Actual fuel tank capacity on a 4 banger

Hi I own a 1999 tacoma 2.4 liter extra cab and I was really curious to know if you can actually put 15 gallons of fuel in that little truck. Normally I put 11 gallons when its right above empty and the needle goes to F so how would 15 gallons actually fit ?

 

This may not apply directly to you, since I have a 4-banger 4x4 that supposedly holds 18 gallons. The most I've added to the tank, is 16.2 gallons, and the needle was past empty (visible gap between needle and empty mark). I'm assuming I have at least a gallon left of usable gas (at 21 mpg highway) . I think the pickup tube would be high and dry with the last gallon still in there.

PS - Never add more gas after the pump automatically turns itself off.

 

He has a 5 lug, the fuel tank capacity on that is lower than the 6 lug trucks.

Edit: TW says 5 lug tanks are 15 gallons.

 

I don't Toyota would go through the trouble to manufacture two different sized fuel tanks mine is 15.1 on the manual but I've filled up about 15.4 before. I assume these tanks are 15 at empty with a gallon of emergency reserve.

 

what happens if you add more gas after the pump shuts off??
just curious.

besides overfilling of course..

 

The gas can expand or flow into the EVAP system, causing failure of the charcoal filter and a CEL.

 

My tank is 18.5, as is the tank on my cousins 04 prerunner (with the 2.7).
The tank on my 95.5 5 lug was 15 gallons.

 

hmm would it be possible to not have a CEL and still have a problem w/ the charcoal filter? I think i might have done that a long time ago...

I just have some vibration while I'm stopped but idling (in drive/reverse) and I've been trying to find the problem for a while. No CEL..

EDIT: sorry don't mean to go off topic..

I've put 16 + gallons in my tank before (under the E line..)

 

Mine is 18.5. I have put 17 gallons in it before. Its not really good to run it dry

 

According to this, it only hampers the SMOG efficiency (that's what I remember from my auto class, but I didn't pay much attention to the SMOG BS)

 

You still had 3 gallons left when you filled up

 

Yeah the 5-lug has only 15 gallons, the OP already knew that.

The '84 4runner I used to have only carried 15 gallons. They had an optional 18 gallon tank, but I'm glad I didn't have it, because it hung down too far for rock-crawling.

 

I've put 19.4 gallons in a 18.5 gallon tank before.

 

I talked to two mechanics that are friends of mine.

They both said the same thing: Early model fuel injectors could be damaged by running them dry. Newer ones do not. HOWEVER, you STILL should not run it dry, as the fuel PUMP is lubed and cooled by the fuel flow, and sucking air for even a short time can cause it to overheat and or flat burn out.

Also, check your owners' manual. I was surprised to find my 2nd gen held over 20 gals when I had never pumped in over 18 despite coming close to 500 miles on a couple of tanks.

 

a 3 gallon reserve? seems high. I have a 2000. I would believe the 01-04's have a bigger tank but I've damn near run out of gas and every time I fill up it's around 15 gallons.

 

I have a 6 lug 3.4 and the most I get to put in when I fill up is about 15.2 gallons when the needle hits E. Should that be the right amount?

 

most I've put in on my 18.5 gal tank was 17.5, hey I still had some left

usually it's in the 15.5 - 16.5 gal range since hitting E usually means 2 gal remaining. Low fuel light is a "warning" that you will need fuel, not that you are out.

However on a side note keeping the tank filled up is less evaporation of the gas in the tank. more space equates to more evaporation. wish I had the gas station tank's floating plate to limit the space

 

OK, gonna try this again, cause apparently I'm a mime or some shit.

Yes, you have a 3 gallon reserve. No, it isn't too high. Read your owners manual.


Here's mine. I went 470 miles on one tank, the 'OMG GAS' light had been on for over 50 miles, and I was a damned happy camper to pull up to the pump on the turnpike service plaza. I pumped in 17.72 gallons and thought to myself, "Holy fuckerballs batman, that was close!"

Then I looked at the specs in my manual a few days later and found what you see above. At 21 gals, and the 27.7 MPG i had for that tank, I could have gone just a hair under 582 miles before being dry.


CHECK YOUR MANUAL. You probably have a bigger tank than you think.

 

2nd gen has a different size tank.

 

I know that. But my point is, regardless of which specific tank you have, you're used to it acting a certain way...like, say, the gas light turning on at a relatively specific mileage point (based on your driving) that leads you to believe that you have a certain capacity fuel tank.


You probably are wrong in that assumption.

I gave my own example to illustrate this. My motorcycles had a certain reserve fuel capacity on them all my life. I simply carried this assumption (incorrectly) over to my cars. I was only a little right.

There is a 'reserve' in that the car starts warning you when the fuel gets down to a certain level. The difference is, that level is probably a lot higher than you might think it is, and it has played out in a hundred threads on this board alone, mine own included when I did it.