Gas tank fill question
06-12-2008, 08:50 AM
#1
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PA
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gas tank fill question
I have only filled my tank 3 or 4 times (car is new). I always fill it to full. When the pump shuts off, I have to stand there and sqeeze another 3 gallons in it. Is this normal? Kind of a pain. My last 3 fill-ups have been at different stations, so I dont think I got lame pumps at all 3 locations.
06-12-2008, 09:22 AM
#2
Instructor
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Centennial, CO
Age: 76
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For emission purposes, all vehicles have a certain amount of expansion volume built into the tank. If you keep squeezing more into the tank till you see gas in the filler neck, you have overfilled it and on a hot day, the gas will expand and run out all over the car, garage or wherever you are, an obvious dangerous situation. I have had this happen and it resulted in a car fire, not fun. Since your car is new, experiment with letting the tank go down as much as you are comfortable with and then see how much you put in. You may want to keep your lawn mower can in the trunk just in case but that brings on its own set of hazards.
06-12-2008, 09:39 AM
#4
AZ Community Team
Do not fill it to the top of the neck, this affects the effective operation of the emissions fuel vapor recover system and can cause a check engine light. And as someone else pointed out can also cause a expansion and potential fire.
Trending Topics
06-12-2008, 10:34 AM
#9
Drifting
Originally Posted by apnorm
A little off topic. The TL has a 17.1 gallon tank. Does anyone know if you stop at the first "click" when filling up, is the entire 17.1 gallon filled?
1.) Most fuel systems do not have the inlet pipe positioned in a way that it can suck up all the gas in the tank.
2.) The fuel pump is located in/top of the tank, so that when it doesn't have fuel on the inlet side, there is not going to be any positive pressure on the outlet side, so you will have fuel in the lines and injector rails still.
3.) You have a small amount of fuel in the vapor recovery system.
If you fill it up with 17.1 gallons, there are two things that you did.
1.) You filled up the tank up to the filler neck
2.) You are wasting your money, becuase many jurisdictions require fuel dispensers to have a vapor recovery system for emissions purposes. (Easy to tell cuz the nozzle will have a little plastic suction cup looking thingy that goes over the filler neck when you fill it up). If the nozzle is equipped with this, you are wasting money, because the dispenser clicks out gas, but the recovery system is sucking it back in the gas station's tank if you are over-filling your tank.
06-12-2008, 10:44 AM
#10
Originally Posted by avs007
You will never fill it with 17.1 gallons, for several reasons...
1.) Most fuel systems do not have the inlet pipe positioned in a way that it can suck up all the gas in the tank.
2.) The fuel pump is located in/top of the tank, so that when it doesn't have fuel on the inlet side, there is not going to be any positive pressure on the outlet side, so you will have fuel in the lines and injector rails still.
3.) You have a small amount of fuel in the vapor recovery system.
If you fill it up with 17.1 gallons, there are two things that you did.
1.) You filled up the tank up to the filler neck
2.) You are wasting your money, becuase many jurisdictions require fuel dispensers to have a vapor recovery system for emissions purposes. (Easy to tell cuz the nozzle will have a little plastic suction cup looking thingy that goes over the filler neck when you fill it up). If the nozzle is equipped with this, you are wasting money, because the dispenser clicks out gas, but the recovery system is sucking it back in the gas station's tank if you are over-filling your tank.
1.) Most fuel systems do not have the inlet pipe positioned in a way that it can suck up all the gas in the tank.
2.) The fuel pump is located in/top of the tank, so that when it doesn't have fuel on the inlet side, there is not going to be any positive pressure on the outlet side, so you will have fuel in the lines and injector rails still.
3.) You have a small amount of fuel in the vapor recovery system.
If you fill it up with 17.1 gallons, there are two things that you did.
1.) You filled up the tank up to the filler neck
2.) You are wasting your money, becuase many jurisdictions require fuel dispensers to have a vapor recovery system for emissions purposes. (Easy to tell cuz the nozzle will have a little plastic suction cup looking thingy that goes over the filler neck when you fill it up). If the nozzle is equipped with this, you are wasting money, because the dispenser clicks out gas, but the recovery system is sucking it back in the gas station's tank if you are over-filling your tank.
I'm trying to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas without running the thing dry for obvious reasons. The MID will display the miles to needle hits "empty" but there's a little reserve after that.
06-12-2008, 10:53 AM
#11
Drifting
Originally Posted by apnorm
I always stop at the first click. Does anyone know or have an educated guess on how much gas would be in there?
I'm trying to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas without running the thing dry for obvious reasons. The MID will display the miles to needle hits "empty" but there's a little reserve after that.
I'm trying to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas without running the thing dry for obvious reasons. The MID will display the miles to needle hits "empty" but there's a little reserve after that.
However, even if you did find a way to determine this on the TL, I wouldn't recommend it, as most fuel pumps are submerged in the tank. If you run the tank too low, the fuel pump will overheat as it uses the fuel to cool itself (or atleast I heard). It's not a fire hazard or anything, but if you allow the pump to overheat, it can shorten its life. And fuel pumps aren't cheap.
06-12-2008, 11:05 AM
#12
I haven't had to post this for a long time, so here it is again.
