what happens if you run out of petrol?

[oliver123456789]

My car had to go into the garage on Monday, and according to them they were to fill the car up with fuel (compensate me for the 3x trips there). The car was in the red when it went, and when i got it back and turned the ignition on, the fuel needle wouldn't move, clearly running on what's left in the system. The car hasn't fully ran out of fuel but would this situation damage it? And to what extent if at all does running nearly out damage a car? I'm aware if it's a diesel it's a tad more complicated if you run out of fuel e.g. bleed the system, but does it really matter with a petrol?

Thanks

[jjones]

if you run out it stops.

refill it, crank until it starts, forget about it until it stops again.

[Thankyou4calling]

oliver123456789 said:

My car had to go into the garage on Monday, and according to them they were to fill the car up with fuel (compensate me for the 3x trips there). The car was in the red when it went, and when i got it back and turned the ignition on, the fuel needle wouldn't move, clearly running on what's left in the system. The car hasn't fully ran out of fuel but would this situation damage it? And to what extent if at all does running nearly out damage a car? I'm aware if it's a diesel it's a tad more complicated if you run out of fuel e.g. bleed the system, but does it really matter with a petrol?

Thanks

No.

[Butter Face]

No

/thread.

Are you after compo?

[oliver123456789]

^yes

[Superhoop]

You have to get out and walk to the nearest petrol station

[woody2846]

Get a fuel can! Fill with petrol. Pour into your car. Job jobbed.

[Fleckers]

why let it get that low to start with ?

[oilslick]

You have to be careful with modern cars, on some of them the fuel pumps are so powerful they can cause a vacuum in the fuel tank and do this.

[Rich1973]

Fuel gauges tend to be pessimistic. Its possible there was still a gallon or two of fuel in it anyway

[P-Jay]

Rich1973 said:

Fuel gauges tend to be pessimistic. Its possible there was still a gallon or two of fuel in it anyway

Some certainly are, my car has a seemingly over-cautious 10 litres left when the needle hits empty!

However my Mum's Yaris won't accept such flippant inaccuracy! When the needle (or rather LCD egg thing) hit zero, it stops, immediately. Thankfully it's very light and has very narrow tyres so it's easy to push to the petrol station...

[B'stard Child]

Fleckers said:

why let it get that low to start with ?

Because the OP expected the garage to fill it up (compensating for the 3 x trips to the garage) so he was maximising the benefit of the fill up.

Mechanic thought "sod driving to a garage - it's on the bloody red I've got better things to do than push a car......"

[wombat172a]

If it's a very old diesel I would be concerned about crap in the tank, and then having to re-bleed the system. I presume modern diesels are self bleeding, or something to that effect anyway?

edit: But as the OP says it's petrol, then no worries.

[marshalla]

oliver123456789 said:

My car had to go into the garage on Monday, and according to them they were to fill the car up with fuel (compensate me for the 3x trips there). The car was in the red when it went, and when i got it back and turned the ignition on, the fuel needle wouldn't move, clearly running on what's left in the system. The car hasn't fully ran out of fuel but would this situation damage it? And to what extent if at all does running nearly out damage a car? I'm aware if it's a diesel it's a tad more complicated if you run out of fuel e.g. bleed the system, but does it really matter with a petrol?

Thanks

Your car ? Really ? Why did it have to go back so soon ?

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...