DayLight324

I was paying attention when i was filling the car with gas and i was on e. I only had 11 miles left till completly empty. When it was done it was only 14 gallons and on the website it says 17. Did anybody have this problem or does my car have a defect. Need Help

cdbell1201

That's common for everyone. A lot has been written about it here if you do a search. The skinny is that everything is programmed to tell you the car is empty when you have 3 gallons in reserve to help you not run out of gas. I think most hate it, but just adjust what you now know and be sure you don't end up stranded.

sbrar83

i have noticed the same thing. i actually like this feature, you should never let ur car run down to where you could only go 11 more miles. debris builds up in your tank over time and its not a good idea to let it run that low, or it will get sucked into your engine.

m0s3s

isnt that what the fuel filter is for?

but i do agree, its not wise to keep it on empty

svtmike

The reserve makes sure that you don't run out of gas, and that the fuel pump is properly cooled by the fuel in which it's immersed. Large amounts of debris building in the tank will not get sucked into the engine, but they can clog a fuel filter. I don't think today's plastic tanks have the old "empty tank" debris (mostly rust) problem.

Mike

Tedanddenise

Fuel pump explanation is quite valid - never run the tank dry - you''ll need a new fuel pump along with the fuel.

rets

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showp...23&postcount=3

Whatever you said is right... :o

Aquineas

When the car says "0 miles" to empty, I've found it has about 2 gallons left. It probably has more, but I don't wanna find that out :-)

rets

... ...
b. When the low fuel warning light comes on, you still have about 3.71 gallons left in the tank

c. When miles to empty reads zero, that is time to fill up, but you still have about 2 gallons left in the tank
... ...

Sherlock

And again I must post, why does anyone think that if you let the tank get low, that it will suck up debris that has piled up in the tank. Do you think there is a floating pump that sucks gas off the top ??

The pump is in the bottom and always sucks off the bottom, so there is no buildup of stuff, it's always being sucked up if it settles. And yes, that's what the fuel filter is for.

This one always kills me.

Ron A

I heartily concur. I was going to post a reply like this but was still thinking about what to say when you said it better than I probably would have.

I have also added to your rep points.


Read both of rets replies, and you won’t have to worry about finding out what has already been told.

rets

I have no points to give now...

Are we going to replace this filter sometimes?

TBone2004

I didn't want to be the one to say it -



thanks!

Ron A

The maintenance minder makes no mention of ever changing the fuel filter during scheduled maintenance.

The service manual says to replace the fuel filter if the fuel pressure drops below the specified value, after making sure that the fuel pump and the fuel pressure regulator are OK.

From this, I would say that you would only have to replace the fuel filter if you were having problems with fuel supply and the tests indicated it was the fuel filter which was causing the problem.

What have you done with all your points... Is there a limit? Are they rationed? lol

rets

Thanks, Ron A. I bet you could type the owner manual words by words without checking on it... Pages # is only thing you have to check.


P.S. I'm sure you know this... (You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to users again.) There is no limit at all...

JoganJani

I think the guy who oiginally worte was referring to his grandpa's grandpa's advise. In the generation of carburators and days when fuel filters were very simple, they always made sure that you do not get your tank dry. Getting it dry used to get the rust buildup inside the tank and piled more debri to reach the fuel line.

You do not have to worry about such things in the car manufactured in today's world (at least US market).

BTW, Sherlock, what if the debri floats at the top? j/k

dsc888

From what I have read, there really is no need to replace your fuel filter nowadays especially if you guys buy gas from a popular station. The underground tanks get replenished enough that there should be little if any contaminants being thrown in "free of cost" into your gas tank. Most gas stations in my area has been updated recently and have had their rusty underground tanks replaced. On top of that, I believe there is a filter in the gas pump itself at the filling station that pre-filters the gas as it goes through the nozzle.

dsc888

kosh2258

The issue with running the tank to empty isn't picking up crud from the bottom of the fuel tank.

An electric fuel pump relies on the fuel passing through it for cooling and lubrication. Run the tank out and you cavitate (get air into) the fuel pump. No cooling and no lubrication from the fuel and it doesn't take long to overheat the pump and do some damage. That's really the reason you don't want to run the tank out too often.

RAdams

The fuel pumps also have a small "pre-filter" that looks like a small fine-mesh bag that traps any sediment from entering the fuel system to begin with.

Road Rage

Well, I doubt it will get sucked into your engine, since there is filtration in the fuel pump assembly. But it could get clogged, as there is no external filter. Water rises to the top, and if you run a good fuel system cleaner regularly, it gets emulsified and burned in the cylinders.

The real risk is that when cornering at higher speeds and you have less than 1/4 tank or so, the pump can suck air - you might not notice it, because the fuelk systems is buffered to provide a continuous flow - but it could hiccup.

No, the real danger is necause of a fact that known to many people: the gasoline actually helps cool and lubricate the fuel pump! A pump running on "air" in the open would not last long - every time you let it suck air, heat rises fast, and wear as well. I never let my car get that low, and I have never had a fuel pump failure. Coincidence? Good luck? Or good thinking?

neuronbob

Thanks for the tip, RR. I tend to let my car run down to "E" (e.g. 3 gallons left), then refill. Maybe I shouldn't.

rapera

RR:

Good info, except for one thing.

Water does not "rise to the top" in a fuel tank, it settles to the bottom, being heavier than most petroleum distillates. When checking fuel storage tanks, you measure the depth of the water and sediment in the bottom of the tank.

Just a small point.

TR

Road Rage

I know that, but I always get it backward when I write it up - thx for the catch, I will correct.