does "empty" on the fuel gauge mean empty - Page 2

LG17 · 19-03-2013, 06:45 PM

Geez, I always thought E was for enough!

Only ever ran out once (in the 60s!) and it was such a pain in the **** I swore I'd never do it again. My tank wouldn't get below a quarter now.

Psi-Pop · 19-03-2013, 06:50 PM

While not a Falcon, my 2012 Dmax work ute will get 148km once the fuel light comes up. I know this because I was exploring the limits last week.

poppa smurf · 19-03-2013, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LG17

Only ever ran out once (in the 60s!) and it was such a pain in the **** I swore I'd never do it again. My tank wouldn't get below a quarter now.

I've never ran out yet and don't intend to ..but I must admit I came close a couple of times on this trip through ratty weather

which is why I posed the question.......50km's can be a long way with the navigator not happy.....probably further if pushing the rig

deesun · 19-03-2013, 07:02 PM

My BA 7ltrs left in tank 0 DTE. Tried it several times, all the same. Ran my FGt out at 30ks after 0k DTE but I had a jerry with me.

**Revolver** · 19-03-2013, 07:03 PM

To me, if my car aint full, its empty.

But maybe thats just the paranoid delusionist in me.

What a useless thread. If your car is sounding alarms, its time to give it a drink. Simple. Plan your journey. Account for shortfalls in economy, esp over long trips. Not that hard. To me its not worth finding out the hard way that the computer was right. Or wrong. Whichever winds up leaving you stranded.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think someone is up in the tree in my front yard with a camera.

Ben73 · 19-03-2013, 07:09 PM

I used to fill up every time the gauge went below 1/2. But I can't be bothered these days.

50kms to empty I call it quits 99% of the time. No point pushing it to the limit for no reason if I'm passing servos every 5 minutes.

xxx000 · 19-03-2013, 07:24 PM

i drove a VZ wagon below empty on a country trip due to towing a heavy trailer and my heavy right foot

the trip computer actually went into the negative for distance to empty

we made it into a town for fuel with something like -20kms indicated

The Yeti · 19-03-2013, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I've never ran out yet and don't intend to ..but I must admit I came close a couple of times on this trip through ratty weather

which is why I posed the question.......50km's can be a long way with the navigator not happy.....probably further if pushing the rig

You haven't lived until you've ran out of fuel on a cold winters night while on your first date with a chick you met at uni

Didn't see any action that night

But she did say I do eventually

poppa smurf · 19-03-2013, 07:54 PM

well I did run a D9G dry once after a fuel leak, but that was way up north without a woman in coo-ee!

Phil B · 19-03-2013, 08:36 PM

My XH doesn't have a DTE, but once I was driving south from Mareeba towing a trailer. I'll fill up at the Oasis roadhouse, I made it from there on the way up. When the fuel light came on about 100km out, and with the last servo about the same distance behind me, I realised I'd done a return trip to Cairns and not filled up! I got really worried when the needle stopped moving with about 20km to go, I made it though.

My XB is a bit of a worry, the fuel gauge doesn't work at all, there is no trip meter (just the odo), and it can use between 10-20L/100km. I've filled it up quite often just to be safe!

tankclare · 20-03-2013, 12:10 AM

I dont like risking it. I have only ever gone to zero once in my EF and it just clicked on zero as I rolled into the servo and started to splutter.

If I'm driving my brothers FG I don't like letting it get down under the 40km range and am always up him as he swears by the range and goes down to really low numbers.

LTDHO · 20-03-2013, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

In the same car?

Under the same or similar driving conditions?

Nope.

In the first case I was driving a modified DC LTD.
Second case a 2 year old Territory.

Both on highway cruising.

BTW, I would never suggest that anyone lets their tank get this low in the first place.

**FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0** · 20-03-2013, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Nope.

In the first case I was driving a modified DC LTD.
Second case a 2 year old Territory.

