. You can go below empty quite a ways before the truck will starve for fuel. Even THEN, there is gas left in the tank. Between one and two gallons.
.

So an 18.5 gallon capacity gas tank can't hold 18+ gallons?

ETA: I know what your saying about fuel in the tank but I was referring to fuel in the tank

 

[JayRolla]

From empty to full I can not get anywhere close to 18 gallons on two separate vehicles without ignoring the constant clicks from the nozzle.

The tank is 18.5g. Most vehicles have around 2 gal reserve so at empty you should be around 16g. But in our trucks the float does not report correctly and you have around 4 gal reserve and its why we only fit 14-16g on almost all fill ups.

 

[JayRolla]

So an 18.5 gallon capacity gas tank can't hold 18+ gallons?

It holds 18 gal. But when empty you have 4 gal left. So you only fit 14 gal. If you constantly clicking the pump to get more fuel in the tank you just feeding the fuel back into the pump and your not getting fuel your paying for. You also filling up your evap canister maybe causing damage to it.

 

[sportscarfan]

It holds 18 gal. But when empty you have 4 gal left. So you only fit 14 gal. If you constantly clicking the pump to get more fuel in the tank you just feeding the fuel back into the pump and your not getting fuel your paying for. You also filling up your evap canister maybe causing damage to it.

This ^^^
Also, think about the shape of the tank and how deep the fuel is with only 3-4 gallons in it with all the surface area.
I fill up at worst shortly after the fuel light and have never put more than 14.x gallons in. Usually that is ~250 miles.

 

[octanejunkie]

On average, I've easily gone 40 miles past E on most modern vehicles without issue, but keep in mind in-tank fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel itself so it's not a great thing to run your tank to E regularly and keep driving, especially in hotter climates.

That being said, I fill till I spill in my 99 when driving between CA and NV so I don't have to stop - that's 323 miles - otherwise I just stop filling when the pump clicks off because F standing there topping off for 5 mins each time. I understand the risk I'm taking with my Evap system.

One day I plan to drop my tank and shorten the vent tube. Seems 1" is what most guys cut off, but yes, fuel expansion space is required so I don't expect to get 18.5 gallons of fuel in an 18.5 gallon tank.

 

[JayRolla]

On average, I've easily gone 40 miles past E on most modern vehicles without issue, but keep in mind in-tank fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel itself so it's not a great thing to run your tank to E regularly and keep driving, especially in hotter climates.

That being said, I fill till I spill in my 99 when driving between CA and NV so I don't have to stop - that's 323 miles - otherwise I just stop filling when the pump clicks off because F standing there topping off for 5 mins each time. I understand the risk I'm taking with my Evap system.

One day I plan to drop my tank and shorten the vent tube. Seems 1" is what most guys cut off, but yes, fuel expansion space is required so I don't expect to get 18.5 gallons of fuel in an 18.5 gallon tank.

If you fill up when you are at E you will have enough fuel to keep it mostly submerged. All tanks are designed this way. So you are right. Running past E is not smart.

Its also why I thought I blew my motor last week. LOL!!!

 

[phattyduck]

keep in mind in-tank fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel itself so it's not a great thing to run your tank to E regularly and keep driving, especially in hotter climates.

The fuel cools the pump internally. As long as it is still pumping fuel, it is cooled by that fuel.

-Charlie