Gas Tank Fuel Gage

[Rogerm]

All:

I gased up and the nozzel did not cut off from vapors... it came close to overflowing when I

shut it off manually.

I had a half a tank i.e., about 9 gallon when I started.

I added 9 gallons.

This should have been a full tank.... and based on the above ... a full tank.

The gage however only came up to 3/4 full.

Then it slowly dropped as I drove...

When it got to showing about 1/4 tank... it stayed about the same.

I finally ran out of gas...

Used a 2 1/2 gallon gas container... and it started right up.

I talked to my shop and they said it is probably the gas tank float gage... which is also integrated with the fuel pump.

Does any one have any other suggestions...as to problem or diagnosis

Or

Any online procedure for :

a) replacing the tank gage etc.

B) buying the part ... where and approx. cost.

Thanks

Roger

[pauljcl]

All:

I gased up and the nozzel did not cut off from vapors... it came close to overflowing when I

shut it off manually.

I had a half a tank i.e., about 9 gallon when I started.

I added 9 gallons.

This should have been a full tank.... and based on the above ... a full tank.

The gage however only came up to 3/4 full.

Then it slowly dropped as I drove...

When it got to showing about 1/4 tank... it stayed about the same.

I finally ran out of gas...

Used a 2 1/2 gallon gas container... and it started right up.

I talked to my shop and they said it is probably the gas tank float gage... which is also integrated with the fuel pump.

For whatever it's worth - I have a '99 RX300, and ran into a similar problem: I filled the gas tank 'to the max', and the fuel gauge thereafter was sluggish and mis-indicated the amount of fuel, by as much as 1/4 tank at times. However, after ten of so fills just to where the nozzle 'stops', then running the tank down to about 3/8 to 1/2 indicated, it has changed back to indicating what I believe is an accurate amount, anyway as accurate as it always was (i.e, slightly under-estimating the amount of gas left). My fuel gauge never was very accurate (e.g. when comparing to BMW or MB, where the indications are spot-on on the cars I own). I now never 'super-fill' the tank, which means that I am probably a gallon 'low' from the max.

If you decide to change your gauge (with ot w/out the fuel pump), can you let me know how much they charged you?

Good luck

pauljcl

Does any one have any other suggestions...as to problem or diagnosis

Or

Any online procedure for :

a) replacing the tank gage etc.

B) buying the part ... where and approx. cost.

Thanks

Roger

[Rogerm]

Update Saturday night:

Two possible GAS levels:

1. My gage is now showing 3/8 ths of a tank ... about 6 gal. in the tank.

Last time I drove it I had added gas, driven it ... the empty warning light was on... now it is off.

See 2. below...

2. My calculations say it should be about 3 gal. in the tank.

based on:

I added 6 gal. to an empty tank

I drove 51 miles at 17.1 mpg. = used 3 gal.

6 gal. - 3 gal. = 3 gal.

So something is not right, but it is working somewhat ... and better than it had been.

I have it scheduled to go into the shop on Monday. ( It's Sat nite. now)

Based on what you just said about ... It fixing itself on multiple 1/2 refills...

I'm not sure what to do.

I'll call the shop Monday and see if he has already received the part...

And I'll discuss your fix... see what he says.

It may have just been some flook or bad gas or the splashy top off.

It sure would be cheaper to just work it out like you did.

But then again... it might be that the "sender" is about worn out... and will go soon.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) I'll add about 1/4 tank... about 5 gal. in two stages 2 1/2 gal. each

and watch the gage to see what it shows as I do this.

If it shows about 5/8 ths of a tank... I'll lean toward holding off taking it in.

I'll let you know how I make out tomorrow.

{{ What do you think of the proposed approach??? }}

{{ Do you remember what yours showed during those first refills ?}}

Thanks

Roger

[pauljcl]

Update Saturday night:

Two possible GAS levels:

1. My gage is now showing 3/8 ths of a tank ... about 6 gal. in the tank.

Last time I drove it I had added gas, driven it ... the empty warning light was on... now it is off.

