Notices
RX-8 Discussion General discussion about the RX-8 that doesn't fit in one of the specialty forums.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

Cutting it Close or how much fuel at low fuel light

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:34 PM
  #1  
dazygirl415's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
Red face Cutting it Close

I'm the type of driver that waits until the little yellow light comes on and says that I need gas. I'm rarely further than a couple miles from a gas station so I just wait. (Save yourself the time and energy of flaming. I've been told reasons why I shouldn't wait for almost 10 years and I haven't changed yet.)

I went to get gas today at lunch and I'm watching the gauge. 11 ... 12 ... 13 ... (here's where it usually stops) ... 14 ... 15... 15.044 gallons!!! I looked up the size of the tank to verify what I thought and sure enough, I had less than one gallon left of gas!!

Now in my mind, this is actually a good thing. I've secretly always wanted to see how far I could go on one tank of gas without actually running out. I think this is a new record. :D

I don't know exactly how many miles I had driven since my light came on (I had to disconnect the battery for a mod last night), but if I had to guess, I'd say around 25.

Happy Zoom-Zooming!!!
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:39 PM
  #2  
"Shanika"'s Avatar
#382
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim.. I think.
It's a bothersome having to refill once a week, but the most I've had to fill thus far was 13.8 gals. I don't know if I could ever try for 15.
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:39 PM
  #3  
staticlag's Avatar
The Professor
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,479
Likes: 6
From: Omaha, NE
tasty.

I start getting anxiety attacks whenever I see the light come on.
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:41 PM
  #4  
Sea Ray's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
From: Nicholasville, Ky
Now you will push it more often. I predict you will run out of gas soon
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:42 PM
  #5  
RX-GR8's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,098
Likes: 3
From: Cherry Hill, NJ
mines yellow right now and the needle is half way over the "E".
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:45 PM
  #6  
dazygirl415's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
^^ That's pretty much how I know I NEED gas. Just the light is fine. I have about 2 gallons left at that point, but when it's PAST "E," and looks like it's about to fall off, time to filler-up!
Old 07-19-2005 | 02:46 PM
  #7  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
One of the Calgary guys did a 58 L fill on a 60 L tank...now that's impressive!

I'm a wimp and have only done 53.
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:23 PM
  #8  
cLLcLe's Avatar
Just call me Circle
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
lol... i fill up about 3 times in a week. But my needle usually doesn't drop below the quarter tank mark
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:29 PM
  #9  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
Isn't it better to wait until the tank is nearly empty...then you're not using old gas? I think I heard this somewhere.
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:32 PM
  #10  
Bigdog6060's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
funny story about running out of gas

so my family and i were driving to denver this christmas. Well about 2 hours from denver there isnt a thing in site, so i was running low on gas and we passed a few gas stations becuase we wanted to eat also. So i started to get a little worried and my dad was like it will be fine so finally i say ah its not getting gas!!! Luckly as i say that a exit comes up over the hill i coast into the exit down the hill go through a red light to get into the gas station across the highway and stop at the pump. So freaking luckly i could have ended up 20 miles from anything in the middle of the night.
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:35 PM
  #11  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
lol! nice recovery...

isn't that bad for your engine though?
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:36 PM
  #12  
Bigdog6060's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
ah it was my parents van
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:41 PM
  #13  
Rotary Rasp's Avatar
503wtq Boosted Bimmer
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, California
Originally Posted by khtm
Isn't it better to wait until the tank is nearly empty...then you're not using old gas? I think I heard this somewhere.
If you're filling up once a week, the gas is never getting old. I've pumped 14.8 gallons once, but most of the time when the light comes on, I head to the nearest Arco.
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:43 PM
  #14  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
Yeah but what if you fill up when it reaches half-way every time? Then even years down the road there should be at least a little bit of gas from your FIRST fill-up in there...
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:44 PM
  #15  
Rotary Rasp's Avatar
503wtq Boosted Bimmer
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, California
Originally Posted by khtm
lol! nice recovery...

isn't that bad for your engine though?
It doesn't hurt a gas engine to run it dry. Diesel's on the other hand are pretty hard to start after running out of fuel.
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:44 PM
  #16  
Rotary Rasp's Avatar
503wtq Boosted Bimmer
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, California
Originally Posted by khtm
Yeah but what if you fill up when it reaches half-way every time? Then even years down the road there should be at least a little bit of gas from your FIRST fill-up in there...
yeah...I don't think so...lol
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:59 PM
  #17  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
Just think about it...the new gas gets mixed up with the old gas whenever you fill up. If you never completely empty out the gas tank there'll always be some old gas in there.

I'm just sayin'!
Old 07-19-2005 | 03:59 PM
  #18  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
Originally Posted by Rotary Rasp
It doesn't hurt a gas engine to run it dry. Diesel's on the other hand are pretty hard to start after running out of fuel.
I didn't know that...ya learn something new every day!
Old 07-19-2005 | 05:41 PM
  #19  
Go48's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 2
From: Fayetteville, PA
Originally Posted by khtm
Just think about it...the new gas gets mixed up with the old gas whenever you fill up. If you never completely empty out the gas tank there'll always be some old gas in there. I'm just sayin'!
True. But. After say a half dozen half-tank fillups the percentage of gas from the first tank full is very small I would think. (Somebody do the math. )

However, there is another consideration. The more frequently you fill the tank, the higher the probability that you will get bad gas. So better to use up most of each tank and limit the number of fillups.
Old 07-19-2005 | 05:43 PM
  #20  
ZoomZoomH's Avatar
Mulligan User
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,612
Likes: 2
From: caddyshack
I think 15.3 gallons is my largest at-once fillup in the 8 :D
Old 07-19-2005 | 05:48 PM
  #21  
Dark8's Avatar
Ride Naked!
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 647
Likes: 1
From: Keizer, Oregon
Originally Posted by khtm
Just think about it...the new gas gets mixed up with the old gas whenever you fill up. If you never completely empty out the gas tank there'll always be some old gas in there.

I'm just sayin'!
I think I would worry more about half the oil in your engine getting left in at each oil change.... :p
Old 07-19-2005 | 06:08 PM
  #22  
lurch519's Avatar
www.evoperform.com
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 1
From: tax free delaware
it wont hurt the motor to run the gas tank d own to E, but what will happen is that you will end up clogging up the fuel filter and injectors much more quickly as you are not only pulling gas through the system, but also picking up more sediment the lower your gas level falls
Old 07-19-2005 | 06:26 PM
  #23  
khtm's Avatar
I like rusty spoons
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Alberta
^ interesting...

So more sediments get into your engine the less gas you have in your tank? That can't be good, eh?

Sounds like there's pros and cons to filling up earlier or later...
Old 07-19-2005 | 06:31 PM
  #24  
lurch519's Avatar
www.evoperform.com
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 1
From: tax free delaware
another good thing to do is to fill up in the morning, the earlier the better, cause when the sun comes up, the temp goes up, and as the temp goes up, the volume of gas increases, meaning you are actually getting less gas when it is warmer
Old 07-19-2005 | 06:54 PM
  #25  
dsmdriver's Avatar
Registered
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
Have you ever had a gas tank apart? The fuel pickup is on the bottom of the tank (duh) and it has this fine mesh bag around it (on most cars). Sediment will get picked up no matter how much gas you have in your tank, unless the sediment is less dense than the fuel.

As for gas temps- fuel tanks are underground where it's a constant 58 degrees F. The outside temp makes no difference.


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:22 PM.