gas tank size?

[bandman659]

Seriously, there might be 16 ounces of that cleaner in your tank. Just fill it up now and drive it like normal. That crap is mostly light petroleum products similar to gasoline anyway. No need to siphon out gas and keep a damn drum of fuel around. As a geologist that used to work mostly in due diligence for property transactions, drums of anything make me nervous. Your fuel system is plenty robust enough to deal with a pint or two of cleaner.

As an aside, the only cleaner I've ever seen do jack squat is Seafoam. 1/3 of a can sucked through the PCV vacuum port (after you start it back up, it does an amazing smoke show...look up seafoam on youtube), put 1/3 of the can in the gas tank, and the rest in the oil. You might want to wait till it's time to change spark plugs to do the vacuum line and don't drive more than 100 or so miles with the seafoam in the oil. That stuff works really well and might knock enough crap loose to plug up an oil passage or something. I put some in my old Mazda Protege that had some valve clatter from a sticky lifter and it shut that lifter up within seconds after adding it to the oil. Putting it in the gas tank also quieted down a sticky injector on the same car.

Edit: wrong vacuum port

 

[babalaufer]

Gas tank capacity 18.5 gallons...

Not for me!

This has always bugged me and made me wonder if I somehow got a mis-sized tank or defective pickup inside the tank. It is the only niggling little fault in an otherwise outstanding vehicle. I appreciate any feedback.

I always run a new (for me) car to empty so that I know where empty really is on the guage and see what she'll hold. So I have run my tank dry (to the point of stalling in left turns and downhill) a couple of times over the years to test the actual capacity of my 99 4-runner and filled it as full as possible (let it settle add some more etc, etc...) and have never been able to stuff more than 16.4 galllons into my supposed 18.5 gallon tank...

Does anyone else have this issue?

Has anyone ever gotten 18+ gallons into their tanks?

 

[ryankmasuda]

lol you're on crack!

18.5 gallon tank in ALL 3rd gens.

And yes, the 1999 and 2000 model's gas gauge is very off. Google it.

I found a link to re-calibrate the gas gauge. Has anyone tried it and it does it make the gauge more accurate?

 

[BFEATHER2008]

I found a link to re-calibrate the gas gauge. Has anyone tried it and it does it make the gauge more accurate?

whats the link. you didnt post it. If you give me the link ill see how its done and ill try it.

 

[awdjunkies]

whats the link. you didnt post it. If you give me the link ill see how its done and ill try it.

So far this is the only one I have found: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ter-gas-gauge-error-reading-4runner-99-a.html

 

[Martinjmpr]

Has anyone ever gotten 18+ gallons into their tanks?

Yes. At least a couple of times. I think I put 18.4 in it once (not sure, will have to check my logs...) but I know I've gone over 18 at least twice and over 17 multiple times.

 

[jrm]

Ok Ok

yes the tank is 18.4 gallons but only ~16 gallons~ are "usable". The 4 runner fuel tank has two compartments that are separated by a baffle located about 2/3s down the tanks height.

<img src=http://67.122.16.100/larsdennert/4runner/fuelsender/baffle.jpg>


This baffle allows fuel to flow into the lower compartment of the tank and remain there so that when and if the vehicle is at an angle the pick up can still draw fuel from the larger upper compartment. In 99 and 00 4runners the fuel pick up only draws fuel from the larger upper compartment which means that the fuel in the lower compartment is unusable. The El 010-00 TSB addresses this problem by calling for the installation of a fuel pick up with a longer tube so that fuel can be drawn from the upper and lower compartments of the tank resulting in full use for the 18.4 gallon capacity of our 4runner tanks.

below i linked to a web page created by someone who completed the El 010-00 TSB on a 99. Thing is, the web page creator never posted the results so the reader can only induce that by performing the TSB you get full use of the 18.4 gallon tank. In the meantime im going to try to contact the web site creator and ask what the TSB results were. I know this may seem lame to many but id love to be able to improve the range on my 4runner by being able to use that remaining fuel trapped in the bottom of my tank.

http://www.larsdennert.com/4runner/fuelsender/index.htm

 

[jrm]

BUMP: Follow Up

I was able to contact the guy who completed the Gauge TSB in order to ask if the TSB extended the furl range and corrected the fuel gauge inaccuracy. His reply was that after the TSB he could pump 17.5 gallons but that the last gallon of the 18.4 gallon tank remained unusable. And that after TSB the fuel light was accurate signalling that he had roughly 20 miles range.

 

[D Farms]

I know this is old but I just filled up and put 19.5 gallons in my tank. I'll get back to you guys with results, maybe I can get close to 370 in one tank.

 

[ARC]

I know this is old but I just filled up and put 19.5 gallons in my tank. I'll get back to you guys with results, maybe I can get close to 370 in one tank.

Prior to my lift I got 350ish out of my first tank and the light had yet to come on but it only took 14ish gallons to fill up. After the lift/tires I am getting more like 19mpg.

So if you some how forced 19.5 gallons into your tank I think you should easily be able to go 370 miles.

 

[madcanvis]

Nothing for nothing but I've never been able to fill more than 12.5 gallons but them again I hit the pump ever 220miles (or immediately after the light comes on).
After reading this, I stopped at the pump with 220miles on the trip. Filled 5 gallons, wait and pumped a gallon super slow then at regular speed and did it again when the pump hit 10gal. With patience in letting the air/bubbles escape, I was able to pump 14gallons for the 1st time ever. Kind of psyched about that and intersted to see when the gas light come on (highway and burbs DD).

