What You Auto Know

Empty Tanks
I have another fuel related topic that we have been discussing around the shop lately. This could help you avoid a very frustrating and expensive trip to your favorite mechanic… I would like to make a suggestion to all of the drivers that like to drive that red line that separates “I have a little more gas” from “Uh-oh, my car just quit”. Pretend that the “quarter tank” mark is Empty. Driving your vehicle all the way to a completely empty gas tank can cost you a lot more than just a walk to the nearest gas station. Aside from being annoying, running your vehicle out of fuel can cause extreme wear or complete failure of your vehicles fuel pump, fuel injection system, and the emission control system. Most newer vehicles, gasoline or diesel, are equipped with one or more electric fuel pumps. If the tank is run low on fuel, the pump can overheat and fail because there is no fuel flowing through it to cool the pump motor. The other common occurrence when a vehicle is run low on fuel is that all the little bits of dirt and contaminants that float around in your fuel tank are all that is left for the pump to deliver to your engine- a clogged fuel filter or plugged up injectors are a very real possibility. I know that it is expensive and takes time out of your busy day to stop and fill up the car, but for comparison, depending on your vehicle a fuel pump can cost several hundred dollars or more, plus installation and tax. As a side note, if you are a husband or wife of a spouse that likes to run on the ragged edge of Empty all the time, let me know when the fuel pump quits- we can “adjust” their fuel gauge on the new pump to improve the life expectancy of the replacement pump. Questions? Feel free to give us a call or stop by.