Distance some vehicles can go on 'empty'(light on)
- Thread starter wemay
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My Jeep has 1 gallon left
how boring can you get.
Super Duty comes on with 4 gallons remaining...about 40 miles worth lol
Interesting chart. My old Lexus CT200h would come on around 4 gallons left. The tank was just under 12 gallons so I would still have 1/3 of a tank left. In the summer at close to 50 mpg i would still have 200 miles of range and just drive for a few days with the light on. Always filled up based on the trip odo vs fuel gauge.
I've always wanted to see how far to the left of the slash I could go...
But fuel pumps are expensive
But fuel pumps are expensive
wemay
Site Donor 2023
ZeeOSix, that Kramer inclusion is a win! Lol.
I suppose "distance to true empty" facts are good to know but it must be repeated.......
Fuel passing through and sometimes that bathing the fuel pump cools it.
Playing with low to empty fuel levels can damage your pump.
If I'm wrong someone can straighten me out. Kira
Fuel passing through and sometimes that bathing the fuel pump cools it.
Playing with low to empty fuel levels can damage your pump.
If I'm wrong someone can straighten me out. Kira
I was under the impression that it was the early pumps, and possibly a different time: stuff lasts longer now. My Jetta was known for having bad pumps, but mine went 255k before quitting, and was run into the fuel light the vast majority of the time.
Also: I'm pretty sure most systems (only changing of late) ran a circulating loop. This heats up the fuel in the tank, but only on longer drives. Short trips likely won't. So it might only be a long trip problem. If it existed.
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My Tundra has a 6 gallon reserve--once the light comes on (at 1/8th tank left), I have 6 gallons to work with. Not very much if being worked and getting less than 10mpg, or about enough for the day if driven lightly. Since I drive 90+ miles per day I routinely drive to the light; when I get in, I make note of where the gauge is, and determine if I need to fill up soon, and if so, when and where I want to. If I'm busy and it can wait, it does so. If I'm not, and it'll be a quarter tank or less "around" the fuel station I usually go to, then I fill up.
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My Jetta had the light come on at 0.9 gallon left, which was right above the E mark. E really meant "walking". At 45+ mpg I would still go into the light, but not that far!
Also: I'm pretty sure most systems (only changing of late) ran a circulating loop. This heats up the fuel in the tank, but only on longer drives. Short trips likely won't. So it might only be a long trip problem. If it existed.
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My Tundra has a 6 gallon reserve--once the light comes on (at 1/8th tank left), I have 6 gallons to work with. Not very much if being worked and getting less than 10mpg, or about enough for the day if driven lightly. Since I drive 90+ miles per day I routinely drive to the light; when I get in, I make note of where the gauge is, and determine if I need to fill up soon, and if so, when and where I want to. If I'm busy and it can wait, it does so. If I'm not, and it'll be a quarter tank or less "around" the fuel station I usually go to, then I fill up.
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My Jetta had the light come on at 0.9 gallon left, which was right above the E mark. E really meant "walking". At 45+ mpg I would still go into the light, but not that far!
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Originally Posted By: CT8
The idiot light?
If you think the one on a car is dumb then you should see the one on a motorcycle. The one on mine can be intermittent depending on the angle I'm riding at or if I accelerate or brake too hard.
I believe the "idiot light" was in reference to the pilot and their inability to notice anything other than bright flashy lights when a fuel gauge should be enough and not the functionality of the light itself. I personally like the motorcycle one and how it works since there is rarely a fuel gauge. When it stops being intermittent, that's when I know I am actually getting low.
Originally Posted By: CT8
The idiot light?
If you think the one on a car is dumb then you should see the one on a motorcycle. The one on mine can be intermittent depending on the angle I'm riding at or if I accelerate or brake too hard.
I believe the "idiot light" was in reference to the pilot and their inability to notice anything other than bright flashy lights when a fuel gauge should be enough and not the functionality of the light itself. I personally like the motorcycle one and how it works since there is rarely a fuel gauge. When it stops being intermittent, that's when I know I am actually getting low.
My Frontier's low fuel light comes on when I've used 16 of 21 gallons so I routinely go another 50-60 miles with the light on. The most I've ever refilled was 19 gallons.
As fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel flowing through them there's no overheating the pump so long as it's picking up fuel. I might throw a gas can in the back and see how much I can drain from the tank which is the metric that really matters.
As fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel flowing through them there's no overheating the pump so long as it's picking up fuel. I might throw a gas can in the back and see how much I can drain from the tank which is the metric that really matters.
- 150 miles. My Big Bronco runs out at 1/4 tank
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