0 miles to go

so I got in the car this morning and thought - ooh not much fuel left but I'll make it easy on half that and fill up on the way home.

2 miles down the road the miles left in the tank jumped to half (going downhill?) - :unsure: not looking quite so clever now...

dropping steadily.......have I got a leak or something?? :wtf: not much I can do about driving style while rolling, crawling, occasionally driving through miles of motorway rush hour traffic, just fingers crossed!

made it anyway :phew: 8 miles left in the tank - bit of uphill or flat or something near the end and it started to creep back up and look more healthy!
back in the car after work - 8 miles left and only about 2 miles to the nearest garage. cool :cool: :motoring:



:eek: half a mile later it drops to 3miles left..... :unsure: not liking the look of this so much! there's a few sets of traffic lights - - all bloody red of course. Uh oh, COME ON!!! :whiteflag:
0 miles left....Oh cr@p. :wtf:

then
_______________________ flatline on the miles to go gauge....... :sheep:

what does that even mean??! Am I a ghost? Is the car going to explode? car appears to still be going, just get round the corner please......I have no real idea of whether this is bad for the car as I've never let it get really low, ever in 21yrs driving :angel: :idunno:

anyway :phew: I made it by the power of fairies or something. thank god for that! I have never let any car get below about 10 miles (used to be a quarter tank :lol: hard times financially these days!!) Is this bad for the car at all or does it just kinda stop eventually? And how much is actually in the tank when it's flatlined??! :idunno:

I'll be trying not to do that again.

Can't answer how much is in the tank when it says zero as I've never done that to cars I've owned. Far too many horror stories of crap being sucked up off the bottom of the tank and causing problems with fuelling etc. :(

Never run mine lower than quarter tank. In honesty I normally top the tank off once per week as it feels cheaper to me that way rather than running it Down to empty... It's all prob in my head re cheaper but I can keep a better eye on cash that way ;)

poor thing, hope it's ok
:sadangel:

I was a regular fortnightly event to fill up but been knocked off sync recently. Demands from work that mean I can no longer avoid the worst traffic time are messing with my fuel lastingness routine as well as my sanity too :frown:

ok lesson learned. Sorry little car.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Craig

Can't answer how much is in the tank when it says zero as I've never done that to cars I've owned. Far too many horror stories of crap being sucked up off the bottom of the tank and causing problems with fuelling etc. :(

Never run mine lower than quarter tank. In honesty I normally top the tank off once per week as it feels cheaper to me that way rather than running it Down to empty... It's all prob in my head re cheaper but I can keep a better eye on cash that way ;)

---

I thought cars had fuel filters to stop that?

Anyhoo, I know that with the Mazda starts showing completely empty its still got at least 4 litres left. The MINI was the same, I’m not saying other cars will be though.

Once played Miles to go Lottery coming back from the Highland tour into Inverness wanting to fill up at the Shell garage there. Computer said 140 miles or something left from Thurso and the Sat Nav said something like 103 to the Garage. I had last filled up on the west cost in Ullapool.:motoring:

Got to the last half hours drive and the Miles to go had jumped down close to the actual Sat-Nav miles to go. I got closer with actual 18 miles to go and the Computer said 27 mile on the range. Pulled in at the Shell station and it said 7 left in the range :phew: and that’s the lowest I’ve ever gone. Scary taking to 0. :sheep:


Also not good a Girl alone at night even if there is a reserve! Your Mum would have given you a slap on the wrists:nag:

Your next adventure will be digging the car out of the snow....it's bad here on the Southside. :ragin:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vidal Buffoon

I thought cars had fuel filters to stop that?

Anyhoo, I know that with the Mazda starts showing completely empty its still got at least 4 litres left. The MINI was the same, I’m not saying other cars will be though.

