gas tank will only take 12 gallons from time light comes on!!!

[96countryxj]

i have recently purchased a cherokee about a month ago has been pretty good to me besides the fact the when i put gas in it from the time the gas light comes on i can only put in 12 gallons of gas in it i have been reading and have learned there should be a 4 gallon resereve alright so were at like 16 gallons requested a build sheet says i have a 20 gallon tank ok so back to the issue when i "fill up" i turn the key to see where the gauge goes it goes to full after only putting in 12 gallons ok then i drive 500ft and it goes t 3/4 so im like hmm maybe i can put more gas in pull back into station try and put more gas in nope it all comes out of the filler so at 12 gallons my tank is "full" but i dont feel like it is any ideas much apreciated

 

[Doctor94R]

Umm... are you relying on the gauge to tell you when its full at the pump, or waiting for it to click off at the pump?

 

[trippled]

mine does the same. hows youre tank look? any dents in it? could be a corroded connector somewhere giving false readings.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Check the fuel sender, Check for visible damage to tank, and anything in between. Also could be gunk built up in the tank.

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

you probably did only use 12 gallons. the gauges arent the most accurate. how far are you going on those 12 gallons?

 

[bcmaxx]

time to throw in a jerry can and drive, see what you actually get out of a tank. my tanks beat to hell, the fuel light turns on and it NEEDS fuel

 

[kujito]

time to throw in a jerry can and drive, see what you actually get out of a tank. my tanks beat to hell, the fuel light turns on and it NEEDS fuel

You might want to replace the fuel filter after this little experiment.

 

[birchlakeXJ]

I would guess gauge inaccuracy here. If that is the situation, unless you want to chase it, I would consider it more of a "characteristic" than a problem.

BTW, it isn't a great idea to fill your gas tank that full. It can result in setting a code with the presence of excess hydrocarbons (engine computer thinks something is wrong when it smells raw fuel) as well as the possibility of raw fuel even making it into the evaporative canister. When the gas pump clicks off, best to stop fueling.

 

[winterbeater]

time to throw in a jerry can and drive, see what you actually get out of a tank. my tanks beat to hell, the fuel light turns on and it NEEDS fuel

X2 - Run 'er out while you have an extra gas can in the back.

 

[kastein]

X3 on that, just don't do it too often or you'll beat up your fuel pump.

I always top off once (till the pump clicks off a second time) but beyond that, I don't screw around with it. It's quite unsafe if it is spilling out the filler, that means it's above the tank vent lines and stuff on a 96 or older.

Also Xwhatever on the tank/sender damage, I have seen a lot of people with tanks heavily dented by offroading who can't get 20 gallons into their tanks anymore. I could never get more than 18 into mine, now I can't get more than 19.6 into my 97+ plastic tank I installed even when I run it absolutely dry by accident. The plastic scuff plate strapped over the bottom of the metal tank on a pre-97 will spring back when the tank gets dented, meaning that the tank is now smaller but you can't see the dent.

 

[jdougn]

... I would consider it more of a "characteristic" than a problem...

Quote pertains to all things XJ!!! Made my day! arty:

 

[bcmaxx]

You might want to replace the fuel filter after this little experiment.

good point, I only get a year outta my tanks before they are scrap metal so they are nice and clean

 

[96countryxj]

yah drove my car for 4 days on the light still didnt run out of gas so i filled it up before work and it took 18.9 gallons so my gauge is wrong

 

[Dobbs]

dont go by the gauge or the light on my 85 when the light came on you had about 100 ft before it quite.on my 92 I have about 50 miles left . there is a lot of thing that can throu the gauge off when I fixed my rear springs by putting a new stock pack under them and got in it for the first time as an added bonus I got all most a 1/4 of a tank of free fuel

 

[jdougn]

I drove a Chevy Blazer for awhile that'd got rearended. It was empty when the gauge read 1/4 tank. The mechanic said the impact probably bent the sending unit's float arm. He said he never trusts the gauge on a used vehicle.

 

[weebur]

yah drove my car for 4 days on the light still didnt run out of gas so i filled it up before work and it took 18.9 gallons so my gauge is wrong

Call a Jeep dealer with your VIN, there may be a recall on the gauge/sending unit.

 

[jfxj67]

I'm thinking that this "characteristic" is quite common in XJ's! I still have about 1/4 tank after my fuel light comes-on and my gauge reads empty. I know this because i purposely ran my tank dry, and it is a 20 gallon tank. I put a gallon in it, drove to the gas station and added another 18.

The readings are still the same, but at least i know where i'm at now...

 

[dirty d]

when the light comes on in my `92,i still have a little over 7 gallons left before it`s out. i know,i`ve tried it several times and it`s right around 7.5 gallons left when the light comes on.

on the other hand....... i have a 98 zj and SOMETIMES the light will come on with about a gallon left. other times,it won`t come on at all. guess how i know that:doh: