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Driving your 3rd Gen Tacoma When the Low Fuel Light is On -

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by hiPSI, Mar 8, 2018.

  1. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:28 AM
    #21
    CMillTacoma

    CMillTacoma Well-Known Member

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    I get that i'm just saying I'm not going to use it since it's probably wrong.
     
  2. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:32 AM
    #22
    tonered

    tonered bartheloni

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    Sorry, @hiPSI . I'm on the other end of the spectrum here.

    That chart isn't right for my Taco either. I know that there is 4gal left once the DTE says zero. Easy math to do: multiply the Trip distance, if zero'ed at fillups, by the Tank Average Mileage. You'll see that it goes to zero at 17gal used. We have a 21.1gal tank.

    As far as fuel pumps, I've only replaced one in my 30yrs of driving well into empty. The mech pump in my first car shat itself in the middle of nowhere. Not uncommon.
     
  3. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:33 AM
    #23
    Cold_Toad

    Cold_Toad Well-Known Member

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    Theres a little emergency reserve once you hit 0 miles to empty.
     
    jtmiller2011[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:38 AM
    #24
    jtmiller2011

    jtmiller2011 Well-Known Member

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    Good. because I just hit that today and I forgot my plastics at home. So I've got a 10 mile drive after work.
     
  5. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:49 AM
    #25
    Batman!

    Batman! Well-Known Member

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    Drove my sister last minute to college round trip 120 miles Berkeley to Sac State with my Gas light on saying ( 24 miles to empty)

    You'll be surprise how much you can get from reserve. WONT DO IT AGAIN THOUGH. my excuse is she had a final she needed to get too and I left my wallet at home
     
    Califor2A likes this.
  6. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:58 AM
    #26
    hiPSI

    hiPSI [OP] Laminar Flow

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    I haven't replaced a fuel pump in 30+ years either. Last one was a Jeep.

    Who knows what Tacoma they used for the chart. Could have been a 4 cyl. IDK. Just though it was interesting.
     
    tonered[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Mar 8, 2018 at 11:59 AM
    #27
    Sand Shark

    Sand Shark I dont pub crawl.when I do,I use pub crawl control

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    I once put 20.5 gallons in my tank. The needle was below "E" and the screen said "Please refuel" for the miles to go to empty.

    When I refueled me and the misuses was needing gas (she was at 1/4 tank...no balls, LOL) We had $1.00 off a fill up at our local grocery store (fuel points). We filled her 4-runner and my truck for $42.34.

    upload_2018-3-8_12-58-39.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:02 PM
    #28
    PHLinPHX

    PHLinPHX Well-Known Member

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  9. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:02 PM
    #29
    tonered

    tonered bartheloni

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    The 4cyl should have the same tank. The pump, pickup, or sender might be different since it isn't DI?
     
    hiPSI[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  10. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:04 PM
    #30
    coopcooper

    coopcooper certified youtube mechanic

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    I used to run my lexus on fumes when I was a poor highschool kid. the thing never saw more than a 1/4 tank at a time haha. pump held up fine
     
    xxTacocaTxx likes this.
  11. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:08 PM
    #31
    Skidog1

    Skidog1 Well-Known Member

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    21.1 gallon tank and more in the fill hose when you top it off.
     
  12. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:09 PM
    #32
    dynamicweight

    dynamicweight Well-Known Member

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    While diagnosing a fuel pump issue on my girlfriend's Jetta, I learned a bit about modern fuel pump assemblies. One thing I learned is that the fuel pump assembly has the pump submerged in it's own small "tank" of fuel. This is for a couple of reasons. One, it keep the pump cool. Two, so when fuel sloshes around in the tank, the pump remains submerged. I learned this by talking to the design engineer at a fuel pump company (Autobest) over the phone. Looking at the assembly I see it is true. AFAIK, all modern assemblies are like this.

    As for picking up debris, the fuel tank in my girlfriend's 2001 Jetta with 140k on it looked absolutely pristine. If it weren't for the fuel itself you could have eaten off the interior of that tank. Perhaps a truck driven off-road is different but I personally doubt it. There are seals on any openings to the tank and the fuel filter should deal with anything that happens to get through when you're filling up.

    There is no mechanical issue with driving past "empty".

    That said, I fill up somewhere between a half and a quarter tank left. This way I can do it when I have some extra time and not in a hurry to get somewhere and I never have to worry about it.
     
    tonered likes this.
  13. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:12 PM
    #33
    Extra Hard Taco

    Extra Hard Taco Well-Known Member

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  14. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:19 PM
    #34
    Lawfarin

    Lawfarin Who me?

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    ~3.2 gallons when the light comes on

    So if you’re averaging 18 mpg you should roughly 57 miles until you run out of fuel

    0FE4C651-3EBD-447E-8672-78876EE11877.jpg
     
    shakerhood, xxTacocaTxx and hiPSI[OP] like this.
  15. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:24 PM
    #35
    Mslide

    Mslide Member

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    Did a real life test on the gas light coming on and how much you have left in the tank this past weekend on a return trip from L.A to Phoenix. Came rolling into Phoenix to the gas station below E. The process goes, x miles to empty, once it hits zero says "refuel the vehicle. The 3 gallon reserve is accurate. I filled up and it had took 19.6 gallons and I believe the tank holds 21.2. So as I said, came into PHX extremely light.
     
  16. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:26 PM
    #36
    Lawfarin

    Lawfarin Who me?

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    21.1 Plus whatever extra someone might have stuffed in the filler tube

    A6448B6D-4A7E-4D8A-9FDA-E49EBB104E5A.jpg
     
    shakerhood and hiPSI[OP] like this.
  17. Mar 8, 2018 at 12:28 PM
    #37
    Freetime

    Freetime Well-Known Member

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    For those you comparing you old vehicles running low to these - you're incorrect. Your old vehicle didn't have that little High Pressure Fuel Pump. You know, the one under the hood that makes all the cricket sounds during the hot weather? That guy. Fuel keeps him cool. You run it low, you burn it up. Don't do it. This ain't your daddies fuel pump.
     
  18. Mar 8, 2018 at 1:11 PM
    #38
    EdgeCrusher

    EdgeCrusher Well-Known Member

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    In Toyotas?
     
  19. Mar 8, 2018 at 1:16 PM
    #39
    EdgeCrusher

    EdgeCrusher Well-Known Member

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    Yeah if you were running out of fuel. The pump doesn't know if there .5 gal or 20 gal coming into it. First gallon cools the same as the last. Running it dry is different story.
     
    xxTacocaTxx and tonered like this.
  20. Mar 8, 2018 at 1:20 PM
    #40
    Cold_Toad

    Cold_Toad Well-Known Member

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    Not really true, by the time it doesn't have fuel "to cool" you are out of gas.
     
    xxTacocaTxx likes this.

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