Fuel Tank Range
Discussion
Hi Owners,
With my car due in approximately 2 weeks, I've been wondering about fuel tank range.
Three questions, all with Optimax / SUL....
How far do you get on a full tank
1). Urban driving?
2). Motorway cruising?
3). "Highly spirited"?
The P1 I used to run would give the following (60L tank)
1). 190-210 miles
2). 210-230 miles
3). (a) 135 miles (motorway - France)
(b) 93 miles (track day)
Obviously (3) is very excessive, pedal to the metal.
Just looking for a rough comparison. I know the dial is reported to show empty with approx 1/4 tank left.
Cheers,
Mark
With my car due in approximately 2 weeks, I've been wondering about fuel tank range.
Three questions, all with Optimax / SUL....
How far do you get on a full tank
1). Urban driving?
2). Motorway cruising?
3). "Highly spirited"?
The P1 I used to run would give the following (60L tank)
1). 190-210 miles
2). 210-230 miles
3). (a) 135 miles (motorway - France)
(b) 93 miles (track day)
Obviously (3) is very excessive, pedal to the metal.
Just looking for a rough comparison. I know the dial is reported to show empty with approx 1/4 tank left.
Cheers,
Mark
Look at www.lotus-elise.org.uk/noble/runningcosts.htm - you'll find every type of driving on there.
Distance covered on the trip is between "max" and "0" on my car (26) - later cars have an additional 10 litres or so before they hit "0".
J
Distance covered on the trip is between "max" and "0" on my car (26) - later cars have an additional 10 litres or so before they hit "0".
J
My typical miles to getting on towards an empty tank (by the gauge) in my GTO 3, is about 190 to 210 miles. The guage in the GT0 3, is roumured to still have about 10 litres on empty, but then I'm not going to try and find out just how much is really left. So I will usually put in 35+ litres.
Just purchased my Noble M12 GTO - does anyone else suffer from an inaccurate fuel gage - my gauge hits zero at approx 170 miles of motorway cruising - then takes only 40 odd litres on fill-up - I am used to dodgy fuel gages and warning lights on Italian motorcycles, so have learned to trust the trip meter - how far can I safely push it before I run out.
Also, does anyone else suffer from bad contrast of the odometer/trip display - is there a potentiometer that you can use to adjust the contrast?
Thanks for your help,
Lynton
Also, does anyone else suffer from bad contrast of the odometer/trip display - is there a potentiometer that you can use to adjust the contrast?
Thanks for your help,
Lynton
Again - look at my history.
230 miles is "easy beer".
Tanks is at least 60l, *but* remember that the take up of the fuel is quite high, and so any "spirited" cornering runs the risk of fuel starvation. In common with many cars (including quite a few "production" models) the ECU cannot tell if it's sucking in a fuel or an air+fuel mixture - with the result that cornering with a low tank can lean the mixture resulting in significant engine damage.
So - straight line, I'd happily push it to over 300 miles (which I did once - 426 miles on a tank + £10 95RON "splash and dash"), but on a track I never go under 1/4 empty even on my "underreading" early car (and factory recommends no less than 1/4 on any car on the track).
Personally, I find a break around the 220-250 mark sensible on long runs for safety (it's ~1.5 to 2 hours depending on where you live) and so I'm perfectly happy where it is.
J
230 miles is "easy beer".
Tanks is at least 60l, *but* remember that the take up of the fuel is quite high, and so any "spirited" cornering runs the risk of fuel starvation. In common with many cars (including quite a few "production" models) the ECU cannot tell if it's sucking in a fuel or an air+fuel mixture - with the result that cornering with a low tank can lean the mixture resulting in significant engine damage.
So - straight line, I'd happily push it to over 300 miles (which I did once - 426 miles on a tank + £10 95RON "splash and dash"), but on a track I never go under 1/4 empty even on my "underreading" early car (and factory recommends no less than 1/4 on any car on the track).
Personally, I find a break around the 220-250 mark sensible on long runs for safety (it's ~1.5 to 2 hours depending on where you live) and so I'm perfectly happy where it is.
J
Finally picked up the 3R on friday afternoon with 125 miles on the clock (is this normal??? )but with a full tank of petrol.Went to drop it off home just before the England game and the tacho read 230 miles and fuel guage showed empty,even though only a few miles or so earlier it was just below full!! Fortunately I was passing a BP station and pulled straight in to fill up for the first time. However it only took £18's worth of fuel (83.9p/litre) so surely I couldn't have been empty as I thought and the gauge faulty. After the 'fill up' the needle moved fractionally above empty.I will see what it reads tomorrow in the hope it has corrected itself!Has anyone else experienced this sort of erratic behaviour?? Apart from the fuel gauge eveything else seems great, apart from scraping the splitter exiting the petrol station, aargh!!
Sounds like the guage is pretty normal (yes - it does move quickly between full and 0 - bit like the Elise really), but when you are filling it you often get air locks that stop you filling it to the top.
To fill it I do the following.
1) Take gun out of holster, point it at the sky, and move it over the hole.
