Fuel........always keep some spare or let it run down?

[SonicShadow]

Generally don't let it drop much more than 1/4 now because the Walbro fuel pump is a noisy bugger. Fuel dampens that somewhat.

[CO2000]

I was running late a few weeks ago for a football match KO and set off the 9 mile trip on 0 on the computer...got there without running out and thought I'd keep playing roulette and made it 6 miles to my petrol station of choice and ended up putting in 55 litres in a 50 litre tank! No back up can on board either

Some folk panic when the light comes on, crazy behavior

[Ron99]

TooMany2cvs said:

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I bet I could. The cars run smoother, are more responsive, pull higher gears at lower rpms and feel less strained at high rpms.
I could even tell the difference between, say, Tesco regular diesel and BP regular diesel when I was running a diesel car.

[Riley Blue]

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

[captain_cynic]

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I'll admit I definitely wouldn't be able to taste the difference.

[Guvernator]

Pah amateurs, never blink until you see the whites of their eyes!

I usually fill up when the yellow has been on for at least a day or two. I also occasionally like to see how much further I can go when the trip shows 0 or even - - -. I think I managed about 30 miles once before I bottled it, I haven't ran out of fuel yet.

[anonymous-user]

bobtail4x4 said:

when the guage says 1/4 tank I stick £40 in,

repeat.

I did once drive 12 miles to the filling station when the dash said range 5 miles.............

I've done 10 miles with the range saying 0..... panicing mildly hoping nothing held me up.

In my defense I had planned to stop at a fuel station on the way to our destination but had not know it had been closed and turned into a diner...

[TooMany2cvs]

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

The manufacturer did THAT bad a job with the map that's probably most commonly used?

[stablemate]

Now we're living in a very rural location, and after a couple of semi-emergency trips to the hospital in the middle of the night I always keep at least a quarter of a tank in the cars. The hospital is approximately 20 miles away from here and the nearest 24 hour petrol station isn't much closer (or a fair few miles in the wrong direction).

Before this I always ran down to fumes before refilling but won't be doing this anymore!

[James TiT]

What is it these days with motorway service areas running out of fuel?

[liner33]

James TiT said:

What is it these days with motorway service areas running out of fuel?

I was on the M4 last year and my range went from 29 miles to 0 miles in about 2 miles , pulled into Reading services and they had no petrol

Luckily there are a couple more a few miles away

[King Herald]

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I was thinking that too. Higher octane generally means less power, more resistance to burning, and is of no use unless you have an engine that is highly tuned and needs such a fuel.

But who knows, I’m not expert.

[anonymous-user]

TooMany2cvs said:

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

The manufacturer did THAT bad a job with the map that's probably most commonly used?

One of my cars is mapped for 98 Ron from the factory.


Absolute shocker but 2manyposts gets it wrong again!

You should really think before you post... it's getting embarrassing now....

[Prinny]

I’ve only ever run out of fuel once, while sat in the queue for the pumps! That was annoying to say the least. However, it was 20+ years ago and the Family II engines in the cavalier used to have a cam-driven mechanical fuel pump, so 2 minutes to remove, then 2 minutes pushing the lobe, then 2 minutes to refit, and we were away... (yes, I know I could have used the starter to crank it, but the alternator was broken - another story - so didn’t want to chance losing all my volts). Never run out since, I can’t do that with injectors.

Nowadays, I always fill up before motorway journeys, and then in the UK, will run down to the permanent dash warning light, then straight to the nearest Shell. When abroad, route planning is involved, so that I can find Shell en-route (or Arai 102 when in Germany - the z4 loved that).

Current fleet keep me on first name terms with my local Shell station, and with an 88l tank in the 7, it’s always fun to be pumping, have someone drive up, pump their own, go in & pay, and come out, while you’re still stood there! Record is 90.4 litres. V-power always.

Too early to be sure with the M6 - only had it 3 weeks, but the range light looks to be very cautious in terms of how much you can fill - i.e. only 57l into 70l tank when permanent warning comes on. (Mind you, given how the car can make Ollie Reed & George Best look like lightweight drinkers, that 13l could equate to <30miles...)

[TooMany2cvs]

AlrightYouns said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

The manufacturer did THAT bad a job with the map that's probably most commonly used?

One of my cars is mapped for 98 Ron from the factory.

Is it only mapped for 98? If so, then it'll just pink on 95.

Or does it have a knock sensor, and a fall-back 95 map?

[sjabrown]

I play fuel light bingo in my corsavan. But keep one of the other vehicles fuelled properly. Record so far is putting 45.3 litres in to the 45 litre tank!

[Riley Blue]

TooMany2cvs said:

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

The manufacturer did THAT bad a job with the map that's probably most commonly used?

You really shouldn't make rash assumptions...

[TooMany2cvs]

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Riley Blue said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Ron99 said:

Both my cars get filled with Tesco Momentum 99. They run better on it (especially at very low or very high rpms) and go slightly further on a tank.

I bet you couldn't tell the difference in a blind trial.

I can absolutely guarantee that I can in mine.

The manufacturer did THAT bad a job with the map that's probably most commonly used?

You really shouldn't make rash assumptions...

Ah... You cheeky sausage. You've caught me out with a carb-fed oldie used to a diet of 4* or 5*, haven't you?

Can't be ancient, because anything 50s or older would run on a wet fart.

[underwhelmist]

Willy Nilly said:

I filled up last week with 0 range according to the dash. The car has a 40 litre tank. I managed to squeeze 31 litres in

I hear that can make your valves sticky, but it does make the exhaust smell nice.

[Burgerbob]

In my car:
With 25 miles range left it blinks at you and stops saying how many miles you can do. At that point I head to the nearest petrol station. (unless its a BP - I fell out with BP 16 years ago and havn't been back since....!). But if I've got a trip planned I like to fill up in advance.

In my motorhome:
I like to fill up at the end of a trip. As a lad in the cadet force I was told that they refuel aeroplanes after use as it limits the build up of condensation in the tank. Hence, as the van sits unused for weeks at a time I apply the same logic and leave it fuelled. No idea if there is any truth in this or not!?