See 2. below...

2. My calculations say it should be about 3 gal. in the tank.

based on:

I added 6 gal. to an empty tank

I drove 51 miles at 17.1 mpg. = used 3 gal.

6 gal. - 3 gal. = 3 gal.

So something is not right, but it is working somewhat ... and better than it had been.

I have it scheduled to go into the shop on Monday. ( It's Sat nite. now)

Based on what you just said about ... It fixing itself on multiple 1/2 refills...

I'm not sure what to do.

I'll call the shop Monday and see if he has already received the part...

And I'll discuss your fix... see what he says.

It may have just been some flook or bad gas or the splashy top off.

It sure would be cheaper to just work it out like you did.

But then again... it might be that the "sender" is about worn out... and will go soon.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) I'll add about 1/4 tank... about 5 gal. in two stages 2 1/2 gal. each

and watch the gage to see what it shows as I do this.

If it shows about 5/8 ths of a tank... I'll lean toward holding off taking it in.

I'll let you know how I make out tomorrow.

{{ What do you think of the proposed approach??? }}

{{ Do you remember what yours showed during those first refills ?}}

Thanks

Roger

Hi Roger!

I don't remember details, but I usually fill the tank (+/-) and don't let it go below 1/2 or 3/8 at worst (good habit in FL after hurricane summers - in case one needs to evacuate, no time to wait to fill tanks and also sometimes gas stations can't serve gas). I do remember it took about ten 'fills' (i.e. to when the nozzle 'stopped') and then drains down to about 1/2 indicated. I once made the mistake of again 'super-filling' the tank and the gauge again registered wrongly - but for less of a time than previously. Now, I just go to 'nozzle-stop' then may add no more than a gallon. It probably would make sense to change the gauge/sensor, but I don't see why I need to spend the $ when I've found a way that suits... Since you are keeping track of your consumption and re-fills, why don't you just wait a couple of weeks and see what happens, being careful not to overfill in the meantime?

Again: good luck!

pauljcl

[pauljcl]

Update Saturday night:

Two possible GAS levels:

1. My gage is now showing 3/8 ths of a tank ... about 6 gal. in the tank.

Last time I drove it I had added gas, driven it ... the empty warning light was on... now it is off.

See 2. below...

2. My calculations say it should be about 3 gal. in the tank.

based on:

I added 6 gal. to an empty tank

I drove 51 miles at 17.1 mpg. = used 3 gal.

6 gal. - 3 gal. = 3 gal.

So something is not right, but it is working somewhat ... and better than it had been.

I have it scheduled to go into the shop on Monday. ( It's Sat nite. now)

Based on what you just said about ... It fixing itself on multiple 1/2 refills...

I'm not sure what to do.

I'll call the shop Monday and see if he has already received the part...

And I'll discuss your fix... see what he says.

It may have just been some flook or bad gas or the splashy top off.

It sure would be cheaper to just work it out like you did.

But then again... it might be that the "sender" is about worn out... and will go soon.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) I'll add about 1/4 tank... about 5 gal. in two stages 2 1/2 gal. each

and watch the gage to see what it shows as I do this.

If it shows about 5/8 ths of a tank... I'll lean toward holding off taking it in.

I'll let you know how I make out tomorrow.

{{ What do you think of the proposed approach??? }}

{{ Do you remember what yours showed during those first refills ?}}

Thanks

Roger

Hi Roger!

I don't remember details, but I usually fill the tank (+/-) and don't let it go below 1/2 or 3/8 at worst (good habit in FL after hurricane summers - in case one needs to evacuate, no time to wait to fill tanks and also sometimes gas stations can't serve gas). I do remember it took about ten 'fills' (i.e. to when the nozzle 'stopped') and then drains down to about 1/2 indicated. I once made the mistake of again 'super-filling' the tank and the gauge again registered wrongly - but for less of a time than previously. Now, I just go to 'nozzle-stop' then may add no more than a gallon. It probably would make sense to change the gauge/sensor, but I don't see why I need to spend the $ when I've found a way that suits... Since you are keeping track of your consumption and re-fills, why don't you just wait a couple of weeks and see what happens, being careful not to overfill in the meantime?

