Fuel gauge

Good day everyone. Last weekend I took the plunge and purchased my Tundra. Truck had half a tank upon delivery, drove an hour home towing 7800# load and so far very impressed. I filled the tank after I got home, gauge indicated full. After putting on 115 miles the gauge finally indicates 3/4 tank (I am assuming it’s a 38 gal tank because It took 30 gal to fill it).Does this sound like normal fuel gauge behavior, or should I carry a 5 gal can with me and plan on replacing the level sensor?
How many miles do you guys typically see before the gauge moves off the full mark?
Tire size is factory 275/55R20, and the only mod I am aware of is a leveling kit.

thanks for your input on this in advance

 

Normal.

Welcome to the forums. There's a plethora of MPG threads on here so feel free to get your reading fix in and breeze through them.

 

Thanks for the reply. This isn’t a mpg question. Last truck I owned was an f250, and fuel gauge on that dropped like a rock…..
Wasn’t sure if I should have seen the fuel gauge drop faster than it has on this truck, it literally hadn’t moved off full until last night. Wasn’t sure if that was normal or not.

 

Normal. After filling, it takes about 100km/60mi. for the needle to drop below the full line.

 

All three of the Tundra's we've owned have had quirky fuel gauge's or sender's. If it's a concern just set the A or B mileage setting in the odo.
Thankfully they do tend to be spot on in the lower end of the range where it really counts.

 

Most vehicles I've had always hold the full line for a while before it starts to move. They're not linear systems.

 

Thanks for the replies. If it’s normal behavior then I’m not worried about it. I’ve only had the truck a week and was just startled to see it still on the full mark at 115 miles after I filled the tank.

 

I'm filling up this weekend. I should be at that point by Monday or so and I'll see how many miles I'm at when the needle moves.

 

Sounds like the 38 gallon tank. I can usually get right at 500 miles on an entire tank before the range indicator shows zero with the same stock tires

 

Mines starting to move now

 

Thanks. I had hit close to 100 miles before my gauge moved to the other side of the full mark. It’s apparently normal behavior, so I won’t worry about it. I did fuel today with gauge indicating 1/2 tank and it took 19.4 gallons to fill until the pump turned off, the gauge reads a full needle width over the full mark. So, 38 gal tank as I originally thought.
On a fuel mileage note, it’s not that bad. Combined driving I’m within 1 mpg of the Q7 this Tundra replaced.

again, thanks for the reassurance this is normal gauge behavior. I was fully prepared to order a level sender and drop the tank if it wasn't
First full week with it and I’m glad I bought it

 

I have the smaller 26 gallon tank. At 14-15 mpg i see my guage move off the full mark in like 35 miles lol

 

Also be aware that when the fuel light comes on at E you will only be able to put in 30-33 gallons
These things have a huge reserve

 

Yeah considering all things, it's really not horrible at all.

Also, It's very possible that the place you bought it from had disconnected the battery at some point for maintenance etc. If so, the computer will relearn the displays mpg and DTE. Not sure if that affects the needle moving since it's computer driven but still a possibility.

 

Yep, light came on at right around 500 miles (two round trips to the central valley on one tank). I knew I had plenty of fuel left since I had done this once before. At fill-up I showed 533 miles. It took just a bit over 32 gallons for an average mpg of 16.7. Stock tires, no lift, 2wd, nothing in the truck except me.

So, I go by the trip meter (I zero every time I fill up) and know I have a 600 mile range (actually 633 @ 16.7 mpg) and ignore the stupid light.

Dan