T350 - Judging how much petrol is in the tank
T350 - Judging how much petrol is in the tank
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Rippers

Original Poster:

105 posts

239 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
quotequote all
Hi All

Having only had my car for a week now there isn't a day goes by without I'm learning something new. I did, however wonder if anyone could help me with this question.

For the first few days I watched the fuel readout closely and found that when it got down to about 10 litres it would fluctuate between about 10 and 6 depending on the usual factors, uphill, cornering etc. The beep warned me at 4 lites then suddenly it read 2. With it being a car I was unused to, and not wanting to look a complete prat on the hard shoulder, I pulled off the motorway and filled up at a local garage that I knew.

Naturally I do not let the car run too low before refueling but wondered if anyone could tell me a good point to visit the petrol station. The fluctuating guage is making me paranoid about running out of petrol and I find myself filling up when the tank in still half full.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as it is bloody cold on a forecourt at the moment.

Cheers - Rippers

holmsie

416 posts

248 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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I try not to let it get below 10 litres, but if i'm going on a long run anywhere i always try to fill it up, even if it's got plenty in it already, just in case.
Hope you're enjoying the car!

mclark

582 posts

258 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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Never let mine fall to below 18 litres as I've found it can drop to 8 litres in about 2 miles :O

Saying that I must have a car that can create it's own fuel, one minute I', at 38 litres, the next I can have 45 and it will sit at that for a while! And no this isn't during cornering/hard driving/uphill, just seems very erratic.

Michael

Jamassey

584 posts

262 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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Mine dropped from 11L to 4L to 1L to 5L to 9L to 10L to 2L to 1L to 4L....

In the space of about a mile.

Thought it best just to fill up.

Rippers

Original Poster:

105 posts

239 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
quotequote all
Well at least I don't feel alone in this. All part of the joy's of TVR ownership I presume.

Thanks for your reply's.

Cheers - Rippers

targarama

14,713 posts

305 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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I tend to refuel around the 10 litre mark to be on the safe side. Lowest its been is 4-5 litres.

fairclp

654 posts

268 months

Thursday 23rd March 2006
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I normally refuel at about 2 to 4L because I do 2 long trips in a week and 1 refill per week is just enough (there's only so much posing you can do on a forecourt whilst drip-feeding the tank to to stop it spurting out!)

Even then, I add 5L to whatever is left and subtract from 54L giving the target amount to add, which is always spot on.

rev-erend

21,596 posts

306 months

Friday 24th March 2006
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Guys - some of you are paranoid.

I've had mine as low as 2L - wen you fill up to brim - you generally find that it under reads anyway..

bigman1

37 posts

240 months

Friday 24th March 2006
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Equally, I fill up at about 8-10 litres - I hate it though as I still can't do it without flooding the forecourt. I think mine hates me. Twice it's spat petrol right in my eye - very difficult to look cool under these circumstances.

P.S Has anyone else managed 30 mpg ?? It's so embarrasing

Bigman.

shorts!

702 posts

276 months

Saturday 25th March 2006
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Can't say I've managed 30 mpg but I have managed 30 miles with the fuel gauge reading 1L. I've found when the readout first gets to 4L that usually means about 14L. With the way I drive that means in 70 miles I'll probably be wishing I have more than petrol fumes in the tank.
I'd guess I'm not the only TVR driver who doesn't entirly trust the fuel readout. I'm more likely to get a bit panicky approaching 250 miles and start praying for a sign saying 'Optimax, dirt cheap 5 miles'.
After a few tankfuls I'm sure you'll get an idea of how much your car and your 'style ' of driving drinks and the fuel readout will just be part of the In Car Entertainment.

>> Edited by shorts! on Wednesday 29th March 10:24

guymarks

350 posts

255 months

Monday 27th March 2006
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Some very nervous drivers out there....!

The major swings on fuel readout take place as a result of hills and it takes a minute or two for the readout to settle after you return to the flat. I have let mine run down to 1 litre a number of times and then filled it with 48/49 litres suggesting a pretty accurate reading.

>> Edited by guymarks on Monday 27th March 21:53

tail slide

2,169 posts

269 months

Wednesday 29th March 2006
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guymarks said:
I have let mine run down to 1 litre a number of times and then filled it with 48/49 litres suggesting a pretty accurate reading.>> Edited by guymarks on Monday 27th March 21:53


It figures; I once made the mistake of telling a certain Yorkshireman, smoking next to his Tuscan racer, that I thought my Griff was great but it had caught me out by running out of petrol the instant the guage showed empty. There was an unprintable reply...

>> Edited by tail slide on Wednesday 29th March 21:26

Mr Freefall

2,323 posts

280 months

Thursday 30th March 2006
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The tanks in T350 and Saggies are coffin tanks. Meaning that they are more flat than upright. In the Tamora, Cerbs, Chims and Griffs they are upright tanks.

You will also get fuel starvation if you have less than 10 litres in and try a standing start fast, or accelerate hard uphill as the fuel washed to the back of the tank misses the exit point.

Result, cough cought, splutter splutter, crap from your tank in the system etc.

Keep em above 10 ltres at all times

Mr F