I always just use the window squeegee hanging by the pump if I ever do that. At least is will dilute it.

 

Ya....60 is really pushin it though, thats the most I think I wanna go

 

ditto i do the same thign too

 

I have ran it a few times past the light and gotten the hesitation from her like i was out of gas. She even stalled out once, but she got back up and made it to a station. Miles past E dont count right now as I am getting some pretty crappy mileage.

 

I've got a '96 with an 18 gal tank and the low fuel light. It is pretty reliable at coming on starting to blink at 2.5 gallons and on solid at 2 gallons left in the tank. Put 18.3 gallons in once after I coasted into the gas station out of gas. Luckily I ran out at the top of a hill and station was at the bottom of hill.

We have the vapor recovery nozzles in Missouri so when filling the tank I can put another gallon in after the stupid thing auto shuts off.

A guy I know works in an auto parts store. He recommends never letting the tank get very empty because the fuel pump is in the tank and when you get low on gas the pump can get hot causing it to fail. The gas in the tank moves the heat away from the fuel pump preventing it from getting too hot. If you let the pump heat up all the time by constantly running very low on gas this can cause the pump to have a shortened life span.

Sounds like it might be true but then again ...

 

Not sure what everyone is driving but the 2000 4runner has an 18.3 gal tank, or so the manual says. I once drove 85 miles after my light came on and still had 2 gal left. I was carring a fuel can, with gas. FYI, the fuel pump is in the tank. The fuel cools the pump. If you run your tank low alot you are allowing your pump to get hot which could shorten its life.

 

If your fuel pump has gas going through it, it's being cooled.

I wondered how much gas I had left when the gas light came on, so I checked

 

my fuel light died last winter, it came on and the next day it flickered off so i figured i better get gas fast, and its never came on scince

 

But keep in mind the fuel capacity rating doesn't take into account the fuel filler neck, or the bypass tube. That could hold 1/2-1 gal easy.

 

I only get 15mpg so when that light comes on... I get nervous when I drive more than 30 miles... I usually always get gas when the light turns on. I only pump 14-15 gallons but don't want to worry about the day I was pushing the vehicle up that massive steep hill... If I floor it up and down that hill every day, my mpg will literally drop to around 11-12... :X

 

but doesnt the gas always get sucked from the bottom? and wouldnt sediment always travel to the bottom anyway?

this is the more correct reason to never let it get empty

i try to not let mine get below a half tank. i live in earthquake country and its our only 4x4 capable of getting the hell out of dodge, or going to rescue family.

 

how much gas is in there?? maybe i am blind but it doesnt look like much plus you have junk at the bottom of your tank

 

I have only had my 1999 2wd 2.7 Limited for two weeks so my knowledgebase is also Limited.

Twice now, immediately after the low fuel light came on, I made a left turn and the engine tried to quit.

Yesterday it came on and 15 miles later on the interstate at 70 mph it started acting like it was running out of gas. I got off at the next exit and had to make a left. halfway through the intersection, it tried to quit.

It held 18.2 gallons. Anyone else had their 4runner try to quit when low on fuel but not completely empty?

I tried the reset procedure but don't know if it's done any good yet.


Stan Henley
Palmetto, GA.

 

What reset procedure?

 

i was under the impression that the fuel outlet was not at the very bottom of the tank ...more like up a few inches from the bottom and out the side...or at least the pickup isn't pullling from the very bottom.. can someone confirm this?

 

The way that I figured out how far I could drive on my gas light was to reset one of the trip meters once the gas light came on. Drive as I normally do and then at whatever milage I feel is right to stop and gas up I do. See how many gallons I was able to put in and the next time drive approx 20 miles more(I say 20 because I average approx 20 gallons per mile)

 

There's probably about 2 gallons of unuseable gas which is plenty to keep the pump part submerged to keep it cool but the pickup is a little over an inch from teh bottom.

Also remember when filling don't fill up the filler neck or you'll be asking for charcoal canister issues eventually.

 

I fill up when the light is on for good. You know how when you stop for a light the light starts to come on, then accelerate and hold a steady speed the light shuts off, visa versa. I head for a gas station when the light is constantly on.

When i fill up i can get anywhere from 17.5gal - 18.3 gal in the tank. The book says its a 18.5 gal tank. But im one of those people that top it off completely instead of stopping when it stops itself.

 

when my light stays on its at 16.5 gallons on a 18 gallon tank (tacoma v6)... i fill mine up the brink of spewing. i know i shouldnt but i do... never had any issues with any car doing it that way and i do ass loads of driving.

 

thats what i do but i dont go over 20 miles on a constant light period..