Thoughts on Fuel Tank Capacity During a Long Drive... (1 Viewer)

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Today I ran my tank down to the point the trip computer literally said my range was 0 miles (low fuel light had been on for a long time), but when I filled up (including topping off just to see how much I could get in there) I only managed to fill 19.2 gallons. Combined with the mpgs I've been getting lately in stop and go city traffic with winter blend fuel in freezing temps, my fuel range is pretty dismal. Any ideas why I can't get more than 19 gallons in the tank even though my range is zero? Does it have something to do with really low ambient temps?
Same thing happens with my lx570. When The driving range is down to 0 miles and I fill the tank it never holds more than 20 gallons. I haven't had the balls to keep driving past there even though I know there's another 4-5 gallons left. Once it warms up, time to push the limit.
 
Same thing happens with my lx570. When The driving range is down to 0 miles and I fill the tank it never holds more than 20 gallons. I haven't had the balls to keep driving past there even though I know there's another 4-5 gallons left. Once it warms up, time to push the limit.

I crammed just over 25 gallons in once (25.3 to be exact) so the capacity is there. And ya I know that's above spec. Must have used the filler and some of the built in air pockets...
 
I know I’m bringing back an old thread, but had some curiosity about our new to us 2011 LC fuel range. I inadvertently ran it about to it’s limit today; I’d say. 435 miles and filled it with 26.2 gallons. That’s correct. Probably won’t do that again.

I’m reading mixed reviews on filling to the top of the neck. It sounds like the 200 series has far less risk of overflow into the charcoal canister, possibly causing issues with emissions system, with its modern design and location of the canister?

Any other thoughts on this?
 
when you ovefill it has nothing to do with the emissions system. That takes care of vapors. What happens when you overfill is liquid gas tends to get in the charcoal canister and that is hard to correct
 
Yea I agree with your points, I never topoff either, for environmental reasons, but as far as expansion, the stock tank can't be over filled by the baffle design. There are pockets in the top, that are located higher than the fill neck, so physics alone, you can't overfill a modern tank. Plus the charcoal canister in the back of the truck is also higher than the tank, runs through a j curve fitting into the fuel pump inner bucket. So physics again, fuel isn't getting into those components unless you fill the tank and tilt the truck over 45 degrees on its side. I found these things out on modern tanks from building auxiliary fuel cells, engineers don't trust buyer, so these stop gaps exist. The worst that will happen from overfilling a tank is spilling on the ground and side of your truck, which is why I stop pumping when the auto pump clicks.
when you ovefill it has nothing to do with the emissions system. That takes care of vapors. What happens when you overfill is liquid gas tends to get in the charcoal canister and that is hard to correct

This was the response I was most interested in. Particularly about the canister being in the back of the truck, higher than the filler neck.
 
Since those two posts disagree I do want to state I am not an expert or car mechanic. All I know I learned on Mud. I do know when you or at least I have overfilled on a warm day I can smell gas. I also tend to have my vehicle at a 45 deg angle from time to time,or at least it seems like that :D

Overfilling my 40 always reaks for a few days even after I drive it. That is an older design though
 
Since those two posts disagree I do want to state I am not an expert or car mechanic. All I know I learned on Mud. I do know when you or at least I have overfilled on a warm day I can smell gas. I also tend to have my vehicle at a 45 deg angle from time to time,or at least it seems like that :D

Overfilling my 40 always reaks for a few days even after I drive it. That is an older design though

My last post in this thread was January, 2017. I can now state that I specifically avoid over-filling now. I basically squeeze the fuel filler handle and seueeze once or twice after it first shuts down...just to make sure it didn’t simply stop by accident or movement...and then I stop. Error codes get old and annoying. While I’m also convinced I’m not doing damage simply clearing the evap codes...I’d love to go back and avoid the canister fouling overflow.

ON THE OTHER HAND... @Atwalz (who got the exact same error codes and @TonyP and I did after Top of the World...actually installed a new charcoal canister...and the error codes continued to be thrown! Grrr.

One last thought... This overflow tendency, including the need to not wheel on s full tank in Moab...might be yet another legit rationale for adding a sub tank—because you’d be able to have a “full tank” without ever having to be full enough to be stuck with boiling gas that fouls canisters, etc.

