[Mark]

I went out today with about 1/3 tank of fuel according to the gauge on my Mark 3 but in the knowledge that I would be driving 100+ miles so was fully expecting the low fuel light to come on before I got home.

Sure enough, about 15 miles from home the yellow low fuel light came on . I had no wish to fill up at the higher petrol prices where I was at the time so drove 19 miles with the light on, to one of my favourite petrol stations.

It took 43 litres to fill up suggesting that there was still approx 7 litres of fuel left in the tank so could probably have driven further.

So how far have you driven your MX5 with the low fuel light on?

 

[safaristu]

38 miles bad times :hot:

 

[clix]

December last year, honestly around 40 miles. I'd not long put some in and by some I mean around a fiver. :nah:
Thought the needle had stuck to the dial due to the weather but no, just me being miserly.

 

[Mark]

£5 of fuel only buys enough petrol for about 30 miles these days I remember when I could do my weekly motoring on a fiver (probably about 100 miles) although we are talking 25 years ago!!

 

[safetymatch]

No idea, as soon as mine gets to the quarter marker i fill it up again, 2 reasons why
No 1 the fuel prices 'will' have risen by the time i need fuel next.
No 2 any sludge that has settled in the bottom of the tank will start to slosh about and get sucked up (expensive) trust me i'm a doctor!

 

[safaristu]

Not sure if this is correct but i was always told to fill up withe the best fuel possible once a month and run it down to the light to burn out the old crap

 

[clix]

Not sure if this is correct but i was always told to fill up withe the best fuel possible once a month and run it down to the light to burn out the old crap

You test that theory and let the rest of us know the results? :roflmao:

:ninja: EDIT: My bro has/had a tow truck at one point...

 

[safaristu]

Do it every month with no problems :thumbsup:

 

[safetymatch]

Do it every month with no problems :thumbsup:

You might get away with it indefinatley, but you only have to suck up one piece of debris and your looking at a BIG bill.
Strip and clean fuel tank. Strip and clean/check fuel lines. Strip and clean/check fuel pump. Replace old and perished fuel filter. Strip check and replace blocked fuel injector. Run and test, found low pressure to further 3 injectors, recomend new (matching) injectors ASAP.
Total £300-£500 plus vat. (and anything else i can blag out of you!)
This is what i do every working day, and if you car is off the road i've got you by the gonads!
Worth thinking about????

 

[safaristu]

Thank god i have a garage I can trust

 

[safetymatch]

Oh and don't forget the tow truck bill.

 

[Mark]

Generally, I fill up when needle drops to 1/4 or before a long trip. I only didn't fill up today before we headed out as I may be making a long trip on Friday so knew I would have to fill up again.

I begrudge paying over the odds for petrol so prefer to fill up where I know the price is reasonable so occasionally drive with the fuel light on for a few miles for this reason.

I once had a car which I parked up with the low fuel light on, but didn't take account of the camber of the road, so had to push it to the middle of the road to get it to start the next morning

 

[clix]

(Joking aside) This is one of these QED DDI threads. i.e. Don't Do It.
On a German Autobahn this will get you into deep doo doo with the Polizei.
GB: It's a case of DWDCA, as with most things...

Various sources, scour the net, be amazed.

Further: Strangely enough, the needle unfroze the next day with the very slight temp increase. Mk3, strange but true. :nod:

 

[safaristu]

Ok will keep her out of the red but is it a false economy to fill it all the way due to the extra weight vs mpg?????

 

[Mark]

Ok will keep her out of the red but is it a false economy to fill it all the way due to the extra weight vs mpg?????

If we were concerned about fuel economy then we would drive our MX5s with the roofs up rather than down but that would just be WRONG

 

[clix]

34.5 mpg in the Mk3 factory figs. Never really that bothered tbh.

 

[David]

I have always brimmed the tank of all of my cars and run them until they're empty. Most miles after the fuel light has come on in the 5 is 56 miles. I find it quite annoying that the fuel light comes on so early. The old stories of sludge are just that, old. Petrol is a very refined fuel and I or anyone I know have never had a car grind to a halt because of sludge in the fuel system.

 

[safaristu]

I have always brimmed the tank of all of my cars and run them until they're empty. Most miles after the fuel light has come on in the 5 is 56 miles. I find it quite annoying that the fuel light comes on so early. The old stories of sludge are just that, old. Petrol is a very refined fuel and I or anyone I know have never had a car grind to a halt because of sludge in the fuel system.

Good to know I'm not the only one

 

[kaz1003]

Iain very kindly asked last week if he could take my car to work and I could have the priviledge of driving his as he need some fuel, red light was on.

Closest reasonable priced petrol station is 13 miles away, I got in his car to find that the blooming petrol gauge wouldn't actually move past the last mark!

I nursed the car to the garage, fearing the worst. Filled up car and managed to get just over 46 litres in tank up to the brim. Car was nowhere near as empty as gauge suggested.

So, I recon I had about 4lt left in tank which would prob get me aprox 30 miles, I had done 13 before that and Iain says he'd done over 30 since light had come on.

That's at least 70 miles driving after warning light

 

[Jot]

Trying to figure whether i need to drop a tenner's worth in tomorrow or if i can make Shrewsbury and fill up there as fuel is less expensive.... decisions decisions
Have done about 30 on the light.... i refuelled the otehr day and made it just over 57 squid...