Well.. I Ran Out Of Petrol Today

[aniken]

No problems here. I have had the range down to 0km before, and driven 1 or 2 ks beyond that, but never ran out :hiwelcome: . Generally fill up with 20-30ks to go, and usually have to put in slightly over 60 litres.

[KEN 24T]

Just a general question here, Isn't it better to refill the tank well above empty, e.g., 3/4 empty to avoid the sediment at the bottom of the tank getting into the fuel system? Or was this just in earlier times when petrol wasn't as clean and as well filtered as it is today?

[Cam]

I generally fill when that stupid alarm stars sounding (80Kms).

But I have had it down to 0 twice without actually running out of petrol

[GDH]

I think the main reason for not running the tank too low is as per DallasQLD's post...it has the potential to damage the fuel pump. As I understand it, the pump actually uses the fuel surrounding it to cool it...not enough fuel, it doesn't cool properly, and can seize.

Had this happen in a VN once (but they were notorious for fuel pump problems).

There's probably still some truth in dirty fuel too...in any case, it's sound practice not to empty the tank all the time, and your 1/4 tank rule of thumb's a good one.

Only problem, with a heavy right foot, 1/4 full comes around very, very regularly...you'll certainly know the counter staff at the servo!

GDH

[faygun]

tintR> Everycar I have owned did the same thing to me, from full to half, the car does a lot of kms but from half to empty the needles just flies down. I have no idea why though.

[Macktheknife]

The prime reason for the seemingly fast decline in fuel from the halfway mark is quite simple.

It's pure Physics.

You will note that the guage is in the horizontal juxtuposition, it thereby can be seen that once the guage is past the halfway mark, it's all downhill from there.......

Haa

Sorry, could't resist. Showing my age........

Mack.........

[KEN 24T]

  Macktheknife said:

The prime reason for the seemingly fast decline in fuel from the halfway mark is quite simple.

It's pure Physics.

You will note that the guage is in the horizontal juxtuposition, it thereby can be seen that once the guage is past the halfway mark, it's all downhill from there.......

Haa

Sorry, could't resist. Showing my age........

Mack.........

You've been out in that Brissy sun without a hat again, haven't you Mack?

[Antisocial]

Yesterday I took my car to 5ks remaining and then could only put in 60lt so it still had almost 80ks left.

I have a work mate who's Dunnydoore had a faulty fuel sender so it would run out of fuel with 200ks remaining on the trip computer, replaced the fuel sender and all was well.

Perhaps this is a similar thing.

The had a separate sensor for the "Guy with a finger in his ear light" than for the fuel gauge. So if the fuel sender packed it in the gauge would stop but the low fuel light would still come on. Wonder if the BA is the same?

[MattB]

  GDH said:

There's probably still some truth in dirty fuel too...in any case, it's sound practice not to empty the tank all the time, and your 1/4 tank rule of thumb's a good one.

You'll get detritus build-up over a period of time regardless. If you constantly are going to empty then you'll find down the track you need have something done like sonically cleaning injectors or such.

[chrislak]

I had mine to 1k left, I was in an area that I didn't know and very lucky to came accross a service station.