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I always fill up my tank when it's half empty. Anyone else? Is this safe?

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by tundrathr0w, Jun 11, 2018.

  1. Jun 12, 2018 at 12:48 PM
    #61
    nodak67

    nodak67 New Member

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    run to 1/2 tank during winter months. up here its a safety issue in case you get stuck on the side of the road between 6 major towns in the whole state. winter temps can get pretty bad, I have seen -24F ambient and about -60F wind chill.

    remember one winter day driving down the road at about 25mph and the wind slowly pushing you off the road. that was a fun afternoon driving home from work.

    had a nasty blizzard drive 2-3yrs ago into work. couldn't see past the hood, had to drive on the rumble strips on the side of the road to even tell if I was still on the road. made it about 4-5 miles down the road before I turned around and went home.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2018
    parallax, Rex Kramer and mudslinger79 like this.
  2. Jun 12, 2018 at 1:01 PM
    #62
    Devius1

    Devius1 5150 Member

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    After the big quake of 89' I don't let any of my vehicles get below 1/2.
     
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  3. Jun 12, 2018 at 1:15 PM
    #63
    Beetlespin

    Beetlespin New Member

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    Do you people really think that filling up at half a tank costs less money? You can pay 100 for a fill up from empty and run 2 weeks or you can pay 50 from 1/2 tank and fill up every week. It's all the same.
     
  4. Jun 12, 2018 at 1:32 PM
    #64
    mudslinger79

    mudslinger79 New Member

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    Where on earth do you live!?
     
  5. Jun 12, 2018 at 1:43 PM
    #65
    Harlan

    Harlan New Member

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    I fill up as little as possible to save time. I know the tank is 26.4 gallons and when the low fuel indicator is on that means I have 6.4 gallons remaining. There is almost nowhere where a station is further than 6 gallons of use.
     
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  6. Jun 12, 2018 at 1:50 PM
    #66
    phiredrop

    phiredrop New Member

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    Still figuring this one out as I'm new to Tundra, but for our road trip coming up, I plan to fill as soon as I see it dip below half. Really wanting that tank upgrade..
    Filled up today with "17 miles" left in the 26.4 gal tank. Maths told me I averaged 13.5 mpg
     
  7. Jun 12, 2018 at 6:27 PM
    #67
    offsetplayer2

    offsetplayer2 New Member

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    Half a tank here too. Doesn’t hurt as bad that way when it’s a 38 gallon tank. I’ve had my share of second and third gen Tacoma’s as well and surprisingly the tundra isn’t all that much worse but a whole lot more fun and space.
     
    parallax likes this.
  8. Jun 12, 2018 at 6:30 PM
    #68
    lionix

    lionix The Grey Moose!

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    Blasphemy! Don't use maths against us heretic! :rofl:
     
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  9. Jun 12, 2018 at 6:36 PM
    #69
    Tacogrande

    Tacogrande New Member

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    Same guys who got the 72 months vs. 60 months financing . Lol
    (No offense meant to anyone )
     
  10. Jun 12, 2018 at 6:38 PM
    #70
    Stumpjumper

    Stumpjumper New Member

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    My time is worth too much to be stopping at gas station more often. Monthly gas bill is the same regardless. Plus I can build up more Kroger discount points and use up to a max of 35 gallons.
     
    ldale and lionix[QUOTED] like this.
  11. Jun 12, 2018 at 6:40 PM
    #71
    lionix

    lionix The Grey Moose!

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    Fyi love the name. There is a club that puts one the Stump Jumper Enduro near me!
     
  12. Jun 13, 2018 at 1:40 AM
    #72
    geno0506

    geno0506 New Member

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    I hate to let it go past half because if you do, it's like a slot machine when filling up, $$$$$$$$

    cha ching cha ching!
     
  13. Jun 13, 2018 at 5:00 AM
    #73
    Max Power

    Max Power Groovy Member

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    I got my truck last month and finally topped her off on my last fill up for the first time. I think I'm going to start topping it off every time when it gets a little below half a tank. Maybe I'm a little OCD, but when I gas up, I want to see a full tank when I drive away from the pump.
     
  14. Jun 13, 2018 at 5:31 AM
    #74
    nodak67

    nodak67 New Member

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    north Dakota, about 53 miles (as the crow flies) from the border, 111 miles to the nearest portal (by road)

    that blizzard drive was fun. been thru a few driving to work, but its been only twice in like 30 years that I actually turned around.

    took about 30 mins to drive roughly 4-5 miles from home to when I decided to turn around and go home.

    its about 15 miles door to door drive to work. 10-12 miles from edge of town to base.
     
    mudslinger79[QUOTED] likes this.
  15. Jun 13, 2018 at 5:34 AM
    #75
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Walking just might be faster.....................
     
    Rex Kramer[QUOTED] likes this.
  16. Jun 13, 2018 at 5:48 AM
    #76
    Stig

    Stig New Member

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    Maybe some of you could benefit from a 68 gallon tank then.

    I understand filling up as often as possible if you don't have gas stations every 10 miles or deal with 2 hours of idling in traffic everyday, but besides that why think so much about it? Get gas when the light comes on. It costs the same but you save a little time and hassle at least. I never knew getting gas could take so much thought.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2018
    joonbug likes this.
  17. Jun 13, 2018 at 9:19 AM
    #77
    rds95991

    rds95991 New Member

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    I also was told not to let it get too low. Crap gets sucked into the fuel pump and the additional empty space in the gas tank increases the possibility of water vapor condensation.
     
