Fuel Tank & Idiot Light
 

MINI states that our fuel tanks hold 13.2 gal. When I first adopted my Mini, I read the owners manual front to back at one sitting. Maybe I shouldn't have. I thought the idiot light came on for low fuel leaving about 2 gal in the tank. When the idiot light comes on an I make it to the gas station, 10 miles or less, it takes over 12 gal of gas. Is the tank really bigger than 13.2, is the idiot light that far off that I'm running on fumes, are all the gas stations ripping us off with short pumps or am I the idiot for trusting the low warning light. Advice sought from parents that have had their Mini longer than me. (I don't like walking nor do I carry a spare little red can.)

50 liters. 13.21 gallons Light comes on when there's 8 liters left, as best I recall -- 2.113 gallons.

When my light comes on my OBC usually says I have 45-50 miles left to drive so that's around 2 gallons :grin: Also I do not trust the gas pumps to be 100% accurate as I think try will squeeze every penny from you that they can. I had a car that had a 15 GAL capacity yet I managed to put almost 16 GAL in it on more than one occassion. When I pointed this out to the station attandant he acted like that was normal :roll: :lol: :lol:

I have put more than 13.2 gallons into my MCS. I believe the quoted size is very conservative.

The 13.2 is only the tank, not the fuel lines, carb, anywhere else gas could be while in transport from the tank to the engine. if you run bone dry you could potentially pump about 15 gallons in. And about gas pumps being off, they are actually regulated and must be within your states standards for accuracy, or the station will face a very hefty fine. They are inspected at some set interval and should have an inspection sticker on the side somewhere (thats where the inspection stickers are in Maryland.)

A big chunk of the extra capacity is in the filler neck. There's a little bit in the lines between the fuel pump and the fuel rail, but if you're putting in more than 13.2 gallons, it's probably going into the filler neck.

As for the accuracy of the pumps, that's pretty much a non-issue. As has already been pointed out, those are calibrated and certified on a regular basis.

I never top off the tank. When the nozzle shuts off....out it comes. Have had several instances where I have put in 13+gal and the gauge still showed a bit of gas available.

If you consider where the gas tank is located, compared to the location of the gas cap, there's a fair amount of gas going into the filler neck, even if you don't "top off". Topping off only fills the last 3-4 inches of the filler neck.

The owners manual says that the fuel tank holds 13.2 gal or 50 liters and there is a 2.1 gal 8 liters reserve. That makes a total of 15.3 gal or 58 liters of petrol.

Cheers,
Jack

I've put well over 14 gallons in GBMINI#3 before now - seems to be a BIG tank (I wondered if they tweaked the tank bigger for the MCS auto, although there's no official documentation that indicates anything except the regular 13.2 gallons)
http://www.gbmini.net/images/albums/...Tank.sized.jpg

That is an interesting thought, maybe it is an English gas tank way of thinking. We need a brave soul to drive on till it is dry and see how much it takes to refill it.

I know I have put 14.1 gallons in before and it was down to zero on the OBC.

Ive driven a few miles on 0, mainly because I was on my way home from work, planning to stop at my favorite gas station, when I hit crazy traffic. 45mins to go 2miles! Grr...ended up going about 5miles on 0. Dont remember how much I put in, since I was so distracted with the silly traffic.

Have put 14.2 gal in my tank n 2 occasions.
As an aside, I've got the chrono pack, so I have a wonderful, old-fashioned needle guage, which after 3 yrs of driving my '03 with that bloody useless led guage, I love that plain old needle!
(Believe it or not, was one of the factors (albeit a small one) that convinced me to forego the OEM Nav with my '06!)

MINIs without nav always have a needle gauge

Unless it is an R56/R57, or has the Chrono Pack.

All I can say for sure is '03 WITH nav has LED gauge, '06 with chrono pack has needle gauge.

Why would you run the tank down so low? Are the gas stations that far apart where you live? Or is there a mind set I didn't get that says I have to drive everything to the limit because I drive a MINI? While the car is a blast to push through a corner or from a standing start, why stress the fuel pump and also drag up what ever sludge may be in the bottom of the tank? I don't know if the MINI's are built like this, but many fuel pumps on cars and trucks these days are in the tank and use the gasoline to cool the pump. Letting the tank drop below 1/4 on a regular basis is inviting a premature pump failure.

me too
 

That's the first thing i thought too. :eek:
I Know i am maybe in the minority, but i never let my tank get below 1/2 tank.
When i read all these people running on empty almost made my cry :sad:

I think that the cooling comes from fuel flowing *through* the pump, not necessarily the gasoline *surrounding* the pump. I think the pump will be fine as long as you don't run the tank dry.

That being said, I usually fill up at about 1/3-tank.

I put nearly 55l in my tank today, though it was -3C today (26f) and I know the pumps adjust to 15C.

That's the first thing i thought too. :eek:
I Know i am maybe in the minority, but i never let my tank get below 1/2 tank.
When i read all these people running on empty almost made my cry :sad:

Why would you run the tank down so low? Are the gas stations that far apart where you live? Or is there a mind set I didn't get that says I have to drive everything to the limit because I drive a MINI? While the car is a blast to push through a corner or from a standing start, why stress the fuel pump and also drag up what ever sludge may be in the bottom of the tank? I don't know if the MINI's are built like this, but many fuel pumps on cars and trucks these days are in the tank and use the gasoline to cool the pump. Letting the tank drop below 1/4 on a regular basis is inviting a premature pump failure

Well because: I am a tech guy and want to know all about my new car. Does the low warning light come on or not like it is supposed. When it does come on how much fuel is left. If it takes 12 gallons when it comes on and only holds 13.? gallons the light is not accurate with 2.? gallons left when the light comes on. I want to know how much saftey reserve is built in, how far I can go on it. Sometimes situations overcome "I never let my tank get below 1/2 or 1/4, which ever it is." For the same reason I want to know how much mpg the MINI gets vs believing the 32mpg EPA estimate. Because I'm used to traveling over 450 miles between fuel stops vs 225 miles between stops. Because I want to know how far I can go with the top down before I have to walk and look dumb!:roll:

I maybe new here but I ran my previous car for 16.5 years and I always run to the bottom of the tank. My theory is if you always run down to the bottom of the tank, sludge can not build up. Sludge builds up in a tank because of fuel getting old and stale. Yes you may get some from the gas station but if you go to a popular station they should not have any junk in their tank.
I have only had my MINI for 6 weeks and 4500 km's and am still learning the car. I plan to run to the low fuel light. It will help me learn how far I can go on a tank. How far I can run gets important in BC.
I wonder if the tank is listed in imperial gallons or US gallons.

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