Engine Damage

[DNF]

Does this happen?

If your car literally (specifically skyline) runs out of petrol completely does this do damage to the engine or fuel pump?

[Samon]

Does this happen?

If your car literally (specifically skyline) runs out of petrol completely does this do damage to the engine or fuel pump?

Not damage as such... but running right out can cause any crap (sediment from dirty fuel, etc) that has settled on the bottom of the tank to be sucked up and pumped through your injectors, which could possibly become blocked if there was some real bad crap in the tank. In general though, the fuel filter should catch that, but might need to be replaced sooner than normal...

Personally, I ran my 33 dry, and apart from feeling like a complete idiot waiting 2 hours for the RACV to come and give me my 9L of petrol, only to find out there was a little servo just around the corner, no harm was done! In general I certainly wouldn't recommend making a regular habit of it though.

[stolen_s15]

No damage to engine, btu as above it would be worthwhile to change your fuel filter.

[adznight]

I'm not so sure that that's the case guys. I've been told that if the filter sock is on the fuel pump it should prevent any crap at the bottom of the tank being sucked up (but in saying that I've seen pumps with no sock fitted) but I'd be interested to hear a mechanics opinion.

[paulr33]

myth busters ahoy!

there is no issue running a car empty

the pump sits on the bottom, with a sock

and sucks from the bottom regardless of volume of fuel in the tank

there is no magical mud on the bottom of a tank and if there is

your pump is sucking it all the time, cos its the bottom

theres also an inline filter in the engine bay on the fuel line too

fuel injected engines dont need special tactics to "get them working" again once you have ran a car out of petrol

just put some fuel in, turn the car to ACC let it prime and it should start first crank

[Al]

The fuel pump sits at the bottom of the tank and ALWAYS sucks from the bottom of the tank; so you're not going to suck more crap from the bottom if you're low on fuel.

But leaving you car consistently low on fuel may decrease the life span of the pump as it will run a lot hotter (the fuel in the tank generally keeps the pumper cooler). Also the fuel will be a lot hotter, which will decrease engine performance.

EDIT: Damn it Paul bet me by seconds!

[sammus]

I'm not so sure that that's the case guys. I've been told that if the filter sock is on the fuel pump it should prevent any crap at the bottom of the tank being sucked up (but in saying that I've seen pumps with no sock fitted) but I'd be interested to hear a mechanics opinion.

like the bosch pumps. with the nifty design with the filter flush on the bottom without a sock

although that didn't work well in my case and i just bought a walbro

[NickR33]

bare in mind pumps don't like sucking air... it can damage them

[dave1200]

bare in mind pumps don't like sucking air... it can damage them

Yeah while you guys pretty much covered it all, not only does the fuel keep the pump cool it effectively lubricates it as well so if you regularly run your tank down low you reduce the pump's life from it sucking air more regularly.

[GTR_STEALTH]

Just to add to the above posts, surging, or sudden drop in fuel at high rpm and on turbo cars isnt good for the motor.

But if ur driving normally, then there's no probs....

[femno]

why would you run it so low? If you cant afford to pour then sell the car.

running dry will kill the pump. its been done before by many.

[llama_au]

^ I doubt he'd make a habit of it, maybe he's just done it and is worried.

I've never run any car out of fuel...

[Phatboy]

Haha I remember owning a dodgy old Falcon years ago where the fuel gauge would read higher than what was actually in my tank lol. Got caught twice... once halfway to Horsham on a freezing winter night at 3 am with no mobile (left it accidentally in Melb). Not pretty at all.

Edited May 17, 2008 by Phatboy