Both on highway cruising.

No offence, but using two different cars as a gauge as to the accuracy (and therefore reliability) of the DTE is hardly comparing apples with apples.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTDHO

BTW, I would never suggest that anyone lets their tank get this low in the first place.

Why is that? I've heard many reasons as to why it's not a good thing (not good for fuel pump, will suck in the debris in the bottom of the tank, for eg), but as I stated earlier, I have regularly gone under the zero DTE in at least two cars over a combined distance of at least 200,000 km of driving and I have not yet struck a problem?

Craig H

poppa smurf · 20-03-2013, 09:59 AM

in the bad old days the bottom of the tank used to hold all sorts of surprises such as water, debris of all kinds and of course rust

is this common now or are the advances in fuel cleanliness protocol leaving our tanks a cleaner place to be

getting down to 10 litres would have meant all sorts of problems "in my day"......blocked fuel filter (if one was present) was one amongst many

The Yeti · 20-03-2013, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

in the bad old days the bottom of the tank used to hold all sorts of surprises such as water, debris of all kinds and of course rust

is this common now or are the advances in fuel cleanliness protocol leaving our tanks a cleaner place to be

getting down to 10 litres would have meant all sorts of problems "in my day"......blocked fuel filter (if one was present) was one amongst many

Arrr those were the days

still does if you fill up at a Untied brand service station as you come in to Canberra at Sutton

after your car stops, and you clean out the fuel filter and pull out mud & water and then pull the drain **** out of the tank and fill a glass jar with mud and water and what looked like coolant

poppa smurf · 20-03-2013, 10:17 AM

ah! so there are still some nasties out there!........a vast improvement on years gone by

The Yeti · 20-03-2013, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

ah! so there are still some nasties out there!........a vast improvement on years gone by

definatly, thats the first bad batch ive had in years and years, and I havent had one since

XR6_661 · 20-03-2013, 10:48 AM

Only on AFF could people read so much into a thread about where the needle sits on the gauge.

mik · 20-03-2013, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

bit of a worry for the copilot when there is 80k to the next fuel station, DTE reading 85k, declining, to empty and she's pulling 35ltrs per 100 uphill and head wind in the middle of no-where.......thats when i wonder just how much is in reserve, if any.......never mind, makes the trip exciting I guess.....

I reckon a rear bar with a couple of jerries back there may be the go......may knock one up when i get the time

it`s nice to have a reserve, especially if your touring, it sucks to arrive at the servo out in sticks as they "say sorry locking up for the night", and you have to sleep/park next to the bowser until the morning(next servo 200 k`s), my old patrol had a 60 litre auxiliary tank and 60 litre jerry rack/supply, gives you a lot more range and choice of servo.
On my AU , i must confess to getting caught out one day low in fuel in a nasty traffic jam(ah Melb), by the time i got mobile and to a servo i was down to a few k`s dte, i would`nt like to press my luck further, but i suspect it may have had a few more litres in the tank.

Alan D Segal · 20-03-2013, 11:13 AM

In every car I have ever owned I have put fuel in it before the gauge shows it is empty. I can't even let myself drive past a petrol station while the fuel light is on. So in my world the answer is yes, 'empty' means 'empty'. The fortunate part of this perspective for me is that I have never, and hopefully will never run out of fuel in a car

greenfoam · 20-03-2013, 11:17 AM

I've driven the fiesta down to 2km left till empty but it was a lie, it still had almost 2 litres in the tank

poppa smurf · 20-03-2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

it`s nice to have a reserve, especially if your touring, it sucks to arrive at the servo out in sticks as they "say sorry locking up for the night", and you have to sleep/park next to the bowser until the morning(next servo 200 k`s), my old patrol had a 60 litre auxiliary tank and 60 litre jerry rack/supply, gives you a lot more range and choice of servo.
On my AU , i must confess to getting caught out one day low in fuel in a nasty traffic jam(ah Melb), by the time i got mobile and to a servo i was down to a few k`s dte, i would`nt like to press my luck further, but i suspect it may have had a few more litres in the tank.

