Fuel light all of the vehicles that I have owned didn’t have lights or they didn’t work. I drained all the bad gas out of my 82 4x4 and then put 5 gallons in and it didn’t move the needle and at this point there is about 12 gallons in it and the needle is still below the E line. I think that my fuel gage might be a little off. On my 84 2wd I would routinely go 30+ miles below the E line.

 

Let me say something too, I haven't performed any mod or repair on my 4Runner that I would say "isn't fun." Sure it may be an expensive part but any chance I get to turn a wrench on my 4Runner I jump on it. I love working on it no matter how time consuming or muscularly taxing the job. I guess some people enjoy it more than others.

 

my light comes on religiously at 275. used to be a lot better, but I figure I have A LOT of extra weight on the runner so thats the main reason. You would expect a bit better gas mileage from a 4 banger, but apparently, I've got so much crap on it, there isnt much I can do about it anymore.

I think the furthest I've gone is roughly 50 miles, but that might be pushing it a little bit.
I rarely push it anymore, it's just not worth it.

 

Last summer I was hauling load after load of old scrap metal to the recyclers.. well I was very dirty and just wanted to get the job done so the excavator could get started clearing the property that I had bought. Well on the last trip "the light had been on for at least 30 miles" I thought its time. I made it about 2 miles from a damn gas station on a 4 lane highway she died.. and there is no warning, just shut off, wouldnt start.. that will ruin your day! Cell phone was at home, filthy stinking and hot, like a 90 sunny afternoon and my truck was covered in dust, dirt and funk from hauling all that crap! I went to a ladies house and she basically told me to go away! Never again!

 

Here's something to really spike a conversation. For those of you that think running out of gas in a fuel injected engine is bad. If this is indeed true, then why do you pull the fuel pump power or pull the open circuit relay and then run the engine until it runs out of gas when you replace the fuel filter!!!??? I mean, you are running it out of gas and stalling it, it's the same thing that happens when you run out of gas on the road.

 

Actually it doesn't hurt anything to run a fuel injected engine out of gas but there are cars with fuel injected systems that can get air in the fuel lines if you run out of gas and need to be bled for them to work again. Fortunatly these systems weren't used much and the only major production car that had this type of system was a couple years of early 4th gen Vettes and they warned about running out of gas.

 

So what's everybody here concerned about that for is what I was asking. I never found it a problem and I ran out once on the way to work about 4 years ago, paid a lawnmower guy $5 for a little gas (yes it was unleaded and 2-cycle oil free) and went to the gas station. then changed my fuel filter that night. so I know it's not a bad thing for our engines, just looked like some people that have posted so far seem to think otherwise.

 

I think it's an urban legend. I too have run out of gas (in my 98 Taco), never changed the fuel filter and drove it for another 20K hard miles with no problems.

While I agree it is not good to make a habit of it, I don't see what all the fuss is about on our vehicles.

I would like to hear of someone who had a directly related performance problem after running out of fuel.

 

I've read somewhere that when your fuel light comes on, there's about 2.5-3 gallons left in the tank. Personally I dont go over 50miles

 

Ok, here is the reason that my auto teacher gave me in college several years ago in regards to letting the fuel run below a quarter tank. This applies to EFI only.

In just about all fuel injected vehicles, the fuel pump is mounted in the tank. The fuel in the tank is what keeps the fuel pump lubricated and cool. When you get below the 1/4 mark, the fuel pump is no longer immersed in fuel and tends to heat up, somtimes even overheat. This heat reduces the life of the fuel pump.

There are other issues as well such as sucking in large amounts of dirt and sediment at the bottom of the tank to clog the fuel rails and injectors. This also affects carbs in plugging up jets and orfices.

Try to keep it above that 1/4 mark!

 

But doesn't the fuel come from the bottom of the tank anyway? If you took it from the top, well, you'd only be able to use a couple of gallons on gas right?

 

I think my gauge might be messed up, but I find that the first half tank goes by really quickly, a in say 20miles. Then it just sits on the second half... Then Ive gone to where the light comes on, turns off, and the needle is touching the E, and the thing is still chugging allong! I have never run out of gas, but I'd really have to be trying to do so. I only get 180mi to a tank so, I guess I don't mind squeezing as much out as I can.

 

The first half of mine goes REALLY quickly as wellon my 92 p/u, then the second half just keeps on goin, i think mine might be screwed up too.

 

Your statement doesn't apply to all vehicles, the 3rd gen 4Runner fuel pump is quite smalll and sits near the bottom of the tank with a fuel screen to block most debris, beside the inline fuel filter to catch the rest. As long as you don't run crappy fuel, your tank should stay clean, I know mine was when I had it apart. As for going below a 1/4 tank on the guage, no worries, even when the light comes on you still have aprox 3.5 to 4 gallons left and there's a baffle inside the tank, so there should be no problem with the pump overheating, which I doubt would happen anyways.

 

My gas light doesnt come on..

I've checked the fuse and really haven't been able to pull the dash apart and check around there at all yet...

I've filled my tank up one time and put 16.978 gallons in it. If memory serves me correct, i think i have a 17 gallon tank....

Casey

 

i had my system apart a few weeks ago, to replace a rusted out fuel line, and got to see in side the tank it was clean as new, i think for people to keep them that way you just have to keep the cap closed tight and only buy gas from reputable high volume stations. There really should not be a lot of sediment build-up in an efi system.

 

these things have low fuel lights? (jk mine is too old to have one)

 

I must have broken a new record because I went to fill up yesterday and was able to pump in 18.3 gallons with just one top-off squeeze. It's an 18.5 gallon tank, granted a little in the hose but I usually can only get in around 16.75 at most.