Has anyone used a full tank of gas?

[cowboy.lacroix]

I'm in the muggy south and get around 23 mpg driving around a fairly hilly city.

That being said I get around 340 miles before my gas light turns on and when I go to fill up I usually only need around 15 gallons.

take today's fill up for example:
338.5 miles
14.582 gallons
23.213551 mpg

so if the lc's have 17.9 gallon fuel tanks is there really almost 3 gallons left? I wonder if my range gauge is inaccurate or if anyone else is seeing similar results.

I got new tires today so i'm also interested in seeing how the overall mpg changes.

 

[PDPete]

it's a Toyota thing, they're very conservative when it comes to the low fuel light... at least every one I've owned.

still though, while it's nice to know there's still some left in the tank when/if the light comes on, I prefer to not run the tank near empty if I can help it

 

[ultane]

After picking Miss Daisy up from the dealer, I drove until the low fuel light had been on for about 40 miles, based on what was reported on this forum. I had a 5 gallon gasoline container in the back, with 4 gallons of 93 octane in it, in case i ran out of fuel. I was trying to get all the E10 fuel out of the tank, to be replaced by Ethanol Free fuel. I put ~16.8 gallons of E0 gasoline back in the tank.

Everyone on the internet says that in general, it is best not to run the fuel as low as I did that one time. The fuel pump is in the fuel tank, and is cooled by the gasoline.

 

[jenos96]

I’ve found the refuel light not to be conservative or liberal but just wildly inconsistent. One time I was down to est. 10-20mi remaining and didn’t have the light pop on.

 

[PDPete]

I’ve found the refuel light not to be conservative or liberal but just wildly inconsistent. One time I was down to est. 10-20mi remaining and didn’t have the light pop on.

Yeah, but that estimate is also quite conservative, in that "0 miles != empty gas tank"

 

[southernLC]

Youtube guru scotty kilmer recommends never allowing the tank to drop below 1/4 of a tank. Apparently it is not good for the engine.

 

[ultane]

Youtube guru scotty kilmer recommends never allowing the tank to drop below 1/4 of a tank. Apparently it is not good for the engine.

I think it is the fuel pump that suffers. The gasoline cools the submerged fuel pump.

 

[EOD Guy]

IMO........You are not going to hurt a thing by letting it go to "E"........ It's when it's "E" and you keep driving till it quits.......... repeatedly it's not the best for the pump. That being said you could prob do that many thousands of times before the pump would actually suffer. It's a sealed bearing pump and just like any other sealed bearing it'll last a long time. The fuel keeping the pump cool, should make the pump last the life of the vehicle.

 

[jenos96]

Yeah, but that estimate is also quite conservative, in that "0 miles != empty gas tank"

True but other times I’ve had the light pop on with est. 30, 40, 50 miles remaining, hence inconsistent