can gas overfill cause fuel gauge sensor to not work ?

[smokey1]

the burp and overfill w/ the gas pouring out happened again . This time we fear the gas gauge sensor may have been damaged . Currently 193 miles and still reading full . Hopefully within a day or so a bar will disappear .

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smokey1 @ Jul 9 2007, 08:18 PM) [snapback]475951[/snapback]</div>

the burp and overfill w/ the gas pouring out happened again . This time we fear the gas gauge sensor may have been damaged . Currently 193 miles and still reading full . Hopefully within a day or so a bar will disappear .
[/b]

The one time I really overfilled, I got over 200 miles before the first pip disappeared.

Dave M.

[smokey1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smokey1 @ Jul 10 2007, 12:18 AM) [snapback]475951[/snapback]</div>

the burp and overfill w/ the gas pouring out happened again . This time we fear the gas gauge sensor may have been damaged . Currently 193 miles and still reading full . Hopefully within a day or so a bar will disappear .
[/b]

thanks , hope that holds true to this circumstance . It is a big hassle . Find that some gas nozzles at certain gas staions work better than others .

[catgic]

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[Betelgeuse]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Jul 10 2007, 05:44 PM) [snapback]476423[/snapback]</div>

What you call "overfill" I call "topping the tank off to its 11.9 gallon capacity."

If you want to "top off" your gas tank to 11.9 gallons, you have to learn to "game" gas nozzles to keep them and the fuel bladder from doing the "bubble and gurgle" down the side of your car. I always fill my tank up many gallons past the first gas nozzle kick-back (usually 3-4 gallons more).

When I "top off" my tank, the first green dot on the gas gauge usually does not dim until I have driven around 240 +/- 15 miles.
[/b]

I just want to make you aware that filling the tank to the tippy-top may result in damage to the charcoal evaporative emissions canister. I'm not sure at what level the damage starts to occur, but there have been a few posts (at least one by galaxee, I think) about the discovery of damaged charcoal canisters due to overfill.

For me, I stop fueling at the first click-off. If I'm only putting 10 or 9 or 8 gallons in, I'm OK with that. Obviously, you're free to make your own choice, but I just want to make sure you're making that choice with all of the information.

[catgic]

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[SaxyBiz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Jul 10 2007, 06:24 PM) [snapback]476439[/snapback]</div>

Betelgeuse --- Thanks for the input.

I am sure that you are correct when you say, "...filling the tank to the tippy-top may result in damage to the charcoal evaporative emissions canister." What that means relative to the specified 11.9 gallon gas tank capacity, I do not know.

Toyota's factory specified fill capacity is 11.9 gallons of gasoline. I assume that one can fill the tank/bladder to the spec'ed 11.9 gallon level without "damaged charcoal canisters" occurring. From my point of view filling to the "10 or 9 or 8 gallons" level is "underfilling" the tank.

What does "overfilling" the gas tank mean? Surely, filling the tank up to 11.9 gallons is not "overfilling" it. Do you have any idea how many gallons can be put into the tank beyong the 11.9 gallon "full tank" point?

I will search out and check out "galaxee's" post and look for others on the subject in PriusChat and elsewhere out on the Web.
[/b]

How can you be sure you started with an "empty" tank when filling with 11.9 gallons (unless you've run out of gas)? I would rather play it safe and fill to the first click. You're getting so many more miles per gallon, you don't have to fill up often anyway.

[smokey1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smokey1 @ Jul 10 2007, 12:18 AM) [snapback]475951[/snapback]</div>

the burp and overfill w/ the gas pouring out happened again . This time we fear the gas gauge sensor may have been damaged . Currently 193 miles and still reading full . Hopefully within a day or so a bar will disappear .
[/b]

yup , it finally dropped a bar at 245 miles and then to 2 bars at 287 miles . WHAT A RELIEF !!! Thanks All For Your Help

[Betelgeuse]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Jul 10 2007, 06:24 PM) [snapback]476439[/snapback]</div>

Betelgeuse --- Thanks for the input.

I am sure that you are correct when you say, "...filling the tank to the tippy-top may result in damage to the charcoal evaporative emissions canister." What that means relative to the specified 11.9 gallon gas tank capacity, I do not know.

Toyota's factory specified fill capacity is 11.9 gallons of gasoline. I assume that one can fill the tank/bladder to the spec'ed 11.9 gallon level without "damaged charcoal canisters" occurring. From my point of view filling to the "10 or 9 or 8 gallons" level is "underfilling" the tank.

What does "overfilling" the gas tank mean? Surely, filling the tank up to 11.9 gallons is not "overfilling" it. Do you have any idea how many gallons can be put into the tank beyong the 11.9 gallon "full tank" point?

I will search out and check out "galaxee's" post and look for others on the subject in PriusChat and elsewhere out on the Web.
[/b]

I don't know what the "tippy-top" means relative to the 11.9 gallon gas tank capacity. HOWEVER, filling the tank to 11.9 gallons may, at certain times, be overfilling the tank. What do I mean by "at certain times"? Well, when the temperature is cold out, the bladder shrinks a bit so the true capacity of the tank/bladder is not 11.9 gallons. I would go as far as to say that the car's tank does NOT have a capacity of 11.9 gallons. I would say that the tank capacity is variable (depending on temperature, mostly), and 11.9 gallons is typically the maximum capacity.

You say: "I assume that one can fill the tank/bladder to the spec'ed 11.9 gallon level without "damaged charcoal canisters" occurring." I think that is a bad assumption and you could get into some trouble by assuming that. I agree with you that filling to 8-10 gallons is underfilling the tank. However, there are no bad consequences from underfilling the tank, which is not true for overfilling the tank.

Moreover, as SaxyBiz points out, how do you *know* how much gas is in your tank when you pull up to the gas station? If you're using the MFD to calculation, some people have pointed out that there is often a slight discrepancy between the computer-calculated mileage and the long-term "hand" calculated mileage. It is, usually, a quite small discrepancy, but it's enough for me to say that you probably don't know how much gas is in your tank to the nearest 1/10th.

There are many sides to this argument, as you will find out if you've searched the board. I am clearly at the "safe" end, in that I stop filling once the pump clicks off for the first time. I'm sure that I could continue to fill for a while and cause no damage to the car. However, what I'm not sure of is how long I could continue to fill without causing damage.

[catgic]

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