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Running On Empty
 
Information » Car
Care Tips » Why Not To
Run On Empty
Have you ever heard someone say, "It seems like I’m always
running on fumes, but I just can’t afford to fill it up." Think
again, warns the Car Care Council. Maybe you can’t afford NOT to keep
the tank at least half full. There’s a risk in running on empty. The
reason: on fuel injected vehicles the fuel pump, mounted inside the gas
tank, is cooled by the gasoline that surrounds it. Insufficient gas in
the tank can allow the pump to overheat.
Further, if the fuel filter is dirty the pump works harder to move the
gasoline from the tank to the engine. More work, more amperage, more
heat and more wear on the fuel pump.
The bad news is that in hot weather, when gasoline returns to the tank
from the hot engine (these systems continuously recirculate fuel between
the tank and the engine) its cooling capability is diminished, further
shortening the life of the pump. Replacing a fuel pump on the typical
car can cost $500 or more.
All of this adds up to two valuable bits of advice: gas up when the
gauge shows half full and change the fuel filter every 10,000 – 20,000
miles.
Reason #2 not to run near empty, of course, is to reduce the danger of
running out of gas. How can you be sure you won’t be stalled in
traffic with the engine running and the gauge on "E"?
Reason #3 is to prevent contamination from getting into the gas line.
Whatever moisture or sediment may be in the tank is more likely to be
drawn into the system when the tank is nearly empty. That can cause the
engine to run poorly or stall out completely.
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This page was last updated October 23, 2002
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