What a tw@t!

[torqemada]

I know I'm stupid but, I managed to run out of gas yesterday 400yrds from the petrol station I was heading to, even though the fuel gauge showed about 1/8th of a tank left. How much damage have I done? What do I need to do to rectify it? Help please! And yes, I have learnt my lesson - no more than 3/4 empty from now on. Dohhh!

[Marc_100]

I think you need to put some petrol in the tank! ;-)

[torqemada]

yes - obviously I've done that bit, when I said "I know I'm stupid" it was meant in a self depracating manner, not as a literal pronouncement upon my actual mental faculties. Now play nicely - I actually would like some help please.

[purple_throbber]

to be sure of limiting the possibility of damage, i'd get the fuel filter(s) changed. i presume you're worried about dredging up sludge into the fuel line, the filter system should pick it up. if you're really worried, have the fuel line flushed under pressure.

[torqemada]

Thanks Purple - I'll get it sorted

[mycerbera]

Torqemada
Can we please have some Pics of your Cerb!...
Sounds Very tasty!

[Paul V]

How can sludge get sucked up when you run out off petrol? Surely anything in the tank will get mixed whenever you corner etc, and putting more petrol in will mix in any bits? Also petrol in taken from the bottom of the tank anyway.

[pbrettle]

You would be suprised as to the amount of crud that can get deposited at the bottom of your fuel tank. Nowadays is isnt such a problem as most petrol stations have decent filters in place. But, you do get a certain amount of suspended crud that will drop and remain at the bottom of the fuel tank when left.

Normally not a problem though. Usually a couple of tanks of decent stuff (Optimax or Super) and a good blast should see it right again. But as suggested change the fuel filter and get it jetted.

Used to have an old Polo that I ran right down once - knocked out the carbs, sludged up the fuel lines and cost me £120.00 to fix. As a result I will never run the fuel tank to vapours anymore - just in case.

Cheers,

Paul

[torqemada]

quote:
Torqemada
Can we please have some Pics of your Cerb!...
Sounds Very tasty!

I'd love to, but I don't possess a digital camera nor scanner, so any suggestions as to how to do it would be gratefully received - in fact I'd love to see pictures of it myself, then at least I could stare at it all day on the PC, rather than having to walk downstairs to look in the office car park.

[Edt]

try to bump into Nacnud or another PHeader with a dig.camera - sure someone will do some for you at a Tuscan / GT meeting.

Ed

[olly]

If the car is brand new (1500 miles ?), then there should be very little/no sludge in the bottom of the tank... Ring Paul (service manager at WalldonWay) on 01732 841021 (I think), and tell him what happened. He'll probably tell you to pop in & they'll check the filters....

torqemada, if you use Walldonway, where do you live ? My car is there at the moment (steering rack was leaking, so has gone back to factory for a rebuild). I can drop you a mail when I know when I'm collecting it & will more than happily bring the camera along & we can meet up somewhere & I'll take some pics...

>> Edited by olly on Friday 14th June 09:48

[mags]

I think the picking up sludge thing is an old wives tale IMHO. Fuel pick ups are normally situated just above the bottom of a dip in the tank exactly to avoid picking up sludge.

Mags

[torqemada]

I spoke to Walldonway - they tell me that the sludge catch is at the bottom of the tank, well below the actual petrol intake, therefore even when you run out, you wont pick up any crap. The engine management system will have 'had a little moment' at the point of running out and will presume that it needs to run the fuel mix at a 'richer' value than normal, this will result in the engine running 'lumpy' for a while but it will reset itself after a dozen or so miles and all should be back to normal thereafter. So if in the future anyone else is unfortunate to make the same mistake as me, then you now know not to get too worried. Thanks for all the help.

[dyb]

Happened to me three of four times when I first bought my 4.2, still runs perfectly 5 years later.