  18. Jun 13, 2018 at 9:22 AM
    #78
    rds95991

    rds95991 New Member

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    When I was younger, I was told with the new fuel injected engines not to let it run empty because the dealer would have to repressurize the injection system and it was expensive.
     
  19. Jun 13, 2018 at 10:50 AM
    #79
    Max Power

    Max Power Groovy Member

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    Oh hell no. This makes me glad I live in a rural village on the outskirts of a dying rust belt city.
     
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  20. Jun 13, 2018 at 10:51 AM
    #80
    kenomouth64

    kenomouth64 New Member

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    Hold the Line! If you are not holding the line, abandon your ship. Destruction is inevitable without more to hold the line!
    Wasn't reliable for me... :crapstorm:

    I ran out of gas around 2 months ago with the fuel indicator showing the tank was 1/4 full. This has never happened again.
     
  21. Jun 13, 2018 at 1:26 PM
    #81
    SMK Shoe

    SMK Shoe Not New Member

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    Fill up around 1/2 tank now. Last job was 100.4 miles round trip each day. that was a killer on the wallet. a full fill up about Thursday and a top off on Saturday. About 100$ a week. New job is 7.2 miles from home. 1 gallon a day back and forth. I haven't put gas in the truck in about three weeks and still just under 1/2 tank.
     
  22. Jun 14, 2018 at 6:49 AM
    #82
    kenomouth64

    kenomouth64 New Member

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    Hold the Line! If you are not holding the line, abandon your ship. Destruction is inevitable without more to hold the line!
    It is actually cheaper to fill up closer to empty.

    The reason:

    If you keep the tank above 1/2 full all the time, then your average Gross vehicle weight will be greater and that will decrease your MPG, even if it is ever so slightly. If you fill up close to the E mark then your truck will have a lower average Gross Vehicle weight and MPG will be increased ever so slightly.

    However one can stand to reason that the additional weight would slightly make the truck sit lower, which would create better aerodynamic flow, which could lead to better MPG.

    Honestly the difference is quite minute in either case but still worth mentioning even if only for the sake of maintaining a fully encompassing logical argument.
     
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  23. Jun 14, 2018 at 6:56 AM
    #83
    Atomic City Tundra

    Atomic City Tundra Cam Tower Leak Addict

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    I let mine go until the light comes on. That usually puts it at about 6 gallons left in the tank.
     
  24. Jun 16, 2018 at 6:53 AM
    #84
    Bates5450

    Bates5450 Elephantitus

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    I try to never go below half. I have to fill up everyday with my commute. Had too many close calls as a kid. Plus you just never know how far you’ll have to go, so I play it safe. Most definitely wanting some Jerry Cans.
     
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  25. Jun 23, 2018 at 9:27 AM
    #85
    TRD Pro Rookie

    TRD Pro Rookie New Member

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  26. Jun 23, 2018 at 9:29 AM
    #86
    TRD Pro Rookie

    TRD Pro Rookie New Member

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    That was never true
     
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  27. Jun 23, 2018 at 9:41 AM
    #87
    NomadicFrog

    NomadicFrog Took 5 yrs, finally got rid of "New Member" here

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    Good point, except it's not even the same: filling up more often wastes gas getting to the station, starting the engine an extra time, etc., but more importantly it wastes the driver's time. I guess if your time isn't worth much, but judging by the cost of some of these Tundras on here, y'all must earn a decent amount.

    A few people have posted good reasons to keep it topped up: potential traffic jams, snow storms, being in places where earthquakes are a real possibility, etc. I keep the tank fuller - and have a spare jerry can - when I go out in the desert away from the one gas pump for 250 miles. But for everyday driving around town, commuting to work, etc., why waste time stopping for gas so frequently, just for the illusion of spending less money? It almost certainly costs more money to fill up more frequently, especially if you consider your time to be valuable - unless somebody can prove non-anecdotally that the vehicle is more fuel-efficient with a full tank, which I doubt.

    I have had enough older cars ('71 Saab, '71 Superbeetle, '75 MGB) to be aware of the "don't let the pump suck air" guideline, and while I'm learning that these Tundra don't have to worry about that as much, it nevertheless doesn't seem like going to fumes is a good idea, either. So it seems like "around 1/4 tank" sounds about right to me, barring extenuating circumstances.

    I assume we bought our Tundras to go do stuff more exciting than spending time at a gas station?
     
  28. Jun 23, 2018 at 10:41 AM
    #88
    jeremyd

    jeremyd 2014 Crewmax SR5

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    Is it ok on this thread to complain about the gas mileage ? LoL
     
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  29. Jun 24, 2018 at 1:17 PM
    #89
    rds95991

    rds95991 New Member

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    I figured that out. This was in the 70's and a 280Z that belonged to a friend. His car dealer told him that.
     
  30. Jun 24, 2018 at 1:41 PM
    #90
    rds95991

    rds95991 New Member

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    Part of it is the emotional experience of seeing the pump go through three figures. Now, even at filling at half a tank, I still only hit the gas station once every two or three weeks. I like to keep at least two vehicles with full tanks just in case. We are prone to flooding certain times of year. Last year it was the Oroville Dam threat. Previous to that, it was and is the levees. When we do get an evacuation order, we have anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours notice to leave. The closest gas stations that would be available are at least an hour away based on the evacuation routes and you know those will be full.

    Since the Tundra is the best vehicle we have that can handle people, pets, and things we would take, we keep that one full.
     

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