[viprman]

I live in South Eastern Wisconsin and most of the counties use the "reformulated" gasoline, which is supposed to help clean up the air (thanks Chicago ) and has been known to short change your car's performance & fuel economy.

Well, I get my gas in East Troy, WI where they have the normal gas (or as we like to call it - the good gas) and I try to make it on one tank a week. I get paid on Thursdays and I go to the bank between work and school. Today I noticed that I was in the 1/8 tank region when I was heading to the bank. I just ignored it and headed to school. When I got out of school I got in the 'Trep and started to head home from Milwaukee. I was about 17 miles from East Troy when I noticed that the gas gauge was a hair above the bottom of the red region. I pushed on towards the next exit 3 miles away on the freeway and the needle was right on the bottom of the red region. I still continued on my way to East Troy, which is now 14 miles away to get the good gas. I got to the next exit 6 miles before East Troy and I saw the part of the needle was slightly below the red region!!!! At that point I chickened out and got off, put $1 in the tank at a station and then continued to East Troy to get the good gas.

Normally I can make it on one tank per week but I guess this week I was driving a little more aggressively.

How far have you guys run your needles down before you chickened out? Has anyone gotten below the red line? I would like to know if it is possible to get the needle below the red region and still be able to drive the car at freeway speeds.

 

[p3]

In the summer i run my car till the little light comes on. In the winter i dont let my car get below half and i always have "heet" in the tank.

 

[Dodge4life]

I've been known to let the needle rest on the peg for a couple days, and I'm still good. However I don't recommend this for obvious reasons, like looking like a fool on the edge of the road.

 

[gise1]

i once ran out of gas before. didnt mean to. the gauge lied to me and said i had like 1 8th tank. my gauge will sometimes say empty then start it up a second ater it will say its 1/2 full and so on.

 

[viprman]

I realize that running the fuel this low in the tank is harmful to the fuel pump. I wanted to know if anyone tried to see if they could run their 'Trep down to the fumes and keep movin' either by choice or coincidence.

 

[96Concorde]

Hmmm, I never (at least try to never) let my needle go past the 1/4 mark.. I was told my many many people that it is harmful to run your tank that low because then your fuel pump/filter start picking up all the garbage/gunk at the bottom of the tank and can also ruin the fuel injectors.. So anyway, this is what i was told.. Anyone care to comment on it? Spanks..

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Just filled up today with only 4 miles left to drive (according to my OTIS). This was the farthest I ever ran it down....and my only excuse is laziness

 

[Djnrg]

Well, I've always wondered how far the car can go with an empty tank. Sooo....I decided to wait until the needle was on the last empty line (the REALLY empty line...as in empty as a blond girls head...well, you get my drift..)

Anyways, I got about 80 KM out of her despite the fact that the needle was at the empty line, and I was going about 80Km an hour all the way. So thats pretty good, considering the tank was supposed to be empty. However, about a year later, the tank had run down to about 1/8 full, and the car ran out of gas, so my gauge could be screwed. Not sure if it was when I did the empty test and got 80KM, but who knows. Someone else should try it too. My gauge is not always reliable, because a week ago, it got down to the last empty mark again, but this time I swung into a gas station, instead of letting her die.
(BTW, 1 mile is equal to 1.6 Kilometers...)

 

[1mz-fe]

someone with way too much free time on their hands should fill up their tank as well as a 5 gallon gas can, hit the open road and drive until the engine dies, then fill it up with the reserve and drive back to a gas station. i would if i had the time (damn finals).

 

[Don Hardy]

You know the obvious reason to not run it down too low, at least not very often: the fuel pump is cooled by the gas in the tank. I also recall something about EFI engines not liking running out of gas. Can't remember the details. Yeah I'm blond but I'm male! Someone remember that kinda thing?

 

[SPOOK R/T]

Don your right the fuel in the tank cools the fuel pump. If you all ways run the car on empty you increase you chances of burning it out. I never run mine below a 1/4 of a tank. The dam pump and labor is about $300.00 to replace at the dealers. Plus is it is a older car you can pick up all the dirt and junk on the bottom of the tank and screw up the injectors.

 

[p3]

now knowing that info i dont think i am gonna run my tank as low in the summer as i do...