Fuel Tank + Reserve Fuel

**illestjt** · 12-12-2009,06:46 PM

I just filled up my golf and it drank 55.19Ls

I understand the reserve tank is 7Litres but is that included in the 55L tank or excluded?

Range shows 410Miles!....

**SC03OTT** · 12-12-2009,07:57 PM

Do cars actually have a reserve tank? I had just assumed that when the light came on it meant that I was down to my last gallon or whatever, not that it was now feeding from a reserve tank. Or is it just an incorrectly used term?

**SebbyMK6** · 13-12-2009,11:53 PM

That was my understanding (or impression) as well.

**HHGTTG** · 14-12-2009,11:25 AM

Originally Posted by SebbyMK6

That was my understanding (or impression) as well.

Yes, of course. There is no actual reserve tank but just a warning that you're down to your last 7 litres or whatever the actual value is. When down to this amount you get the warning on the display - as simple as that.

**RickT** · 14-12-2009,04:17 PM

Originally Posted by illestjt

I just filled up my golf and it drank 55.19Ls

I understand the reserve tank is 7Litres but is that included in the 55L tank or excluded?

Range shows 410Miles!....

its Included..

The tank is 55 litres, plus the neck of the filling pipe.. so maybe an extra few litres..

**slo007** · 16-12-2009,12:55 AM

I've driven my Golf to below the red bar... it still had 2 liters left at the gas station. But it all depends on your driving habits! I was doing 40-50 mph on a coastal route and turned everything off when the range went to zero. MPG was in the high 30's (2 persons, some luggage).

**HHGTTG** · 16-12-2009,09:54 AM

Originally Posted by slo007

I've driven my Golf to below the red bar... it still had 2 liters left at the gas station. But it all depends on your driving habits! I was doing 40-50 mph on a coastal route and turned everything off when the range went to zero. MPG was in the high 30's (2 persons, some luggage).

Apparently it's not a good idea to run your fuel tank that low as you can introduce all sorts of nasties into your fuel lines - I would have thought so, anyway.

**SC03OTT** · 16-12-2009,12:47 PM

Originally Posted by HHGTTG

Apparently it's not a good idea to run your fuel tank that low as you can introduce all sorts of nasties into your fuel lines - I would have thought so, anyway.

See, I can't see how there is any truth in that either (and I'm not calling you a liar btw

). Petrol is a liquid, so it will slosh about when you move, meaning that any rubbish is going to be continually moved anyway. Also, when you start your car in the morning, this rubbish will have settled to the bottom, so again will probably be sucked down the fuel line.

This is of course assuming there is any rubbish in the tank. But are they not all plastic, or plastic based anyway? So where is this rubbish coming from? Also, I'm assuming there are filters somewhere down the line as well?

So, I just don't see how there is any truth in this statement. I could be totally wrong however, so if someone else knows for certain, please, educate me lol.

**onzarob** · 16-12-2009,01:04 PM

Running fuel low used to be a no no on older cars, no filter etc. But tanks are plastic now and all have fuel filters.

The big no no is that on diesel cars that they use the fule to lubricate the pump etc so running out of fuel can cause high wear to the pump while it primes...also you look a right numpty running out of fuel

**RickT** · 16-12-2009,01:10 PM

Originally Posted by SC03OTT

See, I can't see how there is any truth in that either (and I'm not calling you a liar btw

). Petrol is a liquid, so it will slosh about when you move, meaning that any rubbish is going to be continually moved anyway. Also, when you start your car in the morning, this rubbish will have settled to the bottom, so again will probably be sucked down the fuel line.

This is of course assuming there is any rubbish in the tank. But are they not all plastic, or plastic based anyway? So where is this rubbish coming from? Also, I'm assuming there are filters somewhere down the line as well?

So, I just don't see how there is any truth in this statement. I could be totally wrong however, so if someone else knows for certain, please, educate me lol.

Many years ago this was a problem with the metal fuel tanks rusting from the inside out, therefore many metal particals ended up in the bottom of the tank, hence where the idea came from..

As with all new cars having a plastic fuel tank, this is no longer the case.

The problem you have now with running the car next to ZERO, is the "crap" which is in the Fuel stations fuel tanks which get pumped into your cars, yes it should be filtered, but i think they is always a chance of something going wrong..

One further point is, its not good to run a fuel pump with no fuel running through it,

Rick