Tank on Empty

[MechAg94]

My current and previous trucks would be less than 2 gallons from empty when the warning hits. 

 I have heard that fuel pumps these days don't deal we'll with running empty. 

[Marnoot]

I'd bet at least partially one's aversion to letting the fuel light come on depends on where one lives. Most of the year, when I'm just around town, I tend not to bother until the light comes on, due to the fact that it's mostly driven from home to work and back and there are 6 or 7 gas stations on the route. When traveling longer distances I become proportionally more conservative in my plans.

Regarding the site linked in the OP, it doesn't differentiate between model years which makes it not so useful. There are big differences between generations of the same model.

[Sergeant Bob]

I usually keep my tank at least half full. If you let you vehicle run on fumes, even if there is a gas station next door it won't help you if the power is out.

[Levant]

I use the other side of the gauge to tell me when to fill up.  If it gets too far off of 3/4 a tank then it's time to fill it up.  We live in scary times and I never want to be in a position that I can't get to wherever my wife is to get her and then home from there - road trips aside since I can't be sure of getting home but even then I fill up by half a tank.

[Larry Ashcraft]

I fill up the Silverado now when the tank hits half full.  No exceptions.

I don't see any reason to drive around with less than half a tank.  YMMV.

[Cliffh]

My current truck doesn't have a light.  The gauge is darned accurate though.

I came close to running out once.  We were moving from CA to AZ, pulling the toy hauler (loaded to the max) driving through the mountains in north AZ.  Down to about 1/2 tank, passed a closed gas station.  Damn.  Kept going, babying the throttle.  When the gauge got near the empty mark, I pulled over and drained 2 gallons of gas from the two dirt bikes - all they had in the tanks.  Made it to the next station, where I put 28 gallons in a 30 gallon tank.

The next few trips I carried a full 5 gallon can in the bed of the truck.

[erictank]

I've never run out of gas, in any vehicle I've ever owned. Come close a few times, but never run dry.

My current (2008) Subaru Forester, the light comes on somewhere between 13.5-14 gallons used on a 15.5gal tank - in theory, you've got over 50 miles left when the light comes on. I've gone 40 over, once, and put in just about 15 gallons when I made it to the gas station. I don't like to do that, but I will run down below a quarter tank quite often before filling up. I should probably change that habit.

[charby]

If I am just running around in town or within 50 miles of home I fill up at 1/4 tank. If I am road tripping I fill up at half tank. The hwy mpg on my truck makes 1/2 tank a good time to go stretch and go to the bathroom.

[lupinus]

I ran out of gas once when I was about 17 or 18. We were headed somewhere, literally just passed a gas station a half mile away, but made the mistake of listening to my mother who didn't want to stop because we were running late. One and only time I've run out of gas.

Current car has a light as well as the million function odometer screen. OD, current trip, MPG, and miles till empty which seem to be reasonably accurate. I generally top it off somewhere between a half and a quarter tank.

[Tallpine]

You guys and your warning lights ... I'm just happy when a vehicle has a sort of working gas gauge 


Back in the old days of dual gas tanks and mechanical fuel pumps, I used to run out one tank before switching over.  It gets the attention of your passenger, especially a girl 

[Ben]

You guys and your warning lights ... I'm just happy when a vehicle has a sort of working gas gauge  


Back in the old days of dual gas tanks and mechanical fuel pumps, I used to run out one tank before switching over.  It gets the attention of your passenger, especially a girl  

When you did that switch, did you have to crank the pumpshaftwinder and wait for the pistonstove to warm up, or was the truck new enough that you could just prime the plattenwheel to stoke the main steam pipe without having to open the smoke box door?

 

[Tallpine]

When you did that switch, did you have to crank the pumpshaftwinder and wait for the pistonstove to warm up, or was the truck new enough that you could just prime the plattenwheel to stoke the main steam pipe without having to open the smoke box door?

 

Nah, just flipped the big toggle switch in the middle of the dash and kept going.

It's still good for a funny moment when the pickup starts sputtering and she asks "what's wrong?" and I just say "we're out of gas."   

[41magsnub]

In high school I drove a 73 F250 with two tanks.  No working gas gauge or odomoter.  I did run that out of gas a couple of times in town...  always had a small can in the bed though.

[charby]

When you did that switch, did you have to crank the pumpshaftwinder and wait for the pistonstove to warm up, or was the truck new enough that you could just prime the plattenwheel to stoke the main steam pipe without having to open the smoke box door?

 

I was thinking he needed to get a wood kindling fire started to ignite the coal.