I posted earlier regarding a dirty MAF sensor on my 2000 Chevy Prizm (which is the same as a Corolla), which I took care of with a can of the CRC MAF cleaner.
Right after I did this, I filled up the tank to capacity for the first time since owning the car (I usually just drive around locally, so I haven't had to fill it entirely yet). Everywhere I have read, including the manual for the car, indicates that my car has a 13 gallon tank. But I was only able to get 10 gallons into it. The gas light had come on, so I knew it was just about out, but again, only 10 gallons went in before the pump shut off. I tried to put a little more in, and I was only able to squeeze another half a gallon into it.
My Prizm is the base model, not the LSI version. Can anyone shed light on this for me? I mean, logic tells me that I actually have a 10 gallon tank, but everywhere else seems to say it should be 13 gallons.
Definitely more than 10. There can be 2+ gallons left with the light on. That's more of an idiot light than a true indicator. I've definitely filled up 11.5+ in the past. Light was on.
In reality the last gallon or two is pretty much usuable and is only in reserve. If you drive your car with insufficient fuel, then you run the risk of overworking and damaging the fuel pump.
Most I ever filled up with was 12.6 gallons and that was with the car sputtering and dying as I was pulling into the gas station.
You can definitely drive some more, but it really depends on how brave you are.
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Originally Posted by TURBO Das Automagazin
A BRZ, a curvy mountain road makes one liter of happiness hormones.
the most i ever put in mine was 12.750 gallons. and it ran like CRAP. the reason the idiot light comes on at 10 or so gallons is because typically, you dont want to run your car on whats left in the tank. as that gas can be mostly water, sediment, and etc nastiness. i try to fill up at 1/4 tank to keep my car from sucking up the bottom dregs of the tank.
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before you ask a 'how do i...' question answer this for me. do you own a repair manual for it? have you searched the forum for a similar issue?
Thanks, Guys! I did manage to get over eleven gallon into it after the light came on last week, and it makes sense that the light comes in with a reserve left in the tank.
From my calculations, I would be getting 40 MPG on the highway with a ten gallon tank, but now it appears to be running closer to about 36 MPG. I was able to run somewhere between 400 and 420 miles on a full tank, and that wasn't running the tank completely empty. The light came on at around 400 miles, and I still went about 20 or so miles before filling up again.
Still, that's not bad at all, and close enough to 40 MPG for me to be happy with it either way.
Out of curiosity, what sort of mileage should I expect from my Prizm?
From my calculations, I would be getting 40 MPG on the highway with a ten gallon tank, but now it appears to be running closer to about 36 MPG. I was able to run somewhere between 400 and 420 miles on a full tank, and that wasn't running the tank completely empty. The light came on at around 400 miles, and I still went about 20 or so miles before filling up again.
Base your calculations on filling the tank until the automatic shutoff kicks in, since this typically is the highest amount it can safely fill without going down the tube for the charcoal canister (which can ruin the charcoal canister).
While it's tempting to wait until the light comes on to fill up the car, that can put you in a bad situation where you may find yourself running out of fuel (for example, if there's a severe storm that knocks out power and then it's impossible to fuel up, or if a bridge goes out stranding you from 'civilization' and whatnot, or the Amish Republican Army starts chasing you and you have to outrun them. That sort of thing).
you dont have to run the tank out to get your gas mileage calculated. you can simply just drive 2 gallons off and check it. but most people dont judge by highway or city mileage, they do it in an overall estimation. just fill the tank till it automatically cuts off. reset one of your odometers, drive off like half a tank or so and refill it back to the automatic cutoff. look at the pump for the exact amount of fuel added. say 6.6 gallons or so. simply divide the amount of miles your odometer says to that 6.6 to get your mileage. this is a rough estimate between city/highway though
if your manual says its a 13 gallon tank i wouldnt imagine you arent getting a full 13 gallons in your tank. my corolla, the needle could go a full 1/8 past the e mark and still be driving, although this isnt very good to do to your engine or pump.
I never let mine go below the e-mark...and besides i have filled over 11 gallons in my 01 corolla le and from my calculations of my mpg...i am getting about 31 to 32 mpg.Thats good.
I only got 28.5 mpg last tank, but my girlfriend drove about 100 of those miles, so that can't help! Plus, I did the Seafoam on this tank so there went about 15 mins of high idle. Next tank should be good though....
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