2) Turn the gun 180 degress over so the handle is point upwards, then slowly move it in a arc into the filler cap - this prevents residual fuel spilling anywhere
3) Stick the nozzle in the hole, but point the handle at the other side of the car (i.e. so the fuel line "arcs" upwards and slightly away before coming back towards you)
4) Stuff some green tissues in the hole around the nozzle(the ones they provide) - usually a good idea to get these at the start.
5) Fill it on "full wack" until it clicks.
6) WAIT (about 10 seconds)
7) Start to fill slowly (about 1/3rd trigger) until it clicks again.
8) Fill very slowly (about 1/5th trigger) until it stops.
That's it.
It's all a bit different than the normal "stick it in and fill it" car, but you are trying to fill it vertically downwards hence it's like an old Jag (or Triumph Spitfire!)
J
To fill it I do the following.
1) Take gun out of holster, point it at the sky, and move it over the hole.
2) Turn the gun 180 degress over so the handle is point upwards, then slowly move it in a arc into the filler cap - this prevents residual fuel spilling anywhere
3) Stick the nozzle in the hole, but point the handle at the other side of the car (i.e. so the fuel line "arcs" upwards and slightly away before coming back towards you)
4) Stuff some green tissues in the hole around the nozzle(the ones they provide) - usually a good idea to get these at the start.
5) Fill it on "full wack" until it clicks.
6) WAIT (about 10 seconds)
7) Start to fill slowly (about 1/3rd trigger) until it clicks again.
8) Fill very slowly (about 1/5th trigger) until it stops.
That's it.
It's all a bit different than the normal "stick it in and fill it" car, but you are trying to fill it vertically downwards hence it's like an old Jag (or Triumph Spitfire!)
J
4) Stuff some green tissues in the hole around the nozzle(the ones they provide) - usually a good idea to get these at the start.
J[/quote]
Justin, useful advice, as always, from someone with field experience but I'm highly cautious of any process that advocates placing paper in, or even near, the filler neck when filling - I know the green one's are stonger and don't usually break-up when wet but...
How about a custom-made filling-mat (bib!) - a big square waterproof mat (rubberised or paper-disposable)with a hole in the middle - place it over the filler before filling then remove when done?!
J[/quote]
Justin, useful advice, as always, from someone with field experience but I'm highly cautious of any process that advocates placing paper in, or even near, the filler neck when filling - I know the green one's are stonger and don't usually break-up when wet but...
How about a custom-made filling-mat (bib!) - a big square waterproof mat (rubberised or paper-disposable)with a hole in the middle - place it over the filler before filling then remove when done?!
Thanks for that Joust,but haven't you forgotton the bit about putting the fuel cap back on!! 
Anyway thanks for the advice,but that is not the problem!
The problem was having only done approx 120 on a full tank (running in revs etc) the fuel gauge dropped to empty and when refilling the tank it only moved fractionally off the empty mark!
Read your advice with regard to the refilling procedure and after a very pleasent meet with good company,food and drink at the Bell Inn this afternoon decided to try what you said in case tank was still not full,but it only took approx £5 worth of fuel.This time though it backed up to the top of the hole and then couldn't get the cap back on without fuel going everywhere!.Fuel gauge still shows just above the empty mark???
Unfortunately not the only problem now
,but I will start a fresh thread for that one!!
>> Edited by Leighellane on Sunday 12th October 20:07
>> Edited by Leighellane on Sunday 12th October 20:36
Anyway thanks for the advice,but that is not the problem!
The problem was having only done approx 120 on a full tank (running in revs etc) the fuel gauge dropped to empty and when refilling the tank it only moved fractionally off the empty mark!
Read your advice with regard to the refilling procedure and after a very pleasent meet with good company,food and drink at the Bell Inn this afternoon decided to try what you said in case tank was still not full,but it only took approx £5 worth of fuel.This time though it backed up to the top of the hole and then couldn't get the cap back on without fuel going everywhere!.Fuel gauge still shows just above the empty mark???
Unfortunately not the only problem now
,but I will start a fresh thread for that one!! >> Edited by Leighellane on Sunday 12th October 20:07
>> Edited by Leighellane on Sunday 12th October 20:36
joust said:
Ah - got it - sounds like the sender from the tank has gone AWOL. I'm sure your dealer will be able to sort it out (at the same time as getting reverse back for you - sorry to hear about that).
Hopefully these are just a few small niggles that'll be quickly sorted for you.
J
Unfortunately, a quick fix is looking doubtful. Reverse gear has been sorted, that was a linkage problem but at the same time a leak was found coming from the power steering and a new pipe is needed. The dealer can't get hold of a replacement for 2 weeks so the cars having to go up to the factory on Thursday to be looked at. Along with the fuel gauge problem, that's 3 issues in only 100 miles of driving, not a good start to Noble ownership I must say!
Leighellane said:
Along with the fuel gauge problem, that's 3 issues in only 100 miles of driving, not a good start to Noble ownership I must say!
Sorry to hear this, this is exactly why I am always banging on about quality versus increased production runs!
Factory, how do you feel about this?!
What ever manufacturing process, exclusively it is, best in the world etc. You will get some teething probs. even in my game and i fit the best. My Noble, some teething probs like leighallen, but now 5000 miles in 3 months superb, just needed settling down. First class car. First class service. 
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