@Paging @wardharris ;)
 
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I feel this may be the no.1 mystery of the 200. Boiling Moab gas.

Gas stations in Moab (along with most across the country) are not that big. And even a medium sized gas station will sell 10,000-15,000 gallons a day. The average fuel tanker holds 8,500 gallon of gas. And there are now refineries in Moab.

Underground fuel tanks act as a thermos and keep the fluid temperature for up to a week despite how much cooler and underground tank is.

So it’s safe to assume Moab gas stations get refilled around once a day with hot fuel from a tanker that was filled far away and has been heating inside the unisulates tanker in that same Utah summer heat.

I haven’t had my 200 to Moab yet (but an FJ) however I did live in El Paso for years. And with 110° heat, 4,000 feet elevation and all the steep mountain trails. I never had a fuel boiling problem.

And as I’ve said before, fuel can boil at a superprisingly low to rather higher point. It just depends on how good it is, and if is way contaminated from a leaky ground tank (which you would be amazed how many don’t pass inspection).

So I’m not discounting Moab boiling gas (obviously, we’ve seen it with our own eyes). Like the bigger grocery store one, that one got a bunch of Jeep guys years ago with the same problem.

As far as overfilling and getting fuel into the evap can...

Has anyone opened theirs up to even see if fuel got in there? Or are we speculating? And there problem is actually something else on the 200?
 
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Overfilling my 60 makes the interior smell as if I actually poured some inside and does indeed last several days. I had a Mercedes SL500 that really disliked being over filled.
 
I feel this may be the no.1 mystery of the 200. Boiling Moab gas.

Gas stations in Moab (along with most across the country) are not that big. And even a medium sized gas station will sell 10,000-15,000 gallons a day. The average fuel tanker holds 8,500 gallon of gas. And there are now refineries in Moab.

Underground fuel tanks act as a thermos and keep the fluid temperature for up to a week despite how much cooler and underground tank is.

So it’s safe to assume Moab gas stations get refilled around once a day with hot fuel from a tanker that was filled far away and has been heating inside the unisulates tanker in that same Utah summer heat.

I haven’t had my 200 to Moab yet (but an FJ) however I did live in El Paso for years. And with 110° heat, 4,000 feet elevation and all the steep mountain trails. I never had a fuel boiling problem.

And as I’ve said before, fuel can boil at a superprisingly low to rather higher point. It just depends on how good it is, and if is way contaminated from a leaky ground tank (which you would be amazed how many don’t pass inspection).

So I’m not discounting Moab boiling gas (obviously, we’ve seen it with our own eyes). Like the bigger grocery store one, that one got a bunch of Jeep guys years ago with the same problem.

As far as overfilling and getting fuel into the evap can...

Has anyone opened theirs up to even see if fuel got in there? Or are we speculating? And there problem is actually something else on the 200?

The fact that @Atwalz replaced his canister and still threw the codes tells me it’s something else... but I do wonder if he still has his old one...and whether he opened it up to inspect.
 
My personal data point, as we own 7 gas stations, from Los Angeles to seattle, two are non brand name mom and pop, rest are brand name

If I could sell 10-15k gallons a day, I would be happier than Kim in Korea today


Our small stations have 15k-20k gallon tanks

Our larger stations where we are going through double walled new tanks, we are replacing the 20k tanks with 35k tanks

Our large stores are doing about 200k gallons a month

Our small stores are doing about 80-110k gallons a month

I have friends in TX and AZ who have 20-30 stations but each does 17k-30k gallons a month (that’s average on a small station)

Small gas stations probably get filled twice a month or so on average. Then again gas station owners don’t always buy full tanks, so that is a variable

Large stations can get filled up everyday or so depends on price and volume offered by local distributors

I usually order about 7800 gallons at a time, unless it’s diesel, than due to weight we get less fuel.

Highest in one day gallon sales in last 29 years has been 10,700 gallons.

You can use this link to inquire number of gallons sold a month for particular stations in Utah

Www.loopnet.com


And even a medium sized gas station will sell 10,000-15,000 gallons a day.

