"E" Running on empty
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I've always like to fill up when its just a little before empty. I do try to fill before that fuel icon appears on the dash. With my car I always average the same amount of fillup each time. In general I try to avoid the red region or the last bar on the fuel gauge. One time I was stuck in traffic and fuel light came on and that was not fun.
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
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Originally Posted By: lpcmidst128
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
Older TDIs, 2003 and before, do not have a fuel pump in the tank. The injection pump sucks fuel all the way from the tank. So if you run out, air gets in the fuel line and the entire system needs to be reprimed.
I don't know of any other vehicles that used this system, and the newer TDIs have a conventional in-tank fuel pump.
When my low-fuel light comes on, I know I have about 2 gallons left. I don't start getting nervous until I've gone 50+ miles after the low-fuel light has come on.
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
Older TDIs, 2003 and before, do not have a fuel pump in the tank. The injection pump sucks fuel all the way from the tank. So if you run out, air gets in the fuel line and the entire system needs to be reprimed.
I don't know of any other vehicles that used this system, and the newer TDIs have a conventional in-tank fuel pump.
When my low-fuel light comes on, I know I have about 2 gallons left. I don't start getting nervous until I've gone 50+ miles after the low-fuel light has come on.
Originally Posted By: Tornado Red
Originally Posted By: lpcmidst128
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
Older TDIs, 2003 and before, do not have a fuel pump in the tank. The injection pump sucks fuel all the way from the tank. So if you run out, air gets in the fuel line and the entire system needs to be reprimed.
I don't know of any other vehicles that used this system, and the newer TDIs have a conventional in-tank fuel pump.
When my low-fuel light comes on, I know I have about 2 gallons left. I don't start getting nervous until I've gone 50+ miles after the low-fuel light has come on.
Unless you have verified that your TDI has the standard 7 liters (1.9 US gallons) left when the light come on, don't depend on it. They vary a lot. Mine has about 1 gallon left when the light comes on. Other on the TDI forum have reported also varying amounts.
I haven't run my TDI dry, but I understand you need to trick the lift pump in the tank into filling an empty fuel filter to start it. Something about the lift pump only running for a few seconds each time you turn the key on if the engine doesn't start.
A better reason to not run a diesel out of fuel is that the expensive high pressure pump and the injectors depend on fuel for lubrication.
Originally Posted By: lpcmidst128
I heard that on diesels you should never run it dry because you will have to prime the fuel lines or something. Anyone knows if that is true.
Older TDIs, 2003 and before, do not have a fuel pump in the tank. The injection pump sucks fuel all the way from the tank. So if you run out, air gets in the fuel line and the entire system needs to be reprimed.
I don't know of any other vehicles that used this system, and the newer TDIs have a conventional in-tank fuel pump.
When my low-fuel light comes on, I know I have about 2 gallons left. I don't start getting nervous until I've gone 50+ miles after the low-fuel light has come on.
Unless you have verified that your TDI has the standard 7 liters (1.9 US gallons) left when the light come on, don't depend on it. They vary a lot. Mine has about 1 gallon left when the light comes on. Other on the TDI forum have reported also varying amounts.
I haven't run my TDI dry, but I understand you need to trick the lift pump in the tank into filling an empty fuel filter to start it. Something about the lift pump only running for a few seconds each time you turn the key on if the engine doesn't start.
A better reason to not run a diesel out of fuel is that the expensive high pressure pump and the injectors depend on fuel for lubrication.
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
QP:
I think the answer to your question probably boils down to misfires. Assuming that the fuel flow doesn't end all at once, perhaps some air gets in the lines with the last of the gas, causing the injectors to start feeding an uncontrolled/unknown mixture into the cylinders. If the compromised charge doesn't light off correctly, you may end up with large pulses of unburned/improperly burned fuel in the cat. Once that happens, and the cat tries to burn it all off, the cat might end up burning itself off...
The catalytic converter depends on inorganic metals, which are used as catalysts, which means they are not consumed in any chemical reaction. The only risk to it would be if a chemical reaction occurred (such as one involving tetraethyl lead) that did consume it.
Originally Posted By: Dr_No
When my car says fuel soon it means there is 2L of gas left.
On mine, it means that there are 3.5 gallons of gasoline left.
QP:
I think the answer to your question probably boils down to misfires. Assuming that the fuel flow doesn't end all at once, perhaps some air gets in the lines with the last of the gas, causing the injectors to start feeding an uncontrolled/unknown mixture into the cylinders. If the compromised charge doesn't light off correctly, you may end up with large pulses of unburned/improperly burned fuel in the cat. Once that happens, and the cat tries to burn it all off, the cat might end up burning itself off...
The catalytic converter depends on inorganic metals, which are used as catalysts, which means they are not consumed in any chemical reaction. The only risk to it would be if a chemical reaction occurred (such as one involving tetraethyl lead) that did consume it.
Originally Posted By: Dr_No
When my car says fuel soon it means there is 2L of gas left.
On mine, it means that there are 3.5 gallons of gasoline left.
I was stuck in traffic and running below E. boy it was scary!
I ran out of gas in my Jeep on 295 yesterday. Cruising along at 70, pushed on the gas and didn't get anything, stepped on the clutch and the engine shut off. Oops.
A gas can and an hour later, and I drove it to the gas station and filled it up. Not counting the gas I burned going 5 miles, it only took 19.5 gallons. The owner's manual says it has a 20.5 gallon tank, pretty annoying.
A gas can and an hour later, and I drove it to the gas station and filled it up. Not counting the gas I burned going 5 miles, it only took 19.5 gallons. The owner's manual says it has a 20.5 gallon tank, pretty annoying.
Originally Posted By: ShiningArcanine
[The only risk to it would be if a chemical reaction occurred (such as one involving tetraethyl lead) that did consume it.
Or if it got so hot that the substrate melted.
[The only risk to it would be if a chemical reaction occurred (such as one involving tetraethyl lead) that did consume it.
Or if it got so hot that the substrate melted.
I wouldn't have a problem running it low for mechanical reasons other than the GN will suck air if I launch it hard with less than 1/4 tank. The main reason I want some gas in the tank is in case an emergency comes up. I also had someone pull a gun on me and the girlfriend and I happened to be low on gas. Once the pedal hit the floor I was praying it didn't cut out. It didn't but that was the last time I let it get that low on gas.
I try not to go below 1/4 tank to keep a cooling layer around the pump.
Not to worry. The women in my life (wife & 2 daughters) consider 'E' as ENOUGH. John--Las Vegas.
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