---

I hope you're right and there is some sort of filter. Craig has got me a bit concerned! :sad: oh well I can't undo it I can only be more sensible in future - the biggest lesson was how much the numbers were fluctuating around and how quickly they were dropping - I've never watched closely enough before. I also don't pass a single petrol station on my way in to town and it's half an hour when it's clear but a lot longer in the morning. And just the one on my way home. It always irritated me that it started pinging at 70miles left, seemed like overkill...maybe I need to take notice! :blush:

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stewart

Scary taking to 0. :sheep:

Your next adventure will be digging the car out of the snow....it's bad here on the Southside. :ragin:

---

it had passed zero! it was showing -- -- -- :wtf:

damn, snow is such a pain unless its christmas and youre sitting on your sofa looking out at it thinking it's pretty. (Or you ski) No snow here yet really just a sprinkling - usu much worse here than in glasgow. Hmmm, i'll psyche myself up for the morning then... :snow: thanks for the warning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vidal Buffoon

I thought cars had fuel filters to stop that?

Anyhoo, I know that with the Mazda starts showing completely empty its still got at least 4 litres left. The MINI was the same, I’m not saying other cars will be though.

---

I can recall a white R53 with red vipers managing 20 plus miles when on 0/flatline on a run back some years ago.
There is always a safety net built in & as long as yer not daft you will avoid the cough/splutter :blush:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crombers

I can recall a white R53 with red vipers managing 20 plus miles when on 0/flatline on a run back some years ago.
There is always a safety net built in & as long as yer not daft you will avoid the cough/splutter :blush:

---

;) let's hope so! I'll pretend there isn't one and attempt not to get into the same situation again! If the garage at west street had been shut I'd have been a bit stuffed!

I wondering if the, getting bits being sucked into your fuel line is an urban myth? I've been told this many times over the years but have never spoken to anyone that this has happened to.

I've never met anyone who has had their arm broken by a swan either!

I usually fill up when I hit one blob on the gauge.

:D something very similar happened to me, don't know how reassuring that is tho...
I can understand your range going up and down since I gather it uses how you're driving, so if you started driving more economically, your range will increase, but I think I got 3 or 4 miles on 0, and about 5 on flatline - traumatic thinking I might breakdown on the Lochness road!!

Just put it down as a lesson in how to drive very economically- bet you weren't racing between traffic lights! ;)

In my experience the R53 doesn't over-estimate the remaining mileage - with 2 miles left, I once put 52 litres in. It's only supposed to hold 50 litres...

Not urban myth Ken. I speak from the experience of friends who didnt take care. It was a few years ago so as Vidal says, filters may stop this from happening in newer cars.

I suppose it's just how your wired. I was always told "look after your car and it will look after you". So I check all my fluids ad tyre pressures once a week. Only takes 5 mins and means I know the car doesn't have any obvious issues :thumbs up:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stewart

Also not good a Girl alone at night even if there is a reserve! Your Mum would have given you a slap on the wrists:nag:

---

Not just your Mum... :hand:
Even having a wee 'emergency' 5L Petrol Can in the boot might be a good idea just in case you ever get 'caught short' again! :idunno:

Indeed fuel filters have nearly always been on cars and debris from the fuel tank can work it's way along the lines.
The fuel tank outlet pipe is usually higher than the bottom of the tank itself so it does offer some protection but, as the petrol sloshes about it raises teh debris off the bottom and then into your lines.

I've always done what Craig does, i never take any chances with fuel

I think when the miles to go meter flatlined it's basically the manufacturers saying 'look guv don't blame us'. I think they all still have a few litres left. I seem to remember on top gear a jag they had showed empty but when the engineers drained the tank it had enough diesel for another 40 miles.

I suppose it would make sense for manufacturers to have a few 'extra' miles in the tank, despite the 'electronic' reading being '0', as it would make sure you panicked and filled up BEFORE you were actually stranded!

That Jag XJ had 120 miles left in it, from Basel to Blackpool on a single tank.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big Col

I think when the miles to go meter flatlined it's basically the manufacturers saying 'look guv don't blame us'. I think they all still have a few litres left. I seem to remember on top gear a jag they had showed empty but when the engineers drained the tank it had enough diesel for another 40 miles.

---

They done it with the big Audi as well and he did the round trip up to Scotland and back to the same garage. It did cough a few times but I remember him screaming “What is it running on”

Has anyone run out of fuel in a D or SD? I don't even go close to empty as most diesels, if you run them out, need a recovery service to help you work out where the priming pump is (if there is one) to get the engine started again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LadyR

I think I got 3 or 4 miles on 0, and about 5 on flatline

Just put it down as a lesson in how to drive very economically- bet you weren't racing between traffic lights! ;)

---

it gave me about 100yds on 0 before it flatlined! the car was still cold - does it eat more fuel when it's colder? I'm guessing it might. Also I was having to stop and start between a string of traffic lights and I doubt that helped. The guy in the garage said there must be 'the wrong type of hill' just round the corner as he regularly saw people coming round for a jerry can having come to a stop just round the corner!