it was the head wind that knocked my economy around, I had allowed a fair "margin" of roughly 100km's but the weather had different ideas

on one run a normal distance of 350 klm expected fuel run was reduced to less than 170 klm........no fuel stations in between to sleep in front of

I dont normally allow the tank to get below between quarter and half when travelling or at home

never mind a bit of light hearted conversation about inane subjects never hurts anyone

I have begun construction of a rear bar to hold a couple of jerries "just in case"

which in itself can be the subject of yet more non constructive, time wasting, light conversation to annoy the less humorous amongst us

what's your thoughts on carrying jerries on the back of vans .........Bwah haha!!

**FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0** · 20-03-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

The fortunate part of this perspective for me is that I have never, and hopefully will never run out of fuel in a car

Nor have I in over 23 years of driving!

Good management or just good luck?

2011G6E · 20-03-2013, 12:31 PM

I used to have an LH Sunbird, with a warning light of a jerry can with a cross through it. It was supposed to come on when you got down to about 10 liters.

Twice though I found out it actually would only come on when you actually ran out of petrol, then it would light up...sort of a slap in the face to say "Hey moron...you're out of fuel"...

castellan · 20-03-2013, 07:19 PM

My VY SS ute reads 0 km and i can go about 100km to 140km on the highway.
the first time i ran out it was showing 0 at Ipswich and i got to Toowoomba and coming back she ran out as i was just comming to a fuel station and just roled in

I did have a jerry can but i had to test the car to make sure i know when she cuts out, but then again it may of made petrol when it got down that low, who knows maybe, just maybe.

Franco Cozzo · 20-03-2013, 07:27 PM

My EL Fairmont Ghia is pretty odd, the fuel gauge moves around depending on what slope the car is driving around on, which my Fiesta and Focus don't do.

It makes you wonder why it goes down, then back up later, obviously fuel sloshing around, is it tank design, because the other two cars don't do it?

And I reckon DTE is not to be trusted, previous owner said at 20km DTE it starts cutting out on corners.

I assume the fuel pump won't like it.

**buggerlugs** · 20-03-2013, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I used to have an LH Sunbird, with a warning light of a jerry can with a cross through it. It was supposed to come on when you got down to about 10 liters.

Twice though I found out it actually would only come on when you actually ran out of petrol, then it would light up...sort of a slap in the face to say "Hey moron...you're out of fuel"...

Your on a public forum and your admitting you owned a "Sunbird"

xtremerus · 20-03-2013, 08:22 PM

If you are worried about crud in the bottom of the tank when near empty, Why not when there's fuel in the tank.
The fuel pickup is always at the bottom of the tank. Doesn't move.
Just filling the tank will stir up crud if you have any crud in it.
So if you have crud in the tank, it can be a problem at any time, not just when low on fuel.

MWTB · 20-03-2013, 10:00 PM

I have let my fuel gauge hit zero a couple of times out of necessity and according to the bowser (how accurate is that though?) it took 62 litres. Assuming I had used 2 or so litres whilst on 0, it could suggest that 0 = 8 litres left, given that it is a 68l fuel tank?

smally289 · 20-03-2013, 10:59 PM

Don't forget that the DTE figure relies on the fuel gauge reading being accurate. Ford don't have a good history in that regard!
I pushed my AU to a zero DTE but not by choice, towing a furniture trailer when I noticed the DTE was 90km and it was 120 to the next town. Slowed down to 80kph and made it with the DTE on zero for the last couple of km's. Never had my BA any lower than about 15 and don't intend to.
Been called out to rescue plenty of AU & BA's that have broken down with the fuel gauges reading well above full only to discover they are empty. Anything less than a 1/4 of a tank gets a jerry of fuel before I check anything else.