thebovees
Driving Cruisers since '67
How much gas is remaining in the tank of a 94 fzj80 when low fuel light comes on?
gas remaining when low fuel light comes on
- Thread starter thebovees
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5 gallons
cartercd
SILVER Star
Yep, 5 gallons.
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Just enough to get you to the end of the block if it is downhill with a tail wind 
cheers,
george.
cheers,
george.
5 gallons. Not saying it's calibrated for it, but 90% of the guys seem to have a 5gal remaining when the light stays on solid.
When the light is fading in and out when you accelerate and corner, as the gas sloshes around through the baffles, it's still just a suggestion that you might want to stop and get gas. Once the light is on BRIGHT and solid, I figure 50 miles from now I'm going to be walking - and plan accordingly.
When the light is fading in and out when you accelerate and corner, as the gas sloshes around through the baffles, it's still just a suggestion that you might want to stop and get gas. Once the light is on BRIGHT and solid, I figure 50 miles from now I'm going to be walking - and plan accordingly.
Mandrake
Supporting Vendor
The pilot in me is asking if that's five usable gallons, or five total gallons? If the latter, how many usable gallons are left when the light comes on?
I own a 94, and when i did my own test to find out how many gallon remained when my low fuel light came on, the amount remaining was 3 1/2 gallons. Now you need to understand that the low fuel light would light up faintley, and then go off as i was getting low. But once it came on bright and steady, that's when i did a complete fill up and came up with only 3 1/2 gallons remaining in the tank.
I think that's 5 total... Seems to be roughly 20 if I fill it when the light is just starting to go steady and I once filled roughly 24.6 due to poor planning. It's not exactly the most precision measurement though as brakes, acceleration, corners and hills all affect it. As thirsty as the 1fz is, I normally just start looking when the light comes on.
I keep chuckling, thinking about that LM2 swap @Drewthecarguy is doing. If he actually gets 30mpg out of it, having 150 miles of range with the fuel light on would be kinda hilarious. "Ooops, fuel light. I guess I won't make it through another state without filling up!"
I do the exact same calculation.
Seems like a Toyota standard. My Taco and 200 are similar.
The pilot in me responds that it's 5gal USABLE.
I've tested this extensively and inadvertently, and every time I've gotten to SOLID LIGHT, I can estimate 10mpg* for however far the next gas station and sure enough, that's damn close to gallons usable.not saying it's a good idea to run on fumes, as the Fuel Pump is immersed in fuel for cooling, but you can use a lot of what's left in there once the light comes on.
(*Part of my 10mpg estimation takes into account that I'm probably getting better than 10mpg, because I'm driving like I have eggs under my right AND left feet, Mother Theresa is in the backseat, and the 3rd row is stacked with cases of old dynamite...!)
lumbee1
Native American
Odd that this thread came up. I was going to post something similar.
I used to get 150 miles to the middle line on the gauge. Less than that means I was driving too fast or too hard. Right before the light would come on, I would get 250 to 270 miles.
Lately I've been getting 120 to 130 miles to the middle line on the gauge driving normally. However, I'm also getting 250 to 260 miles before the light comes on. I thought my fuel gauge may be acting up but when I went to fill up with the light blinking on and off the tank took 21.6 gallons.
I used to get 150 miles to the middle line on the gauge. Less than that means I was driving too fast or too hard. Right before the light would come on, I would get 250 to 270 miles.
Lately I've been getting 120 to 130 miles to the middle line on the gauge driving normally. However, I'm also getting 250 to 260 miles before the light comes on. I thought my fuel gauge may be acting up but when I went to fill up with the light blinking on and off the tank took 21.6 gallons.
Not technically a Toyota, but my Scion TC did not have a 5 gallon reserve. I've owned a lot of Toyota made vehicles and it was the first on that really meant it when the light kicked on, as I discovered much to my dismay one day. I literally coasted into a Lowes parking lot, when I remembered they sell shelf-stable sealed quart cans of unleaded... Which was a lot more convenient than a gas can and a walk to a gas station!
All the above: I figure I can drive either of my (running) 80's another 30 miles around town or 45 miles on the highway after the low fuel lamp comes on solid if I have to but try to fuel up before that. The owner's manual suggests not running the tank empty.
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Minimums for different vehicles are different.
My Prius low fuel light comes on with about 1/2 gallon left.
Fuel pumps are cooled and maybe lubricated by the fuel. It's so common for someone to fill up their vehicle with an empty light on and suddenly their fuel pump is toast.
Point is don't make a habit of running on empty.
Point is don't make a habit of running on empty.
Having pumped out by siphon (on the return line) when light was on, and refurbished a tank, yes 5 gal if your gauge is good and you should be able to pull well over 4 out with the fuel pump.
Your initial numbers, before your "lately" description, are dead on with mine. Just a data point for all of us. I'm in a 1996 US Spec LC. Cheers.
