Petrol tank capacity issue

[NeilT]

I have a 2010 2.4 Vellfire and ever since I've had it, I can only fill the petrol tank up to just over 3/4 on the gauge before the pump clicks off. The most I've ever managed to put in is 43 litres when I'd done quite a few miles with the petrol warning light on. Given the tank is supposed to be 65 litres, that seems a bit low. Fuel consumption seems OK, I can get 33mpg on a long run. All I can think of is there is some kind of air lock in the tank or the warning light comes on too early, or both. Has anyone seen this before and/or does anyone know what the problem might be?

Thanks

Neil 

[Chris.ac]

I can only get 52ltr in my tank, when my remaining range is 5 miles. 

 

 

 

[NeilT]

Thanks Chris, that's a bit better than my 43 but still a bit odd?

[Chris.ac]

Its hard to know if it's by design or just bad calibration of the gauge.

 

I know that a certain quantity of fuel is required in reserve in order to keep the pump in the tank cooled and lubricated, but 10ltr+ seems excessive. 

Using a tool like Torque, i can see via the obd² that the fuel tank level is reported, and when i get down to around 10miles capacity, the value does float about during cornering.

 

I wonder if driving until cut out occurs will recalibrate the reading, although that does carry some risk of overheating the pump.

 

Also to bear in mind, you shouldn't force more fuel in after the pulp starts clicking at the fuelling station, as you can damage the carbon canister in the evap system

 

 

Edited July 8 by Chris.ac

[NeilT]

I think it might be best for me to leave it at the moment as it's not a big problem, just an inconvenience sometimes but I don't do that many miles. If I get some spare time, I might investigate Torque or similar, that looks interesting. Thanks again.

[Coog]

I would suggest a faulty gauge, a stuck or leaking float or damaged mechanism in tank. You could throw a jerry can of fuel in the boot and run it on the red light to know for certain. 

[NeilT]

Thanks Coog, I don't know if I'm brave enough to run it till it dies.

[Rojie]

53 minutes ago, NeilT said:

Thanks Coog, I don't know if I'm brave enough to run it till it dies.

 

Whatever vehicle you have, it is never a good idea to run the tank dry.

To be safe, fill to three quarter full, run down to quarter full and top up to three quarters.

 

Unless doing the NC500, half a tank should be plenty, even between isolated petrol stations.

[NeilT]

10 minutes ago, Rojie said:

 

Whatever vehicle you have, it is never a good idea to run the tank dry.

To be safe, fill to three quarter full, run down to quarter full and top up to three quarters.

 

Unless doing the NC500, half a tank should be plenty, even between isolated petrol stations.

OOI why only three quarters full? 

[Rojie]

8 hours ago, NeilT said:

OOI why only three quarters full? 

 

Arbitrary, that's all.

 

Not many people fill the tank to the brim.

 

My point is that running the tank to quarter full and then refilling is a good method to use.

Any arbitrary level will do, but the lower you get to an empty tank the more chance of any 'muck' that has settled at the bottom of the tank being disturbed.

There are fuel filters to deal with this issue, but they can be blocked.

 

[Goz]

I've driven from Sevenoaks to High Wycombe with my range on 0 ... still only got 59 litres into it

[NeilT]

Which is about 64 miles, assuming 30mpg = 2.1g = 10litres so your range shows 0 after 49 litres. That seems similar to mine, thanks Goz.

[Johnno]

Funny enough I’m having the same quirk. When the gauge looks low, and the fuel to empty reads less than 100 I can only fill up with approx 37ltr. I have a hybrid 2013, I’m wondering if the fuel tank is smaller in these?

[Goz]

Mine is a 2012 hybrid ... usually fills up round 51/52 when showing empty ... i was getting aroudn 37.5 mpg on that drive so thats holds pretty well.

 

But yeah ... i definitely have a tank that is close to that 65L size ...

[Kreuz-W]

On 7/6/2024 at 4:12 AM, NeilT said:

I have a 2010 2.4 Vellfire and ever since I've had it, I can only fill the petrol tank up to just over 3/4 on the gauge before the pump clicks off. The most I've ever managed to put in is 43 litres when I'd done quite a few miles with the petrol warning light on. Given the tank is supposed to be 65 litres, that seems a bit low. Fuel consumption seems OK, I can get 33mpg on a long run. All I can think of is there is some kind of air lock in the tank or the warning light comes on too early, or both. Has anyone seen this before and/or does anyone know what the problem might be?

Thanks

Neil 

I had the same problem with my 2007, went to the mechanic, and suggested changing the sender (83320), waiting for parts to arrive in Canada, and replacing the part to see if it was the problem.

 

[NeilT]

5 hours ago, Kreuz-W said:

I had the same problem with my 2007, went to the mechanic, and suggested changing the sender (83320), waiting for parts to arrive in Canada, and replacing the part to see if it was the problem.

 

Thanks Kreuz, do you have a rough idea of the cost of parts and labour for that?  

[Kreuz-W]

11 hours ago, NeilT said:

Thanks Kreuz, do you have a rough idea of the cost of parts and labour for that?  

the parts total cost $150, shipping included. And labor is not known yet.  

[NeilT]

2 hours ago, Kreuz-W said:

the parts total cost $150, shipping included. And labor is not known yet.  

I can’t justify that to fill up every three weeks instead of every two but thanks for the info

[Coog]

On 7/20/2024 at 9:52 AM, Rojie said:

 

Whatever vehicle you have, it is never a good idea to run the tank dry.

To be safe, fill to three quarter full, run down to quarter full and top up to three quarters.

 

Unless doing the NC500, half a tank should be plenty, even between isolated petrol stations.

 

It's only once to confirm the gauge is faulty.

 

The pick up is at the bottom of the tank anyway. If there's dirt in there, it'll be getting sucked up regardless.

[smurf]

I know that the accepted wisdom is that fuel tanks contain dirt at the bottom but I've always considered this to be unlikely in a vehicle. The fuel is always drawn from the bottom of the tank, and some of the fuel recirculates back to the tank on some fuel injection systems, so the fuel is not stationary at the bottom. The fuel will also be sloshing about the tank every time the car is driven, so the opportunity for there to be undisturbed settlement is low. If the tank is regularly taken to a low level then once again there is little chance of anything being left behind. Finally, most tanks these days are made of plastic so there is no risk of internal corrosion causing an issue.

 

Just my thoughts on the matter, but I have no actual proof either way. It may have been an issue back in the days of carburettor cars with a one way fuel system and no fuel filter to stop the tiny filter the carb from getting rapidly blocked. Although, I've never actually heard of anybody experiencing their car conking out after running low on fuel, but lack of evidence is not evidence of lack.

[BigNev]

Hiya fellas!

Whilst I can't say from experience on an Alphard, I can on my Subaru Outback.

 

There was NO DIRT in the bottom of the tank. NOWT.

 

To change the fuel filter on this, it's on the fuel pump in the tank.

Access is from the top, remove the rear seat, easy, remove an access panel in the seat "floor", easy again, then remove a top panel of the petrol tank to take out the pump and filter assembly. Also easy.

The pump assembly has a mesh strainer on it, but there was no muck in the bottom of the tank on the, at that point, 14 year old 147,000 miles car.

Quite an un-nerving time prising plastic bits apart to swap the filter section though!!

Edited August 7 by BigNev

[BigNev]