This info is excerpted from a very long thread I started about fuel tank capacities, etc. and is based on actual and precise testing.
a. When the low fuel warning light comes on, if you are getting 25 mpg you can go 94 miles, but if you are only getting 20 mpg, you can only go 74 miles. Of course, other miles per gallon figures will result in different results. This means you have approximately 3.7 gallons remaining.
b. When “miles to empty” (2004TL) or “range” (2005TL) reads zero, that is time to fill up, but you can still go 57 miles at 25mpg, but only 45 miles at 20mpg. This means you have approximately 2.3 gallons remaining.
c. When filling the tank, if you stop at the first shutoff, you will have about 17 gallons in the tank.
d. The tank will actually hold about 19 gallons, but it is not recommended to fill the tank to capacity, so stop at the first shutoff.
If you want to read the whole thread, click here. and if that's not enough information for you, here's another thread you can read.
This info is excerpted from a very long thread I started about fuel tank capacities, etc. and is based on actual and precise testing.
a. When the low fuel warning light comes on, if you are getting 25 mpg you can go 94 miles, but if you are only getting 20 mpg, you can only go 74 miles. Of course, other miles per gallon figures will result in different results. This means you have approximately 3.7 gallons remaining.
b. When “miles to empty” (2004TL) or “range” (2005TL) reads zero, that is time to fill up, but you can still go 57 miles at 25mpg, but only 45 miles at 20mpg. This means you have approximately 2.3 gallons remaining.
c. When filling the tank, if you stop at the first shutoff, you will have about 17 gallons in the tank.
d. The tank will actually hold about 19 gallons, but it is not recommended to fill the tank to capacity, so stop at the first shutoff.
If you want to read the whole thread, click here. and if that's not enough information for you, here's another thread you can read.
06-12-2008, 11:15 AM
#13
Drifting
Originally Posted by Ron A
I haven't had to post this for a long time, so here it is again.
This info is excerpted from a very long thread I started about fuel tank capacities, etc. and is based on actual and precise testing.
a. When the low fuel warning light comes on, if you are getting 25 mpg you can go 94 miles, but if you are only getting 20 mpg, you can only go 74 miles. Of course, other miles per gallon figures will result in different results. This means you have approximately 3.7 gallons remaining.
b. When “miles to empty” (2004TL) or “range” (2005TL) reads zero, that is time to fill up, but you can still go 57 miles at 25mpg, but only 45 miles at 20mpg. This means you have approximately 2.3 gallons remaining.
c. When filling the tank, if you stop at the first shutoff, you will have about 17 gallons in the tank.
d. The tank will actually hold about 19 gallons, but it is not recommended to fill the tank to capacity, so stop at the first shutoff.
If you want to read the whole thread, click here. and if that's not enough information for you, here's another thread you can read.
This info is excerpted from a very long thread I started about fuel tank capacities, etc. and is based on actual and precise testing.
a. When the low fuel warning light comes on, if you are getting 25 mpg you can go 94 miles, but if you are only getting 20 mpg, you can only go 74 miles. Of course, other miles per gallon figures will result in different results. This means you have approximately 3.7 gallons remaining.
b. When “miles to empty” (2004TL) or “range” (2005TL) reads zero, that is time to fill up, but you can still go 57 miles at 25mpg, but only 45 miles at 20mpg. This means you have approximately 2.3 gallons remaining.
c. When filling the tank, if you stop at the first shutoff, you will have about 17 gallons in the tank.
d. The tank will actually hold about 19 gallons, but it is not recommended to fill the tank to capacity, so stop at the first shutoff.
If you want to read the whole thread, click here. and if that's not enough information for you, here's another thread you can read.
06-12-2008, 02:49 PM
#14
Originally Posted by LARS-TLS
Hmm. I better do some reading. But I do like that fuel gauge on "F" as long as possible.
But don't overfill it then park it...it will be quite messy and dangerous
06-12-2008, 03:40 PM
#15
AZ Community Team
Originally Posted by apnorm
A little off topic. The TL has a 17.1 gallon tank. Does anyone know if you stop at the first "click" when filling up, is the entire 17.1 gallon filled?
It's fairly common on Honda's and Acura's to have 1-2 gallons extra volume in the tank for the vehicle's fuel vapor recovery system.
I have filled my wife's 2003 Honda Pilot with 18 gallons (gas went to the very top, none spilled or was sucked back), and it's tank is only officially rated at 16 gallons. Although I avoid doing this since it's not good for fuel vapro emmisions.
06-12-2008, 03:51 PM
#16
AZ Community Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: N35°03'16.75", W 080°51'0.9"
Posts: 32,488
Received 7,770 Likes
on
4,341 Posts
Originally Posted by apnorm
I always stop at the first click. Does anyone know or have an educated guess on how much gas would be in there?
I'm trying to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas without running the thing dry for obvious reasons. The MID will display the miles to needle hits "empty" but there's a little reserve after that.
I'm trying to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas without running the thing dry for obvious reasons. The MID will display the miles to needle hits "empty" but there's a little reserve after that.
I'll simplify Rona A's *correct* answer for you.
When the Low Fuel Warning comes on you will have ~4 gals gas remaining and the MID Range will be ~20 to 25 miles.
When the MID range says 0 Miles, you will have ~3 gals remaining and can travel ~60 to ~75 miles.
So, from the time the Low Fuel Warning comes on until you are bone dry should be ~80 to 100 miles.
If you refill between the time the light comes on (MID Range = ~20 to 25 miles) and when the MID says 0 miles Range, you will be able to put ~13.5 - 14.5 gals in the tank, stopping at the first pump cut off.
06-13-2008, 08:23 AM
#17
Safety Car
yea i was gonna say.....1 time since ive actually filled up 16.8 gallons.....so yea u can fill up 17.1 but then u wouldnt get to the gas station so its pointless. lol
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
