How many miles can you go once the low fuel light comes on...?

[Soul TKR]

I know it's relavant to how much "foot" you got into it... but on average, just cruising... has anyone ran out of gas before filling up...?

I'm curious as to how far the limitations are once that low fuel light comes on...

I know in my little V6 stang i can get about 65-70 miles once that little light comes on... ran out of gas at my driveway the other night

[Skip]

Iffen you are lucky you will get about 30 miles before you feel the buck and jump. Then it will just quit. And to get it started again is quite easy. Just gas it up and turn the key. BUTT do you want to run the risk of sucking up trash in the bottom of the tank?. Do you want to be on a back road and have to walk?....Skip....

[forkee]

i got almost 95 miles of yellow "empty tank" logo on my celica before it crapped out coming up the gas station driveway. it didnt like going up the incline but once it was on flat ground, a few more drops made it to the engine to give me enough juice to roll up to a pump

i hate how once that light comes on, the meter goes straight to empty

[Skip]

When the light comes on I look for a gas station. I have been stranded once and that was enough. BUTT iffen yall liken to push yalls luck when then go for it...Skip...

[BigSkyCountry]

I noticed the the gauge bottomed as soon as the light went on. They guy who put that line of code into the ECU needs to get his ass kicked.

[EndiSky]

Originally Posted by BigSkyCountry

I noticed the the gauge bottomed as soon as the light went on. They guy who put that line of code into the ECU needs to get his ass kicked.

I couldn't have put it so eloquently myself!

[COSky]

Originally Posted by Skip

...run the risk of sucking up trash in the bottom of the tank?

Doesn't the pickup always draw from the bottom of the tank, wouldn't this mean that no matter how full the tank is you could suck up anything in there. Im sure it has the strainer in the tank and the filter in the fuel line will gather most anything the pump dropped in there for you.

[JRinKY]

COSky : Doesn't the pickup always draw from the bottom of the tank, wouldn't this mean that no matter how full the tank is you could suck up anything in there. Im sure it has the strainer in the tank and the filter in the fuel line will gather most anything the pump dropped in there for you.

Yes, you are correct.

To the original question: The low fuel indicator in my car activates at 40 miles range remaining.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by COSky

Doesn't the pickup always draw from the bottom of the tank, wouldn't this mean that no matter how full the tank is you could suck up anything in there. Im sure it has the strainer in the tank and the filter in the fuel line will gather most anything the pump dropped in there for you.

It's what might be floating on top of the fuel you don't want in the pickup tube. water, anything lighter than gas.When the fuel gets low it starts to pickup debris from the bottom of the tank when it sloshes around. That's the theory anyway.

The other theory is run it down low as much as reasonably possible and keep it cleaned out. Then it won't build up enough to disable the engine.

I use the later. I've seen no proof that either way is better.
It's been a lotta years since I've had dirty fuel problems. I think most stations do a pretty decent job filtering any debris out of the fuel.

[RedSkyWV]

My scanguage tells me (pretty accurately) how much fuel is remaining in gallons, even after the low fuel light is on. I've pushed it about 45 miles and the scanguage said .2 gallons remaining.

[uranium-238]

Originally Posted by gadget

It's what might be floating on top of the fuel you don't want in the pickup tube. water, anything lighter than gas.When the fuel gets low it starts to pickup debris from the bottom of the tank when it sloshes around. That's the theory anyway.

Water does not float on gasoline.

Specific Gravity - Liquids

Substances with a lower specific gravity will always sit on top of another substance of a higher specific gravity. Mercury, with an SG of 13.633, will sink in pure water, SG 1.0, and gasoline, SG 0.739, will float in pure water. But, that's the least of your worries if you've got water in your tank.

Anything metallic will certainly be on the bottom of the tank, and it's because of that and any other type of debris that we have fuel filters on our cars.

[SteveSky67]

I never let the gas get that low, so I have no idea, but i usally get about 250-270 on a tank with about 1/4 of a tank left... End of Line

[SkyBaby]

I have let Jade get there a time or two to see how many miles.... the first time right before it said LOW FUEL.... it said 42 miles left.... and I only went about 13... then chickened out... and the 2nd time It said 46 right before it went to the low fuel.. so.. I went 28... I wont chance it more than that..SkyBaby

[JRinKY]

RedSkyWV : My scanguage tells me (pretty accurately) how much fuel is remaining in gallons, even after the low fuel light is on. I've pushed it about 45 miles and the scanguage said .2 gallons remaining.

Your scangauge is only as accurate as the fuel tank sending unit, and it is only accurate if the car is sitting level and neither accelerating, decelerating, or cornering.

Try this experiment: Find a hill and park the car on it, nose downhill, for 20-30 minutes. Read the scangauge. Reverse the car so that it is nose uphill, and let it sit again. Read the scangauge. If your car is like mine, the reading will change by a couple of gallons, more for a steep hill, less for a shallow one. Mine is less sensitive to lateral slope than to longitudinal, but there is some variation that way as well.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by uranium-238

Water does not float on gasoline.

