Let car gas tank go to empty occassionally?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I usually fill up at half a tank every week. Yesterday, someone told me to let it run empty to clean out the old gas completely. Is that correct? |
Anonymous
| I've always heard this is a terrible idea. Not good for the car at all. |
Anonymous
|
No. Don't do that.
Lawmowers, yes, when storing for MONTHS. Not cars. |
Anonymous
| You NEVER run it empty. Terrible idea. |
Anonymous
| Huh? The gas mixes around..... |
Anonymous
| Don't do this. Whoever told you this gave you terrible advice. |
Anonymous
|
LOL. While it is not necessary, it will not harm your car in any way. Lots of Chicken Littles in the thread.
|
Anonymous
PP must be the idiot who told OP it was a good idea https://additech.com/2016/03/08/why-running-on-empty-is-bad-for-your-car/ |
mjsmith
Member Offline
Member Offline
|
the fuel pump is submerged in the tank. the fuel in the tank helps cool the fuel pump.
I have a hybrid so i occasionally run down to 1/8 of a tank. knowing full well that pumps isn't running all time. you won't kill your car or pump doing this, but no real reason to run it "dry" so to speak. when you are driving around, your fuel in the tank sloshes around and mixes up plenty. the down side to having alot of air in the tank. is that this give more space for condensation to work in the tank. Condensation means water. and well water does not burn.... |
Anonymous
You have an ill-informed someone. Very bad for your car. I always fill my tank between 1/2 and 1/4. At 1/4 you are picking up trash. In winter, I fill up at 1/2 tank. |
Anonymous
|
Scientist here. It makes no difference whatsoever, OP. I only fill up when my gas light turns on, because I don't wish to drive to the gas station more than it can be helped. I can go 20 miles when it lights up (30 on the highway). |
Anonymous
This is why we engineers don't believe scientists. LOL. |
Anonymous
| You run the risk of damaging the fuel sender unit every time you run it dry. Costs big bucks to drop the fuel tank and repair. |
Anonymous
| Are people talking about really running it dry or merely waiting until the light goes one or it gets to the last bar? |
Anonymous
| Absolutely terrible idea. If you look in your car's manual, it will probably state that you should never let the tank go empty. It is very damaging to the fuel pump. |