Cutting it fine

[Brian H]

Running low on petrol today,



unfortunately we do not have petrol stations on every corner, so had to drive gingerly but got worried at this point



No harm done, had about 2 miles with no range left but got filled up ok.

[Boysie]

Dont have one of them in my car

[Brian H]

Maybe a good job Ray, it gives you heart palpitations when you run out of miles.

[Boysie]

I have only been there once when there was a petrol shortage and rationed
driving home on the M1 on vapour springs to mind

[PCSAM]

why not switch your obc for mine its in km so the numbers will be more if you kid-on its in miles

[geminimustang]

As a Company Car driver who does too many miles in too little time,I've regularly run both my previous Avensis and both my VW Golfs for 20 miles+ when fuel gauge has shown zero.Must admit to stressing a little after the 20 miles and no petrol station in site but never had any of the cars stop yet.Jeremy Clarkson showed how far a car will go on fumes in an episode of Top Gear.

[Boysie]

I never let my car go below a 1/4 tank
I know that cars/fuel has improved, there are still dodgy garages about
i stick to shell if possible
but i was always told never run low because you pick
up the crud at the bottom of the tank
And Its always stuck with me

[John1950]

Exactly the same happened to me today....

The car's been in the garage since the beginning of last November. It was also SORNed - the first time in my life I've ever done such a thing.
Anyway, with the nice weather, decided to get it out and put in some juice. I knew it had only a teaspoon in the tank and sure enough it showed a range of ZERO. The petrol station was 6 miles away so I drove up the A3 towards Petersfield at 50mph as everyone else was doing 70. Suddenly as I was only half way there I had a heart attack - no, not out of juice - I'd remembered that it was SORNed. I drove the next 3 miles imagining the fuzz lying in wait on every corner, but I was lucky.
Got to the garage and there was only bog standard BP fuel available. Being a big spender I put a tenners worth in and shot off home before I was collared. - Phew!

I get paid at the end of this coming week so I'll get the road tax paid and look forward to some wind in the hair motoring.

[BladeRunner919]

No harm done, had about 2 miles with no range left but got filled up ok.

How much fuel were you able to get in compared to fuel capacity? I'll bet there was still a reasonable amount left?

[Brian H]

No harm done, had about 2 miles with no range left but got filled up ok.

How much fuel were you able to get in compared to fuel capacity? I'll bet there was still a reasonable amount left?

This would have been a good test but I went for a splash and dash, I wish i had brimmed it now

[XVar]

but i was always told never run low because you pick
up the crud at the bottom of the tank

Does anyone have any insight as to whether this is true? I'm sure I've read that it's somewhat of an urban legend, and that since the fuel is picked up from the bottom of the tank anything settled there is going to be the first thing sucked through anyway?

[Southernboy]

If there is a sediment on the bottom of the tank...and yes it can be an issue...but consider this...even if you don't run the fuel down to the dregs, the fuel in the tank will be sloshing about quite violently if there's only say a 1/4 tank left and you're doing some fancy cornering stuff...so any "crud" will be mixed into the fuel in the tank, and be "processed" in the combustion cycle anyway....seems the practical answer is to do a drain and flush every couple of years or so if it troubles you. I have never done anything in 15 years, and have also never had a fuel or ignition issue...so you decide...myth or fact.....

[BladeRunner919]

Perhaps we should contact Mythbusters!

[John1950]

Perhaps we should contact Mythbusters!

Strange claims: 'My Zed runs on iron filings' or 'I've driven 100 miles with nothing in the tank'.
Well I did 6 miles on zero, any better claims?