OBC Fuel range

[Dr Jekyll]

How accurate do these tend to be? Has anyone managed to get into negative?

[LukeR94]

Dreadfully out of scope.

dont even look at mine anymore.... its a joke.

[Who me ?]

Bit of a joke till the warning light comes on ,then it's a comedy till it says 35 miles and stays there for more than 10 miles . It's worked out on the last so many miles .Try sitting with engine idle and watch the figure jump UP.

[daydotz]

depends on the car the polo GTI in my experience managed it 380+

the A1 however not a chance despite similar mpg identical 45 litre tank it always fails to get near the 360+ it suggests 300 is normal

[A900ss]

I've never got negative but have often seen ---- or 0 miles depending upon the make of car.

I don't know why I do it as I have a fuel card. I just don't like wasting time in a fuel station.

[Fat hippo]

On my e90 I have seen the OBC display --- . The needle was below the red line and almost on the resting point.

[Mashedpotatoes]

Fat hippo said:

On my e90 I have seen the OBC display --- . The needle was below the red line and almost on the resting point.

You are not even trying man. You could go another 30 miles on that
Amateur.

[Rickyy]

Ford Transit is fairly accurate. Told me I had 40 miles left at the beginning of a journey, it died 38 miles later, less than 50m from the Tesco garage. I had to walk there, buy a fuel can, fill it with diesel to drive 30 seconds to fill the van up!

[dci]

On the clio it's awfully inaccurate often staying on a particular reading for 5-10 miles before changing, then changing to ---- at 75 miles, so after then it's anyone's guess..

[B'stard Child]

Over the years I've pretty much tested most of the cars I've owned to see at what point they ran out (can of fuel in the boot at the ready and a brand new fuel filter at home ready to be swapped out

I've had Senators that could run out from Plus 10 miles to 40 miles after the --- came up

Current E38 - It goes to Zero and then if you are feeling brave you can get another 10 gentle miles out of it

But the best one was my Monza that when the fuel light came on you had better be in a petrol station (no OBC)

[ging84]

if the car is run on empty or showing a negative figure you are under the manufacturers recommended absolute minimum fuel level, if a car got delivered to the dealers with clogged injectors showing -20miles on it, they could well refuse to cover it under warranty

[Luffehamp]

Had to get my dads l322 Drained when he put wrong fuel in it.

Range dropped as it was emptied until it hit 26 miles and didn't drop any further despite the AA man draining fuel still.

Helpful now as my dad knows 26 miles is the time to start hunting petrol stations

[Welshbeef]

You should never run it that low as it knowingly taking it till it runs out. It will suck up all the gunk and st at the bottom of the tank

The bottom of the fuel tank is like a funnel designed that way to "capture" the gunk and the fuel line floats.

If its your own P&J well injectors could get clogged up etc.

Or you can use fuel tank cleaner first fill up the fuel tank put it into the fuel filler it foams up inside the fuel tank and safely burns the gunk and it helps clean the injectors too. A cheap fix worth trying

Sorry went off on one

[Willy Nilly]

Welshbeef said:

You should never run it that low as it knowingly taking it till it runs out. It will suck up all the gunk and st at the bottom of the tank

The bottom of the fuel tank is like a funnel designed that way to "capture" the gunk and the fuel line floats.

Cobblers.

What do you think happens to this "gunk" when you fill it with fuel? Didn't it get stirred up and held in suspension for a while?

Where did it come from in the first place, have you been filling up with old spray cans you have kicking around in the back of the workshop?

[Welshbeef]

Willy Nilly said:

Cobblers.

What do you think happens to this "gunk" when you fill it with fuel? Didn't it get stirred up and held in suspension for a while?

Where did it come from in the first place, have you been filling up with old spray cans you have kicking around in the back of the workshop?

Well what's the point of the additive to put into your fuel tank to clean it ?

I've only used it a few times when I have bought a new car. Have I been wasting money ?

[B'stard Child]

Welshbeef said:

Willy Nilly said:

Cobblers.

What do you think happens to this "gunk" when you fill it with fuel? Didn't it get stirred up and held in suspension for a while?

Where did it come from in the first place, have you been filling up with old spray cans you have kicking around in the back of the workshop?

Well what's the point of the additive to put into your fuel tank to clean it ?

I've only used it a few times when I have bought a new car. Have I been wasting money ?

Yep

[The_Burg]

Welshbeef said:

Willy Nilly said:

Cobblers.

What do you think happens to this "gunk" when you fill it with fuel? Didn't it get stirred up and held in suspension for a while?

Where did it come from in the first place, have you been filling up with old spray cans you have kicking around in the back of the workshop?

Well what's the point of the additive to put into your fuel tank to clean it ?

I've only used it a few times when I have bought a new car. Have I been wasting money ?

Yes, fuel is sucked from the same point regardless of level.

Back to OP, only car i've had with the miles left is a Focus. Normally beeps at 50 miles, 5 miles later beeps at 25 miles, 5 miles later says empty. Done a good 25 miles after. (Can in boot).

[scdan4]

Willy Nilly said:

Welshbeef said:

You should never run it that low as it knowingly taking it till it runs out. It will suck up all the gunk and st at the bottom of the tank

The bottom of the fuel tank is like a funnel designed that way to "capture" the gunk and the fuel line floats.

Cobblers.

What do you think happens to this "gunk" when you fill it with fuel? Didn't it get stirred up and held in suspension for a while?

Where did it come from in the first place, have you been filling up with old spray cans you have kicking around in the back of the workshop?

More to the point where is the take off for the tank?

At the bottom. Always. There is not a floating take off removing the nice fuel from the top.

Where does the st filth and water go?

At the bottom always. It's what the fuel filter is for (and 5 micron filtered fuel. And (partially) the tank return - your car polishes the fuel for you whilst driving)




In a diesel astravan managed to drive to north devon and back with the needle on the stop.

More recently my OH would think nothing of cracking on for another 80 miles or so with zero range showing.


She has been known to have to call for more go go juice though. More than once.

[f1nn]

Hired a Transit once which was scarily accurate, the range clicked onto zero and it started to hesitate when I tried to accelerate. luckily there was a petrol station about 200 meters away.

I regularly run my cars down to single figures, even zero range and I'm yet to have this mysterious "gunk" contaminate anything.

I'd bet a that if you cut open any fuel tank from a car upto ten years old you would not find this "gunk" at the bottom of the tank.

[Welshbeef]

B'stard Child said:

Yep

http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/valvoline/water-remover/27

Sorry this is what I meant - yep got that very wrong.