So it’s safe to assume Moab gas stations get refilled around once a day
 
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I had bubbling gas up north too. Temp was in the mid 50s. The catalyst in that situation, I believe, was elevation change. I filled up around 4k feet and ended up close to 10k on the trail. Not an enormous amount of bubbling but enough that I could hear it.
 
I had bubbling gas up north too. Temp was in the mid 50s. The catalyst in that situation, I believe, was elevation change. I filled up around 4k feet and ended up close to 10k on the trail. Not an enormous amount of bubbling but enough that I could hear it.

Interesting, since that totally debunks the hot weather prerequisite...though it sure worsens it.

One gentleman at Cruise Moab suggested it is heat from the fuel pump...but I reject that due to the fact that even in 112 degree weather at sea level, neither the pump nor the weather leads to boiling.

Strange stuff.
 
Interesting, since that totally debunks the hot weather prerequisite...though it sure worsens it.

One gentleman at Cruise Moab suggested it is heat from the fuel pump...but I reject that due to the fact that even in 112 degree weather at sea level, neither the pump nor the weather leads to boiling.

Strange stuff.

It's likely all relevant. For any liquid, the boiling point varies and is determined by atmospheric pressure (i.e. altitude) and heat. It probably also gets into the specific fuel composition from whatever pump as it can vary depending on winter/summer blend and some other things.
 
My personal data point, as we own 7 gas stations, from Los Angeles to seattle, two are non brand name mom and pop, rest are brand name

If I could sell 10-15k gallons a day, I would be happier than Kim in Korea today


Our small stations have 15k-20k gallon tanks

Our larger stations where we are going through double walled new tanks, we are replacing the 20k tanks with 35k tanks

Our large stores are doing about 200k gallons a month

Our small stores are doing about 80-110k gallons a month

I have friends in TX and AZ who have 20-30 stations but each does 17k-30k gallons a month (that’s average on a small station)

Small gas stations probably get filled twice a month or so on average. Then again gas station owners don’t always buy full tanks, so that is a variable

Large stations can get filled up everyday or so depends on price and volume offered by local distributors

I usually order about 7800 gallons at a time, unless it’s diesel, than due to weight we get less fuel.

Highest in one day gallon sales in last 29 years has been 10,700 gallons.

You can use this link to inquire number of gallons sold a month for particular stations in Utah

Www.loopnet.com
Great insight, great post.

I guess I should of specified my comment on medium sized gas station.

I was referring to a medium sized gas station... in Moab in the summer. Where everything revolves around single digit MPG 4x4s and people go there to drive all day. Plus all the rentals.

Lots more fuel to burn and need before and after the trail. By thousands of idling off-road vehicle’s.
 
Great insight, great post.

I guess I should of specified my comment on medium sized gas station.

I was referring to a medium sized gas station... in Moab in the summer. Where everything revolves around single digit MPG 4x4s and people go there to drive all day. Plus all the rentals.

Lots more fuel to burn and need before and after the trail. By thousands of idling off-road vehicle’s.

Ya, great info and points about the unique Moab fuel needs. I still am always amazed at how my average mpg suffers way less than i’d expect after such low speeds all day wheeling. Maybe that’s a testament to the mpg price we pay for wind resistance on the highway. Wondering if low speed wheel mpg benefits from the lack of high speed wind waaaaay more than might seem logical given the gear ratios at low vs high speed...
 
@Markuson I do think wind resistance and gearing plays a huge role in highway mpg. I drove from Chicago to Baltimore and back over Memorial Day and I found I got slightly better mileage running in 5th gear at 78-82mph than in 6th. In Pennsylvania crossing the Alleghenies I got almost 0.5mpg more in 4th than 6th.

My theory is that I can be light on the throttle in 4th or 5th or heavy on the throttle in 6th, and I must be burning more fuel at lower rpm to maintain speed than at higher rpm where the engine is burning more oxygen. Maybe 6th would be ok if I had a supercharger...

The LC is set up from the factory geared for flat highway, and once you add bigger heavier tires you have to lean into the gas to maintain speed in 6th gear. The truck tries to avoid downshifting since on flat land with stock tires you’d want to hold 6th, but with oversized/overweight tires you’re better off in a taller gear ratio.
 

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