Ran out of gas...

[HotSnatch]

I was on my way to a gas station today on my lunch break and my throttle started cutting out. I came to a stop 30 feet from the gas station and couldn't turn the car back on. I pushed her to the station and filled her up. To my surprise, i could only fill in 13.3 gallons. I know this car has a 14.5 gallon tank and I know its dumb to wait so long to fill up, but is the last gallon really not usable on this car??

Anybody else have any experiences running out of gas with this car??

 

[iguanaboy]

well my last one was 14.012 so that's answers that

 

[spdjnke]

yeah generally as soon as the light comes on I'm filling the beast up, with turbo cars I just cant take the chance.

 

[gonerogue]

Some pumps won't completely fill the car, so I wouldn't rely on the station you stopped at to give you an accurate measurement of your tank's capacity.

 

[Super Unique]

just remember folks, when the pumps stops pumping and kicks the trigger out, don't press it again. This can and does damage the charcoal canister and purge system.

 

[meicalnissyen]

I was on my way to a gas station today on my lunch break and my throttle started cutting out. I came to a stop 30 feet from the gas station and couldn't turn the car back on. I pushed her to the station and filled her up. To my surprise, i could only fill in 13.3 gallons. I know this car has a 14.5 gallon tank and I know its dumb to wait so long to fill up, but is the last gallon really not usable on this car??

Anybody else have any experiences running out of gas with this car??

I have gotten it very close, I think from dead 13.6 would be about right

your number is well within reality #

 

[Mybeauner]

just remember folks, when the pumps stops pumping and kicks the trigger out, don't press it again. This can and does damage the charcoal canister and purge system.

Really!? did not know that. Thanks for the info. Looks like I need to stop doing that!

 

[619MS3]

just remember folks, when the pumps stops pumping and kicks the trigger out, don't press it again. This can and does damage the charcoal canister and purge system.

So topping off is a no-no? alright ill take your word although I havnt seen any problems from that

 

[MS3inDC]

^^ yeah, thats the first I've ever heard of that. by slowly squeezing the trigger again, I have gotten up to almost another .3 of a gallon some times. I know its not much, but I've always felt that the velocity that the gas comes out of the pump made the pump cut early due to fuel slosh when it hit the tank.

huh... who knew...?

 

[coololddude]

Just buy gas when you get to 1/4 tank. You do not buy less gas when you run on fumes.

 

[MrDouble]

I think usable tank size is 13.5g. I also learned the hard way that driving like it had 14.5 tank will leave you stranded.

BTW waiting til last gal to fill is not dumb, it gives you back over 90hrs in doing something enjoyable rather than wasting time pumping gas, if you fillup 1/4 tank vs 1 gal remaining, assuming 64yrs of driving at 12K/yr and average 25mpg and spend 10min per fillup in our MS3s lol.

 

[not yellow]

i never fill the tank past half way unless i'm on a road trip. less gas = more faster!

 

[mortimersnerd]

Really!? did not know that. Thanks for the info. Looks like I need to stop doing that!

Yup, 100% true. It can dramatically affect the amount of emissions (evaporating hydrocarbons in this case) created by the car.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Yup, 100% true. It can dramatically affect the amount of emissions (evaporating hydrocarbons in this case) created by the car.

Please provide a link to an artical. I have never heard of this before.

 

[MikeHTally]

I think you'll find a reference to topping off in your O/M. If you're checking your mileage, though, you MUST top off. Kind of a Catch-22.

By the same token, you should not let it get down to fumes. That's rough on the fuel pump.

 

[StealthWyvern]

I think you'll find a reference to topping off in your O/M. If you're checking your mileage, though, you MUST top off. Kind of a Catch-22.

By the same token, you should not let it get down to fumes. That's rough on the fuel pump.

yeah about the O/M.. my car didn't come with one.. its used.

Edit: From what I understand is that the fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel itself which is why its bad to run it out of gas. My personally I haven't tested that theory but I don't plan on pushing my car any time soon either.

 

[MikeHTally]

You can download a manual from Mazda. You may need to register as an owner. Not sure on that one, but it can't hurt.

I used to run my vehicles "down to fumes". That cost me ~$500 for a fuel pump in a Dodge van. Now I start looking for fresh motion-lotion at 1/4 tank.