This is good info! I thought the gas station I went to was ripping me off, since I pumped 13.6 gallons into a "13.2 gallon" gas tank. I do try to keep the level higher since the time I scared myself.

A long time ago, I was driving home on the northbound 405, between the 22 and 605. There are 6 or 7 lanes of traffic, and of course, I was in the fast lane going about 75 in my little civic. It started to cough, and I glanced down at the gas gauge. It was resting on the peg below E. I was able to coast through rush hour traffic, merge over to the next exit, made the light at the bottom of the ramp, kept coasting all the way to the arco station about 1/4 mile from the offramp with just enough momentum left to pull up to the closest pump. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than smart....

 

Empty... That was a fun tow...

 

We had a big discussion on this on our local discussion board and everybody agreed that we need to "change our ways" and fill up the gas tank as soon as we see it hit 1/4 tank or so. That way the fuel pump is not overtaxed, the fuel is cooler, and you don't risk other potential component damage if you were to actually run out of gas while driving the car. Food for thought!

 

The red light came on while I was test driving in a rain storm of all things! My husband and I didn't notice it at first and don't have a clue to how long the thing was on. It took us a good twenty minutes to drive back to the dealership. We bought it and with my husband following in his car, I drove another 27 miles to a gas station in a small town near our home. My husband called me at least twice; questioning my sanity in driving with a gas warning light on. I made it though and while I really can't remember how much I put in, I think it was around 13 or so gal. I never let it get to the red light stage again...EVER!

 

Whenever I autocross I try and make sure the gas is as low as possible. Typically when I start autocrossing for the day the miles remaining reads around 30 or so, but by the time I am done for the day it is typically in the single digits because of the more aggressive driving. Never had it starve at an autocross.

-Keith

 

Anyone ever see that Seinfeld episode where Kramer and the carf salesman sorta did this. Reading thru some of these stories reminded of that.

 

We went quite awhile with 0 miles left on the tank. (as in a mile coasting)

 

I usually don't let it get close, but twice I have pumped over 14 gallons.

 

I do not have the on board computer, so cant tell how many miles i have left on a tank, but it did go down to the red line one time... I was in the car when a friend ran out of gas once and it freaked me out enough that I intend NEVER to do it! The red light is both annoying (it seems to come on WAY early) and a great way to not run out of gas (it seems to come on WAY early) haha

 

I thought I was crazy. Got 13.6 gal in the tank with around 10 miles left on OBC.
Can't tell the wife...she will drive it until it stops.

 

I've had it down to where I've put something like 13.64 or 13.65 gallons in. The first time my OBC went from 0 to --- scared the crap outta me. But on the rest of the way home (dring on surface street for 4 miles, no less), I kept the OBC's avg mpg over 40. I always put more than 13 gallons in. I rarely ever bother refueling until I'm down to about 10-20 miles left on the range.

 

So if the tank is 13.2 how much can be in the filler neck? because at 14 gallons which i have done, thats alot for a filler neck

 

neck + fuel lines = about 1gallon or so

 

I'm bored so I pulled out a calculator and fudged some numbers. A circular tube 3 inches in diameter by 2 feet in length would hold about 3/4 of a gallon. I have no idea if that's even close to the dimensions of the fill tube but it seemed to be a reasonable guess/approximation. (it's almost certainly not straight and/or cylindrical, for instanace)

I wouldn't expect the lines to contribute much to a larger-than-expected-fill, however, since they should always be full. It's probably almost all in the filler neck and gas station pump calibration that the varying fill levels are determined.

 

Empty

 

I remember last year after the last huricane to hit florida especially Miami for the season i was out of town and forgot to fill the car up before i left. I had 1/4 tank left. when i got back to Miami most of the city was out of power and long lines everywhere you went for gas. I had to drive to central florida so i started driving north at 50 mph and got close the tank got me aproximatly 100 to 125 miles and normaly i only get a total of 300 or so miles on a tank full so driving slower does get you better fuel economy. so that was my biggest fear running out of gas while their was no gas available easly in south florida.

 

About 8" off the ground

Mark

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=110321

 

i've run out of gas on motorcycles twice, and i felt my previous suby hissitate when it was below the E. i've been careful with the mini though

 

Due to a malfunctioning gauge that said I still had about 1/8 tank (I don't have the computer), I actually ran completely out a couple months ago. No warning, just going along on the freeway with the cruise on, and suddenly it was like the key had been switched off. Just so you know, there was no stumbling or any other warning that I was out.

Other than that, I've driven for a day or so (not continuously, obviously) with the needle buried in the red, and then put about 14 gallons in. Done that a couple times - by chance, not by choice.

 

Showing ONE mile left on the range ticker. The needle was bottomed out.

 

7 miles on the obc when I ran out of gas. i got a little too arrogant. I felt like Kramer in that one Seinfeld episode. showed up to work sweaty and covered in gas...

 

I usually don't let it pass 1/2 a tank if I can help it.

 

That sounds exactly like what happened to me yesterday. About 1/8 showing..but gas light was on..and no warning..just zero power. Glad it was only out of gas..as my wife was going to be pissed if something more :impatient