Fuel Gauge Issues...

Question.....?

Not exactly related to the original post, but since the thread has long since derailed... I had some work done at my Toyota dealer a few years ago and they gave me a new Taco for a loaner. When I went to fill the tank back up to return it(as the rental agreement stated to do) I noticed that when I added about 6 gallons to get it back up to full, it took a long time for the needle to actually move all the way back up, like over 5 mins to go from 3/4 to full. Is this common on 2nd gens, that the gauge reflects change that slowly? It would have been like a 2013 or 14.

 

yup

it's normal

 

My door mat

 

You don't want to run your gas out completely because you have fuel injection and once you run them out you're in trouble big time

 

I think you are confused, most of our Tacomas do not need to be primed or any special steps if you ran out of fuel. I can't speak for the diesel Hilux but gas version all you need to do is turn the key on

 

I've always heard 2 theories.
1. Tank shape causes non-linear gauge movement.
2. It's a mind game played by car manufacturers. The "above full" makes an illusion of good mileage. And the big 3rd quarter does similar.

You want a real gauge annoyance? My digital speedo in the display window will say 70 while my needle says more like 68.
AAAGGHHH! Life just isn't worth living!!

 

no

no not confused! Injectors can clog up

 

I know it's 2016, and maybe this should be better by now. But I learned the hard way, not to run my tank that low. Only once when I first buy a vehicle, I run it down until the light comes on, and fuel immediately. In the case of my 2008, I have 4 gallons left. Not sure if that is accurate for all Taco's tho. In a normal situation, I am filling at around a half tank. Run too low too often, you risk burning up the fuel pump. Plus filling up more often softens the blow at the pump. Just my two pennies.

 

In the history of internal combustion engines and the fuel gage, the gage is only an estimate of the fuel remaining.

They were even worse in the old days. In fact the 1994 Ford F250, Turbo Diesel, that I traded in on my 2016 Tacoma, had two fuel tanks of the same size. The front thank would go down slowly from full and have about 2 gallons left at empty, the other tank would leave full fast and have about 6 gallons left at empty. It was important to know this because the fuel injection was mechanical and if you ran out you had to bleed the injectors before it would start again. I did not see this as a problem only something that I needed to be aware of so I didn't run out.

 

No, it does not need to remain submerged. the fuel going through the pump cools it.

Oh and my89 4runner had a terrible gauge, but you got used it it and drove accordingly.

 

I am a pilot... We STICK our fuel tanks... so there is no guessing.... try that!

 

I read this whole thing..... The result is that I have lost a couple of iq points and 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Stupid is as stupid does, I guess

 

I am sure that is possible, running out of gas doesn't necessarily plug them up. I have run out of gas in my tacoma, you put gas in and turn the key on, the pump primes the injectors

 

exactly right

if you have enough crap in your system to cause injector failure just from sucking the last
crumb from the tank you have a whole world of other problems besides letting yourself
run out of gas

like

where are you buying that shit gas ?
why is my tank full of shit ?
why can't I keep tank full ?
where are my pants ?


running out of gas does no harm except throw a few MIL codes and some
sputtering for a minute when you finally do get some gas in it

 

Nothing like taking reasonable information and then totally ruining your credibility by being entirely over dramatic about the consequences.

Jesus fuck.

 

On a similar note, if you don't put your seat belt on YOU WILL FUCKING DIE.

 

One thing I do hate:
Sometimes when I fill up it tells me I have 416 miles till empty, and sometimes it tells me I have 385 miles till empty. It's always those two exact figures. Never 390 or 400, always is 416 or 385.

 

I have never got anything over 400 miles til empty in this truck. I wonder how it computes it. Another thing I notice too when I fill up is that the "Current Trip" MPG's rise fast and I get good mileage according to it. On the next drive, it will revert back to the same MPG's I normally get.

 

i never even noticed that, i dont worry about that kind of stuff

 

Truck drivers do this too. We also figure our general miles we can get out of a tank and just reset our trip A or B and watch that.