Hard to believe I was only an hour late to work today

[turbodan]

Got in the 540 this morning to find that it was just about out of gas. I knew I was pushing it going down to 1/8 of a tank since I've got good reason to suspect the accuracy of the fuel gauge. I promptly climbed back out and went to look for the key to the 83 528. Rarely driven, it was last parked with nice full tank of fuel. I got about three miles down the road when it conked out at a stop sign and would not restart. The problem seemed to be fuel related since it would crank and try to run briefly before giving up again. After pushing it back from the intersection and into the Autozone parking lot I was conveniently stranded in I began poking around. Swapping relays had no effect, which seemed like it would have been the easy answer. The fuse looked fine and wouldn't have a reason to blow anyway. On a closer inspection though, one end of the fuel pump fuse had been arcing and heating up. The fuse fell apart as soon as I touched it. Swapping in another 16A fuse started the car right up.

At this point, not knowing for sure if the fuse was going to last for any period of time before failing again going down the freeway, I headed back to the house. I grabbed a gas can, made a trip to the gas station and brought back two gallons of fuel for the 540 which I would rather have driven anyway. That got me going, and I showed up only 57 minutes late.

I guess Plan C would have been the turbo car, and Plan D would have been the wife's e39. If it gets that far I would probably be best off just staying home though.

[mooseheadm5]

The giant flat bottom tanks in the E34s will run out on you sooner than you may think they will.

[turbodan]

I've only seen the low fuel light once. Today makes two times since then where the car didn't want to run after parking on a slight incline. Its going to be a hard habit to break coming from the e28. You can go another 30 miles easy after the light comes on in the e28.

[rlomba8204]

Got in the 540 this morning to find that it was just about out of gas. I knew I was pushing it going down to 1/8 of a tank since I've got good reason to suspect the accuracy of the fuel gauge. I promptly climbed back out and went to look for the key to the 83 528. Rarely driven, it was last parked with nice full tank of fuel. I got about three miles down the road when it conked out at a stop sign and would not restart. The problem seemed to be fuel related since it would crank and try to run briefly before giving up again. After pushing it back from the intersection and into the Autozone parking lot I was conveniently stranded in I began poking around. Swapping relays had no effect, which seemed like it would have been the easy answer. The fuse looked fine and wouldn't have a reason to blow anyway. On a closer inspection though, one end of the fuel pump fuse had been arcing and heating up. The fuse fell apart as soon as I touched it. Swapping in another 16A fuse started the car right up.

At this point, not knowing for sure if the fuse was going to last for any period of time before failing again going down the freeway, I headed back to the house. I grabbed a gas can, made a trip to the gas station and brought back two gallons of fuel for the 540 which I would rather have driven anyway. That got me going, and I showed up only 57 minutes late.

I guess Plan C would have been the turbo car, and Plan D would have been the wife's e39. If it gets that far I would probably be best off just staying home though.

You should speak with my wife. Both of you could discuss why it is easier to let the tank get down well below 1/4th rather than just hit the gas station and refuel. It's like that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer wants to see how long the Saab will go before it runs out of gas. Just go fill the thing up!

[1st 5er]

It will not hurt your car in any way to drive it when out of gas.

[alijonny]

It will not hurt your car in any way to drive it when out of gas.

Same like "don't worry about paying for the meal, its taken care of, you just go" while your wife is shaking her head and saying no ?

Ahhhh I already miss you, Sherman.

[rlomba8204]

It will not hurt your car in any way to drive it when out of gas.

I know that Sherman. It is a question of the inconvenience associated with running out of fuel. If you have to fill up Anyway, just go ahead and do it. Why procrastinate?

[1st 5er]

Why procrastinate?

That's not my normal MO.
I like keeping the pump submerged/cool, so I'm mostly a 1/4 tanker filler upper.
Except that first year on the way to RTT via V@V when Jimbo had to nudge the E12 into the station off of I-20 somewhere around Monroe, LA.

[snakebrain]

It will not hurt your car in any way to drive it when out of gas.

I know that Sherman. It is a question of the inconvenience associated with running out of fuel. If you have to fill up anyway, just go ahead and do it. Why procrastinate?

Are the stories I've heard of pumps lifting rust/crap from the bottom of near empty tanks in old cars an urban myth?

[Retro Rust]

When the gas light comes on in my 535, it pretty much means "find a good place to coast to a stop." Not really, but you don't have long.

[clangpap]

I fill the tank when it drops below 1/2 unless I'm on the highway as part of our emergency preparedness. Ask anyone about the aftermath of a hurricane or earthquake. No electricity = no fuel = no way out of Dodge.