 

[wc11]

My '98 is 70 litres or 18.49 US gallons.
Consistently, I fill up when the light comes on and always take about 60 litres or 15.8 gallons.
I don't base it on mileage as this varies with city/highway use and load.

 

[andrewbares]

You shouldn't be running out at 16.5 gallons. I have filled over 17 gallons, and I wasn't stuttering. Do you have any dents in the tank? That could affect the overall capacity. If you are on a hill, that could throw it off when the tank is low too.

Confirming that I have also filled up 17.104 gallons before (I let the pump auto-stop). I felt a slight stutter while going up a slight hill on the interstate and immediately pulled out to fill up with gas. That's the lowest I've ever drained my tank to.

My gas gauge is also not accurate. It'll get to the first tick after full after just using 2 gallons of gas, and then it slows down. My empty light came on recently, and yet I only filled up 13 gallons. So for my 2000 4Runner (and others it sounds like), the gas light means you still have up to 4 gallons of usable range, or a bit more if you're on level surfaces.

 

[GVL]

Seems like every time I fill up it only takes about 13-14 gallons, but I usually fill just before or after the light comes on. I didn't realize the reserve was that large.

 

[Dsonshine]

19+ gallon fill

I see a lot of statements about the capacity of 4 runner tanks. I'll tell you that your 'capacity' which you all are determining by how much you fill up at the pump, depends on how you actually fill your tank up.

When you hold down the handle, gasoline travels at maximum flow from the station. Either the temperature change, flow speed or volume change makes the gas foam and take up more volume and triggers the mechanism to stop filling. If you give it a second and then continue to fill but only press the level lightly to reduce the flow rate, you can fill up much more gas.

I just filled my 4runner up with 19+ gallons. On the way to the station it was sputtering and I had to sway side to side to keep it flowing. Obviously this is not good for the car but the light goes on very late (unlike mr. 10 gallons). But, my point is more about the capacity! I'm not sure how I can fill up more than 18.5 so I'm going to call the weights and measures and complain as well.

 

[RunnerLimited]

Had this thing for 3 years filled up every time 50-51L (13Gal) and lasted me 300-350km (186-217miles). This has to be one of the worst highway vehicle i ever owned LOL! Since i do weekly 800-1000 km trips for work I've gotten to know the Gas attendants pretty well :cry2:

 

[dirteater4]

I see a lot of statements about the capacity of 4 runner tanks. I'll tell you that your 'capacity' which you all are determining by how much you fill up at the pump, depends on how you actually fill your tank up.

When you hold down the handle, gasoline travels at maximum flow from the station. Either the temperature change, flow speed or volume change makes the gas foam and take up more volume and triggers the mechanism to stop filling. If you give it a second and then continue to fill but only press the level lightly to reduce the flow rate, you can fill up much more gas.

I just filled my 4runner up with 19+ gallons. On the way to the station it was sputtering and I had to sway side to side to keep it flowing. Obviously this is not good for the car but the light goes on very late (unlike mr. 10 gallons). But, my point is more about the capacity! I'm not sure how I can fill up more than 18.5 so I'm going to call the weights and measures and complain as well.

Mr 10 gallon could also have a dented tank.

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

To you people "topping off" your tanks, you are possible fouling your evaporative system. Tank is 18.5 gal. My son ran my truck out and I filled with a gallon and drove right to a gas station and put in 15.5 gal, which equates to a 2 gallon "unusable" reserve. I too fill when the light comes on. Almost always put in around 12.5 to 13 gal which equates to a 3-3.5 gal "usable" reserve. Both my 1999 and 2000 were the same exact way.

 

[Mudeprived]

I just ran out of gas last night for the 3rd time since buying this 4runner last year. I was aware of the 18.5 gallon tank so my calculations were based on that and I could not figure out why my numbers were not accurate. I should be able to hit 340 miles but it runs out at 295-300. I fill it up from empty with 16.5 gallons. It will not take any more than that.

I don't know what to think since there is the "2 gallons of unusuable gas" yet people are filling theirs to 18 or even 19 gallons without issue.


By the way modern gas cans are horrible. I miss the simple little vent that made life great.

 

[TheDurk]

I'll just add a data bit to this. Last year, when I did my frame swap, I first ran the tank down to about 1/8th. Then I used the fuel pump to suck out as much as I could, until it was sucking air. Finally, after the tank was out, I siphoned out every last ounce remaining. I got 100 oz. that could not be reached by the fuel pump, or about 4/5ths of a gallon. If the truck had been in motion, I don't know if it would have died at a lower or higher level, but it gives you an idea.

When the truck was back together, I dumped in exactly five gallons of gas into the bone-dry tank, and got this:

Then I drove six miles to the gas station and filled it with 14.5 more. Which means 19.5, but I had to fill all fuel lines, the filter, maybe some in the neck, plus a six-mile drive, so about what you'd expect. For the record, my supposedly whacko '99 gauge has been pretty reliable since Day 1, as long as you figure there is about 1.5 gal available below zero. Which I used once. It's there.

I generally try to fill up from just where pictured, and have it take about 14 gallons. I now know there are 5 gallons in there at that level, so that is plenty for fuel pump cooling, etc.