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I've always run with a full tank to avoid the inevitable road drama of running out.
Especially if what you're driving is too heavy to push to the side of the road, or
you L.A. commute where stopping suddenly is not going to be a good idea, except
to meet new frenemies due to your road accident.
I've always run with a full tank to avoid the inevitable road drama of running out.
Especially if what you're driving is too heavy to push to the side of the road, or
you L.A. commute where stopping suddenly is not going to be a good idea, except
to meet new frenemies due to your road accident.
How do you always run with a full tank? Do you fill up every few miles?
How do you always run with a full tank? Do you fill up every few miles?
On long drives that's what I do, specially on roads where I have no idea how far ahead the next fuel pump is at. Driving to work and back I already know how much fuel my truck uses from day to day, so when the fuel level comes down to about 1/2 tank, I just fill it up. In very cold weather it is a good idea to keep the tank not lower than one-half full.
^^^ THIS. The bearings in the pump are lubricated by the gas in the tank.
Yep. In my 91 Wrangler I was running with very low fuel in the tank on a hot summer day. Went in to the beer store, came out, and she ran like crap and died because the pump had over heated. I had to leave it for a couple hours until it would run right again.
You can never run out of gas in your tank. All vehicles will keep from 1 to 2 gallons in the tank to make sure the pump stays lubricated. You cannot use that 1 to 2 gallons, your car will stall out when the fuel reaches that level. It is a self preservation feature on all cars with the fuel pump in the tank.
You can never run out of gas in your tank. All vehicles will keep from 1 to 2 gallons in the tank to make sure the pump stays lubricated. You cannot use that 1 to 2 gallons, your car will stall out when the fuel reaches that level. It is a self preservation feature on all cars with the fuel pump in the tank.
Do you know if that extra gas is included in the advertised gas tank capacity for the vehicle? My Accord has a 17 gallon tank, but when the fuel light is on, it usually only takes around 13 gallons to fill it. The lowest I've ever taken it was when I had to put 14.5 gallons in it.
Do you know if that extra gas is included in the advertised gas tank capacity for the vehicle? My Accord has a 17 gallon tank, but when the fuel light is on, it usually only takes around 13 gallons to fill it. The lowest I've ever taken it was when I had to put 14.5 gallons in it.
In the owner's manual, it might say something such as "warning light indicates that X gallons are left in the tank."
The manual for my '01 Taurus: "The advertised capacity is the amount of the indicated capacity and the empty reserve combined. Indicated capacity is the difference in the amount of fuel in a full tank and a tank when the fuel gauge indicates empty. Empty reserve is the small amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank after the fuel gauge indicates empty.
The amount of usable fuel in the empty reserve varies and should not be relied upon to increase driving range. When refueling your vehicle after the fuel gauge indicates empty, you might not be able to refuel the full amount of the advertised capacity of the fuel tank due to the empty reserve still present in the tank."
It is a better practice in any case to keep your tank at least half full. A few years ago we had a massive snowstorm and power outage, There were lines around the block at the few gas stations that were able to stay open. I had 3/4 full tank in my vehicle, and no worries. Life brings twists and turns; be ready for them.
I remember learning to drive in the 80's some old timers would tell me don't run on low tank because it sucks dirt from the bottom, and don't fill up at a gas station when the tanker is there because you will be sucking the station's dirt from the bottom of their tank.
Don't know if it's true or not?
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