Again: good luck!

pauljcl

Oops! sorry! didn't answer your question! My gauge would (at initial time of problem) show about 3/4 full when nozzle 'stopped', and I assumed that it was showing 1/4 low (i.e. less than actually in tank) all the way to refill at 3/8 indicated. The assumption was +/- correct given the gallons needed to refill. Then, little by little, the gauge 'moved up' on subsequenet re-fills, and after about five fills was a bit less than an 1/8 'off' (i.e indicated low).

[Rogerm]

Update Saturday night:

Two possible GAS levels:

1. My gage is now showing 3/8 ths of a tank ... about 6 gal. in the tank.

Last time I drove it I had added gas, driven it ... the empty warning light was on... now it is off.

See 2. below...

2. My calculations say it should be about 3 gal. in the tank.

based on:

I added 6 gal. to an empty tank

I drove 51 miles at 17.1 mpg. = used 3 gal.

6 gal. - 3 gal. = 3 gal.

So something is not right, but it is working somewhat ... and better than it had been.

I have it scheduled to go into the shop on Monday. ( It's Sat nite. now)

Based on what you just said about ... It fixing itself on multiple 1/2 refills...

I'm not sure what to do.

I'll call the shop Monday and see if he has already received the part...

And I'll discuss your fix... see what he says.

It may have just been some flook or bad gas or the splashy top off.

It sure would be cheaper to just work it out like you did.

But then again... it might be that the "sender" is about worn out... and will go soon.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) I'll add about 1/4 tank... about 5 gal. in two stages 2 1/2 gal. each

and watch the gage to see what it shows as I do this.

If it shows about 5/8 ths of a tank... I'll lean toward holding off taking it in.

I'll let you know how I make out tomorrow.

{{ What do you think of the proposed approach??? }}

{{ Do you remember what yours showed during those first refills ?}}

Thanks

Roger

Hi Roger!

I don't remember details, but I usually fill the tank (+/-) and don't let it go below 1/2 or 3/8 at worst (good habit in FL after hurricane summers - in case one needs to evacuate, no time to wait to fill tanks and also sometimes gas stations can't serve gas). I do remember it took about ten 'fills' (i.e. to when the nozzle 'stopped') and then drains down to about 1/2 indicated. I once made the mistake of again 'super-filling' the tank and the gauge again registered wrongly - but for less of a time than previously. Now, I just go to 'nozzle-stop' then may add no more than a gallon. It probably would make sense to change the gauge/sensor, but I don't see why I need to spend the $ when I've found a way that suits... Since you are keeping track of your consumption and re-fills, why don't you just wait a couple of weeks and see what happens, being careful not to overfill in the meantime?

Again: good luck!

pauljcl

Oops! sorry! didn't answer your question! My gauge would (at initial time of problem) show about 3/4 full when nozzle 'stopped', and I assumed that it was showing 1/4 low (i.e. less than actually in tank) all the way to refill at 3/8 indicated. The assumption was +/- correct given the gallons needed to refill. Then, little by little, the gauge 'moved up' on subsequenet re-fills, and after about five fills was a bit less than an 1/8 'off' (i.e indicated low).

Paul:

Hey thanks for all the help.

I filled mine three times yesterday driving about a block between each filling:

1. 2 1/2 gal. This seemed to move the gage just a bit... but to where it was about 6 gal. in the tank that I estimated.

2. 5 gal. This brought it up about to between 1/2 and 3/4 registering on gage. Again about right by estimate.

3. 5 gal. This brought it up to almost full on the gage. Again about right by estimate.

I did notice a "vent line" problem ...

(It seemed to the pump filler cutoff that it was full even when I started pumping)

when filling up as described in the link below:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=34015

I'm going to try his fix for the vent line problem...

Thanks again ... I'll report back on this.

Roger