To get gas or not...

[Unregistered]

Consensus is needed and your opinion counts:

Is it time to fill up the tank when....

a) the idiot light goes on
b) the guage is indicating empty
c) the known maximum mileage for a tank has been exceeded
d) any combination of the above
e) no combination of the above
f) all of the above

[Scott E]

I try to fill up at a 1/4 tank. Running your tank low can lead to the fuel pump failing and other problems

[Paul in NZ]

:d

[Unregistered]

Okay, but if you want to run it down to fumes, how do you know how long you can go before running out?

[Paul in NZ]

the gas tank is supposedly 80 litres but i have never put more than 72 in mine.A freind of mine always takes a coupla gallons with him when he buys a new car and runs it dry....it will start missing on one direction corner first.....The fuel keeps the fuel pump cool and lubricated and there is always junk in the very bottom of the tank.I frequently run 20-40 ks on the light.My round trip is 40 ks and the gas station i like is near home so if the light comes on say one evening coming home i will ussually fill up the next day cos the liht tends to come going up or down the hill after the gas station.I would say you could go 50 miles on the light on open road running

[rickm]

I fill at 1/4 tank of if I happen to be nearby the station I normally refuel at. If the idiot light is on I have ~4.5 gallons left in the tank.

[Ascotgrun]

the gas tank is supposedly 80 litres but i have never put more than 72 in mine.

That 80 litre capacity cannot be right. When I first test drove my car, it was on E and the light was illuminated. I drove it for a couple miles then the seller drove it about 10 miles to my house. When I refuelled, it would only take 64 litres. I was tempted to carry extra petrol and test the true capacity of the tank but decided that I don't really *need* to know how much it holds. When the needle hits E, its time to stop.

[Bill R.]

the reserve, thats how much is left after the light comes on.

the gas tank is supposedly 80 litres but i have never put more than 72 in mine.A freind of mine always takes a coupla gallons with him when he buys a new car and runs it dry....it will start missing on one direction corner first.....The fuel keeps the fuel pump cool and lubricated and there is always junk in the very bottom of the tank.I frequently run 20-40 ks on the light.My round trip is 40 ks and the gas station i like is near home so if the light comes on say one evening coming home i will ussually fill up the next day cos the liht tends to come going up or down the hill after the gas station.I would say you could go 50 miles on the light on open road running

[DueyT]

Consensus is needed and your opinion counts:

Is it time to fill up the tank when....

a) the idiot light goes on
b) the guage is indicating empty
c) the known maximum mileage for a tank has been exceeded
d) any combination of the above
e) no combination of the above
f) all of the above

Two answers:

1) "stretching/maximizing the tank" - keeping in mind the potential for fuel pump damage or emptying and having to potentially reprime the fuel rail, you could do an experiment and determine your "max usable" fuel. I'm thinking cars may be the same, but the aircraft and helos I fly have a stated total fuel capacity but not that due to the shape of the sump and boost pump configuration, not all fuel in the tank is usable. Bring a fuel can with you, all the tools you might need to purge and reprime the fuel rail, and tools/procedures for any other maint activity you may have to conduct if/when you run the car dry.

2) "sound fuel system management" - I wouldn't let the tank get too low, especially during the winter, since moisture-laden air in the resevoir increases potential for water in fuel and corrosion problems. I try not to never let it get below 1/2 and prefer to keep it 3/4 or greater. I'll adjust depending on the price of gas too...sort of a Stock dollar averaging" as it were. I'm also thinking it's not worth the risk to the fuel boost pump to potentially let it run dry/low. Given that fuel is the lubricant for the pump section, I'd hate to have to R&R the pump if it had run without its lube for a bit.

Unlike my Jetta TDI that I know can still go for 160km (100mi) after the warning light, for some reason, I've never felt the urge to find out where the Bimmer's low-fuel limits are...I tend to keep it topped up most of the time.

Cheers,
Duey

[ryan roopnarine]

the light only comes on at 1.8 gallons.......and seeing as how the e34 tank is kinda big=app20gal , i don't think it would be such a good idea to let such a big volume get that shallow. methinks 1/4 is what you should be aiming for.