Specific Gravity - Liquids

Substances with a lower specific gravity will always sit on top of another substance of a higher specific gravity. Mercury, with an SG of 13.633, will sink in pure water, SG 1.0, and gasoline, SG 0.739, will float in pure water. But, that's the least of your worries if you've got water in your tank.

Anything metallic will certainly be on the bottom of the tank, and it's because of that and any other type of debris that we have fuel filters on our cars.

Your right. It was 4:00 am this morning I should have waited for my second cup of coffee sorry. Fuel filter is not going to save you though if the siphon tube get's plugged.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by JRinKY

Your scangauge is only as accurate as the fuel tank sending unit, and it is only accurate if the car is sitting level and neither accelerating, decelerating, or cornering.

Try this experiment: Find a hill and park the car on it, nose downhill, for 20-30 minutes. Read the scangauge. Reverse the car so that it is nose uphill, and let it sit again. Read the scangauge. If your car is like mine, the reading will change by a couple of gallons, more for a steep hill, less for a shallow one. Mine is less sensitive to lateral slope than to longitudinal, but there is some variation that way as well.

The sensor in the tank is a float with a potentiometer attached. It's not linear I've never seen one that was. Add to that the tank is not a perfect square and the float can only read levels where it is located in the tank.Every car I've ever had read fuel level a little different and most start to fall off very quickly somewhere between a quarter and half of a tank. Below is a picture of the fuel tank. sending unit is #10 Nothing is linear about this and there's no way to make a large enough reference table in the BCM to make it linear.

I like having a little fuel left after it hit's E. I think it was the CRX I had that E meant Empty and you had better be pulling up to a pump when it got there or you would be walking. My truck can go close to 80 miles after it reads empty. Comes in handy when I'm up in the hills four wheelin'.
I't always good to have an Ace in the hole.

[MidniteBlues]

Originally Posted by Soul TKR

I know it's relavant to how much "foot" you got into it... but on average, just cruising... has anyone ran out of gas before filling up...? Blasphemy, NEVER, the only one that I know of in this forum to "test" this is our resident redneck.. And ah, he wasn't a happy camper when it happened.
I'm curious as to how far the limitations are once that low fuel light comes on...

I know in my little V6 stang i can get about 65-70 miles once that little light comes on... ran out of gas at my driveway the other night

How many miles can you go once the low fuel light comes on...? Not as much as one would think.

BUT, I will answer your question, altho I have never ran it till dry, I did push it a couple of times where I got slightly over 30 miles after the light came on, then I filled it up and it took 12.792 gallons and have already put 306 miles on that tank. Course gas was 2.45 a gallon back then, and it was pure gas, none of this ethanol mixer crap we get now. Soo, 13.6-12.792=.808 gallon left. So, at the time I was getting 22.921 MPG, times 22.921MPG*.808gallon left=18.5201 more miles I could of traveled before sucking air.. So if the math works and depending on how drive, how good gas your using, your cars condition, tires and if it is maintained, you could perhaps get about 48.5201 plus or minus 20 miles..( I ain't stupid, gonna cover me ars) before you start sucking air.. Of course, your mileage will vary, A/C running, hilly terrain other variables, like a heavy foot can effect your results (obviously). Iffen your a blond, it can be anything, probably much much lower..

In conclusion, when low gas comes on? Start looking for a gas station iffen ya wanta keep that grin on your face...

[DURAMAX]

Have not tried it in the Sky yet. In my PU (45 gallon tank) its about 125 miles not towing ( diesel 20 mpg) In my work truck its about 1000 miles. The damn light comes on at 1/4 and it only takes about 115 gallons out of 200. On my route I could go 2 more days if it was not for the annoying buzzer that goes with the light. I guess they don't want semis running out of fuel and blocking up the freeway.

[virginiasky]

The very first thing to keep in mind is that this fuel gauge is as unreliable as the French army defending Paris. Many times I have started my Sky to see the gauge read 1/4 of a tank, only to watch it fall rapidly to virtually nothing then have the fuel light come on and chime at me. I quickly figured out that the gauge is unreliable, when I decided to test it by driving a few more miles, then turned it off. When I turned it back on, the gauge once again read 1/4 tank for a few more miles of driving before dropping to empty, putting on the light, and bonging at me.

If you carry this result out to it's logical conclusion, you could conceivably start up your car, read 1/4 tank on the gauge, then drive 5 miles before turning the car off. Then start it again, read 1/4 tank, drive 5 miles and turn it off. Lather rinse repeat, etc.

So the answer to your question, if your car is like mine, is that the amount of miles remaining in the fuel tank depends upon how many miles you drive at a time! Keep the trips short enough and apparently you will always have 1/4 of a tank!