Ran out at the pump

[taylormj4]

Literally ran out of fuel at the pump this morning.
When I started up, the pump primed up like it was low on fuel (sounds differet) but gauge indicated around 1/8th tank.

Started and ran a mile OK then on accelerating, started running a cylinder down, then gradually more cylinders dropped out,which I recognised as fuel nearly out. Managed to limp to nearby petrol station using very high gear for road speed and very light throttle and literally chugged up to the pump. Not good for the injectors or pump I presume ? Gauge was now showing more like a third of a tank so more than when I started !

So gauge is obviously compromised. Anyone any experience on whether this is likely to be sender that needs replacing, wiring, voltage stabiliser (if fitted?) or gauge itself ?

Thanks.

[tonyperry57]

Well my gauge starts to go wild at around half a tank and below that often shows empty at which point i always fill her up (about 35 litres). O changed the sensor but still the same.

[A900ss]

I am also very wary of the guage. The most I have put in is 40 litres but i think it's a 62 litre tank. The gauge is reading about 1/8 of a tank at that point but it rockets down from showing 1/2 to 1/4 and I get very nervous.

[swallet]

Think it's a 57 litre tank.

They are all a little idiosyncratic but mine seems pretty reliable.

Managed to squeeze 53 litres in when it was reading just under 1/8 full, so guess i had 3-4l left in there.
I never let it fall further than that though, once mine gets to a quarter I refill.

I think even the manual says it is only "an approximation"

[jamienshelly]

A900ss said:

I am also very wary of the guage. The most I have put in is 40 litres but i think it's a 62 litre tank. The gauge is reading about 1/8 of a tank at that point but it rockets down from showing 1/2 to 1/4 and I get very nervous.

I think I read its a 56 litre tank, and as you say from full to 3/4 takes a reasonable time, then from 3/4 to 1/2 is a little shorter, from 1/2 to 1/4 is un-reasonably quick and then I blink and the fuel light is on, I can't say how many miles a tank gives me (odometer battery is flat) but definitely uses the lower half of the tank quicker than the top, I have physically checked the tank buy removing the sender and looking in and the gauge seems to be accurate at 1/4 tank, I have even checked for fuel leaks as I think its loosing to much fuel. Is this normal?

[swallet]

You have a fuel warning light?!

Was this a post '99 change?

[TVRJAS]

Jamie's profile says year 94. I brought a late 97 three months ago and in my manual tells me that there is no warning light.

I have not wanted to test the theory so am always looking to fill up at about 1/4 tank but did push it lower than this and no warning light came on.

While at the pump it took exactly 50 lts so i will assume mine is without.

I use a very good web page fuelly.com which works well as long as you actually fill the tank rather than sticking £20-£30 in at a time. The most miles i have achieved 272 av at 25.8 but av after 9 visits is 21.4. Feel free to take a look my profile is same as on here.

ps I am not bothered about fuel costs,look at it as more of a challenge to see if i could achieve the 30mpg i have read about

Edited by TVRJAS on Monday 9th September 19:36

[Robert Lees]

bloody hell , got mine down to the first little dot before empty, then chickened out and refilled. must have been nearly empty. I have no light so it makes more exciting !

like others mine uses 1st 1/4 really quick 20-30 miles then does another 120-150 miles on the next 1/2 tank until last 1/4 then that seems to go really quick.

[QBee]

Green plastic petrol can £4.99
Five litres V Power £7.25
Boot space in your TVR £priceless

[pearly]

Mine has the light and I always aim to fill up when it comes on, usually takes around 35 litres, 40 litres is the most I have put in and I was starting to panic as my gauge was reading empty.
Feel better knowing its a 56 litre tank.

[jamienshelly]

pearly said:

Feel better knowing its a 56 litre tank.

I did say " I think a read it was 56 litre tank" so please don't hold me responsible if its only 52.
I have never put more than 50 litres in and there has been times I thought I was really low.

[QBee]

jamienshelly said:

pearly said:

Feel better knowing its a 56 litre tank.

I did say " I think a read it was 56 litre tank" so please don't hold me responsible if its only 52.
I have never put more than 50 litres in and there has been times I thought I was really low.

I thought it was 55 litres, so that backs up your post Jamie. Most I have put in at one fill was 53.7.

[ESDavey]

swallet said:

You have a fuel warning light?!

I think this was a standard feature on all post '99 which were semi-autos with paddle shifters

[jamienshelly]

ESDavey said:

I think this was a standard feature on all post '99 which were semi-autos with paddle shifters

And Mid engined.....!

[nawarne]

QBee said:

jamienshelly said:

pearly said:

Feel better knowing its a 56 litre tank.

I did say " I think a read it was 56 litre tank" so please don't hold me responsible if its only 52.
I have never put more than 50 litres in and there has been times I thought I was really low.

I thought it was 55 litres, so that backs up your post Jamie. Most I have put in at one fill was 53.7.

Must have been in 2008, going to Le Mans with a group of us from Hants, daughter driving on new section of A-route from Sees to Alencon.
I knew tank was low, but the others had hooned off and wanted to catch up. Daughter pulls out to overtake a couple of trucks up a long hill, and engine started missing. Pulled off next junction and sat-nav to "nearest petrol".
Total garage about 2 Km away, pulled into forecourt and got 55 litres in...gauge was on bottom stop!!! '98 Chim 450 - no warning light....So I reckon they are 57 litre tanks.
Nick

[taylormj4]

Thanks for all the replies. My 450 has been a daily driver since 2001 and I've always felt confident taking it to a needles width of the empty line adn regularly put in 54-55litres of fuel. It caught me out when I'd just bought the car when it ran out with the needle on empty but that's fair enough (my previous car went on beyond the "E" mark for quite a bit).

So something has definitely changed in that the fuel gauge is no longer reliable and it increased as the car was running out of fuel. I want to get it fixed as the range on the TVR isn't that great anyhow. If I start re-filling it when it's only half empty that would make the range even less.

I'm guessing it's probably the sender unit but could be a number of other things?
Anyone know if there is an earth point associated with the sender or is it just through the tank ?
Cheers.

[QBee]

Reset the mileage to zero when you fill up, 240 miles fill up again

[keith2.2]

When I bought mine I was told "do NOT go below 1/4 tank on the fuel gauge - it isn't accurate enough at that end of the gauge to know whether you're on fumes or not.

I fill to one click, reset the trip and refill at 250ish miles.

[taylormj4]

QBee said:

Reset the mileage to zero when you fill up, 240 miles fill up again

That does assume you're getting a certain mpg though. I think I was getting more like 190miles on usual commute but could get more like 280 on a good run but I get your point.

No one had this problem and fixed it then ?

[taylormj4]

keith2.2 said:

When I bought mine I was told "do NOT go below 1/4 tank on the fuel gauge - it isn't accurate enough at that end of the gauge to know whether you're on fumes or not.

I fill to one click, reset the trip and refill at 250ish miles.

I can't believe you were told that - I presume after they'd taken your money. What great confidence to give a customer as they drive off !
It's the same TVR mentality that says they all leak into the cab, they all overheat and the wipers are hopeless. They shouldn't be like this and it's a fault if they are and one that you can fix.

As before, my fuel gauge has always been reliable. Once I worked out that the "E" line does indeed mean "empty", I was fine. I routinely took it to one needles width or (as someone else has stated) to the last dot before empty before filling up. I've done that for over 10 years as a daily driver, so I'd say the fuel gauge should be and can be reliable. If it's not, fix it. It should work and probably did from new.

If I work out what it is, I'll let you know.