Gas Sloushing in Tank (I think)

[winniesn]

I recently pulled my 05 4runner into my garage, got out, and heard a sloushing sound. I couldn't pin point where the sound was coming from, I thought I might have had a cooler in the car or something. I rocked it a little bit and heard the sloushing again. The tank is nearly full. I assume this is the gas making the noise, and that it isnt a problem, but I have never heard such a noise before in any car. I have had it for 5 months and this is the first time I've heard it. The noise is certainly noticable, I didn't have to listen hard to hear it. Has anyone else experienced this sound? Is it anything I should be worried about?

 

[greasefingers]

Well that is kind of weird. The gas tank is right under the driver

 

[winniesn]

yep, the sound is definitely coming from under the left rear seat, so it is the gas tank. The tank is just under completely full. I wonder if it will still make the noise after the tank depletes a little.

 

[hossmaster]

When it's full, it doesn't take that much motion for the gas to splash off the top of inside of the tank. Thus creating that whooshing sound. The lower the level, the more motion it takes to slosh against the innerts of the tank.

 

[Boston_Runner]

This is a common in the Acura MDX, its gas tank slosh so loud that when you come to a stop, it feels like someone hit you from the back.

 

[greasefingers]

This makes me curious as to how the gas gage at the dash board is dampened? If the gas sloshes about then I would think that the float is moving up & down a bit. Since the float is a variable resistor type, an arm moves across a strip of wound-up wire; then I think that the gage would be constantly moving.

 

[Uneek]

I haven't heard gas sloushing in the 4R yet. But it was pretty common on my Mazda, if you bounced car from the door sill you can hear it. Sometimes for the hell of it, I'll bounce it.

I thought the 4R gas gauge had some electronic gizmo that makes it more accurate when on inclines/declines. Wouldn't that keep the gauge where it is even with the sloushing?

 

[Dennis]

I had a Mazda that started to make a sloshing sound. I tracked it down to plugged up weep holes that caused water to accumulate. If you've had the vehicle for a while, and haven't noticed the sloshing before, it might be worth a look for those drain holes. In fact, you might even need to mention it to the dealer because the holes can be hard to find.

 

[TechWrench]

This makes me curious as to how the gas gage at the dash board is dampened? If the gas sloshes about then I would think that the float is moving up & down a bit. Since the float is a variable resistor type, an arm moves across a strip of wound-up wire; then I think that the gage would be constantly moving.

If I am not mistaken, most newer vehicles use an averaging system when displaying fuel tank level. I have noted that when I fill up, it takes several minutes for the guage to go completely to the full mark. I believe this is to compensate for random float movement when the tank is not completely full and the fuel 'sloshes' around.

 

[brick privy]

i agree. i've seen some older jeeps that the guage did jump arround.

MAN! if my '84 only made a sloshing sound i would be very worried! i would probably check to see if it was really mine.