I honestly didn't think I was taking a chance I thought I had enough to do the journey twice. I'm sure when it's been getting low before it has served me fine on 30 odd miles of fuel so I wasn't concerned and I didn't think I was cutting it fine. I was a bit confused getting in the car in the morning anyway as it smelled really strong of a sickly fruity smell inside the car. It still does. I have no idea what it is, I can only think Vardy used something. I don't like it at all though so if they did, I wish they hadn't. And I keep wondering if I've got a leak of something which is unnerving.

Watch out for swans Ken, they are well vicious!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MINIme:)

I was a bit confused getting in the car in the morning anyway as it smelled really strong of a sickly fruity smell inside the car. It still does. I have no idea what it is, I don't like it at all though and I keep wondering if I've got a leak of something which is unnerving.

---

I have been known to 'bottom burp' in mine .................. never felt the need to tell anyone mind :explode:

:thumbs up:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ELFMAN

Not just your Mum... :hand:
Even having a wee 'emergency' 5L Petrol Can in the boot might be a good idea just in case you ever get 'caught short' again! :idunno:

---

OR you could check your range computer and no let it get to hee haw! Failing that you could REALLY think oot the box look at the wee thing inside called a "Fuel Gauge" and no let it get doon tae the bottom... :p:laugh:

We need to thin out the chaff from this gene pool if you ask me!:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MINIme:)

it gave me about 100yds on 0 before it flatlined! the car was still cold - does it eat more fuel when it's colder? I'm guessing it might. Also I was having to stop and start between a string of traffic lights and I doubt that helped. The guy in the garage said there must be 'the wrong type of hill' just round the corner as he regularly saw people coming round for a jerry can having come to a stop just round the corner!

I honestly didn't think I was taking a chance I thought I had enough to do the journey twice. I'm sure when it's been getting low before it has served me fine on 30 odd miles of fuel so I wasn't concerned and I didn't think I was cutting it fine. I was a bit confused getting in the car in the morning anyway as it smelled really strong of a sickly fruity smell inside the car. It still does. I have no idea what it is, I can only think Vardy used something. I don't like it at all though so if they did, I wish they hadn't. And I keep wondering if I've got a leak of something which is unnerving.

Watch out for swans Ken, they are well vicious!

---

Cold engine = choke out = richer mixture

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crombers

I have been known to 'bottom burp' in mine .................. never felt the need to tell anyone mind :explode:

:thumbs up:

---

yes I often fart sweet synthetic fruit smells! Especially when I'm not in the car, it means I can really enjoy them when I get in in the morning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big Col

OR you could check your range computer and no let it get to hee haw! Failing that you could REALLY think oot the box look at the wee thing inside called a "Fuel Gauge" and no let it get doon tae the bottom... :p:laugh:

We need to thin out the chaff from this gene pool if you ask me!:D

---

Cheeky Get :p I was watching it anyway. What you don't know about me Col is that I worry way more than normal people. Seriously way more! If I thought I had something to worry about when I set off I wouldn't have hesitated to worry about it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MINIme:)

Cheeky Get :p I was watching it anyway. What you don't know about me Col is that I worry way more than normal people. Seriously way more! If I thought I had something to worry about when I set off I wouldn't have hesitated to worry about it!

---

Chaff. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MINIme:)

yes I often fart sweet synthetic fruit smells! Especially when I'm not in the car, it means I can really enjoy them when I get in in the morning.

---

WTF??? :thud:

keep up Euan! :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MINIme:)

was a bit confused getting in the car in the morning anyway as it smelled really strong of a sickly fruity smell inside the car. It still does. I have no idea what it is, I can only think Vardy used something. I don't like it at all though so if they did, I wish they hadn't. And I keep wondering if I've got a leak of something which is unnerving.

---

Ahhh, missed this one, but have you tried "Alka Seltzer", or taking the fruit out of the glove box? :idunno: