So yesterday I was thinking that I should get gas. Needle was in the red... but I was hungry and tired...so I went home. Gas station is only 3 blocks away...so what the hell.

Park the car... eat..go to bed.

This morning I need to go... so I am gonna get some gas.
It had gotten REAL cold overnight. Around freezing point. And there's hail on the streets wich isn't melting.
Start the car...but I have to let it idle for a bit to defrost my windows.
....and it dies.
Start her up again...and sloooooowly the RPM's go down again... she hiccups...and dies again.
I do this about 4 times..... no clue WTF is going on.
Then I notice my fuel gauge is all the way at the bottom!

So I figure I ran her dry. But this can't be... I drove home... and the needle wasn't all the way down yet.

Does fuel expand that much when the car is warm, that it makes such a difference???? I'm fucked. I don't have a jerry can...and my friend who can tow my car won't be here for an hour. My parens are gonna kill me that I'm gonna be late for their dinner party again.

 

How long did you let the car idle.?.

 

Not even 5 minutes before she died.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SETI20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not even 5 minutes before she died.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Maybe the gauge was wrong last night..or maybe you have a fuel leak in your system somewhere..I'm not tryin to scare you or nothin but a honda can run for 5min on fumes alone so if the needle was up alittle last night and now is all the way down after only 5min runnig,,there's something wrong...

It happend to me one day when I reversed my car in the spot..I saw a big streak of fluid following my car that I never noticed before..I figured it was coolant since my radiator was leakin..But then I got down and smelt it and it was ****** gas.
Jacked up my car and to my suprise the fuel line in the back by the tank had rusted out.It was a real big hole...Until then I had no idea why I was only gettin 23-25mpg(88 STD hatch)..I was always fillin up on gas..but I never thought that was the problem...

 

if you have little gas on a cold night moisture can ge in there.

I would put some gas dryier in there and always keep your tank pretty full on cold nights

 

After I put a gallon in she started right up again, and I drove to tue pump.

I consulted a friend who drives fuel trucks, and he said that fuel can expand up to 5%!!! That's why they have to pay such close attention to the automated over pressure ventilation.

But more likely is that the tiny amount of fuel that was left in the tank collected in the rear. Car is parked slightly tipped back and to the side on my spot.

I still feel like a dunce, and it'll never happen again dear!

 

My advice....


ALWAYS keep at least 1/2 tank of gas in your gas tank at all times.


My reasoning?


You never know when you may have to run from the coppers


Seriously, it is not good to run your tank close to empty all the time.....

Running on Empty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you do notice you're running on empty:
Turn on your flashing hazard lights and move over to the right side of the road. This will let other cars know that you are having trouble and you are slowing down
Drop your speed to about 30km per hour, then shift into neutral and coast, taking your foot off the gas until the car slows to about 15km per hour. Then slowly accelerate back up to 30km per hour and keep repeating this process. This procedure will help maximize your car's energy until you can reach a gas station or get help
You should keep an empty gas can in the trunk for these types of emergencies. If a gas station is nearby, walk to it and fill up the container. (Remember that you have to carry the gas back to the car, so only get as much gas as you can physically manage)
If you do get stuck -- do not panic. You may be tempted to go for help, but it is usually wiser to stay in your car, especially at nigh
To signal for help, use your emergency flashers or set off flares. Try not to overuse your headlights as this could drain your battery
Carry a 'CALL POLICE' sign in your car and place it against the window (facing traffic)
It is a good idea to carry a cellular phone for these types of emergencies. That way, you can call for help right away

 

In some cars, running on empty can fry the fuel pump. No one I know of has had this happen in a Honda, but I do know of a few that have fried the pump in GM cars, but still there is the risk.

Sometimes even if you decelerate/accelerate, you can notice the fuel gauge move (shifting of gas in the tank)

That is why I have never let my car too far below 1/8th tank. Its always worth it to fill up, better than being stuck somewhere.

edit: Ande I have heard something to the effect of it takes quite a bit of gas to start a car, less to keep it running.

 

Running on empty can clog the fuel filter... NOT GOOD