Well that goes to show what a liar the lie o meter is

 

I don't believe every truck is the same. There's potential variances in the mechanism.
So I don't think I'd use someone else's experience for myself.
But yea, I bet there's fudge factor in most of our trucks.

 

Does the F-150 have a "Low Fuel Warning" thermistor in the fuel tank? We have a "Low Fuel Warning" indicator lamp and an Information Center message, but do we have low fuel hardware in the fuel tank? Many vehicles have such hardware which is a much more accurate indicator of pending trouble than the Fool Computer or an analog float.

The thermistor is placed at a low level in the tank. A current flows which warms the thermistor more if it is uncovered than if submerged in gasoline. Has the advantage of being able to be placed at an absolute accurate level, and it still works when the fuel level sender fails.

 

All I care about is that I didn’t run out of fuel. I won’t be doing that again if I can help it.

 

I've ran mine to 0 once. I put 32 gallons in my 36 gallon tank. I have also ran it to somewhere around 5 and put 34.5ish in the tank. It varies, but you have some reserve. I wouldn't bet on more than a gallon.

 

I did check within my first year of owning. Put a gallon container of gas in the bed, just in case. Drove till I had 0 miles to empty and went to the nearest filling station (a feww blocks way), checked fuel mileage (normal about 21 mpg). Filled with 22 gallons in a 23 gallon tank. Seems reasonable to assume I can drive 20 miles past empty if Ford tank size is correct, I know I can run it to 0 and still keep going a bit.

Matt, check your manual again the standard tank is 23 gallons optional 36 gallons. KM

 

Oh, it’s 23 gallon? Gotcha. Well, that means I had 1.4 gallons left when I filled up. That means I could have driven another 18 miles probably.

 

All tanks will have a zero level that is fuel that will never get sucked up. I’ve also heard of some molded tanks being 2 gallons either side of their actual level specified. Never ran out in my truck and I don’t intend to. I think it would be very hard on the fuel system.

 

Can burn your fuel pump up. They don't like running dry.

 

Yes, “dry”, but the pump never runs dry if the engine is running no matter how much fuel.

For decades now submerged fuel pumps have had timers and engine-off cutouts. If engine is not running the pump has 20-30 seconds before power is cut. To start you have 20-30 seconds to get fuel. If engine does not start there will be no more fuel. Crank until battery dies if it didn’t start in 30 seconds it will never.

If you run out of gasoline, fill, they try briefly to start. If it doesn’t start quickly turn the key completely off before trying again. The fuel pump stops after 20-30 seconds. If the engine doesn’t start by then it will never. Turn it off and try again to reset the timer. Listen carefully, you can hear the pump run then turn off.

In the early days of submerged fuel pumps Detroit was too cheap to implement the engine-off cutout. If engine dies and the ignition is left on the fuel pump continued to run even without gasoline. If out of gas you try try try to start the pump runs the whole time. This is the origin of the Modern Urban Myth claiming low fuel in tank will damage the fuel pump.

 

I think these are all over the place. I've filled up a few times at between 0 and 20 miles to e, and put 22 and change gallons in my 23 gallon tank. Mine is right on the money.

Also, DTE is calculated from the most recent 500 miles of history.

So, if your current driving style is drastically different from the last 500 miles on average, it'll be less accurate.

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Your 'miles to empty' estimate is just that... It's not an instant measurement based on the gallons of fuel in your tank.

After a weekend camping trip, where I get around 10 mpg and then switch the mileage thingy from "towing driving" to "regular driving" (or whatever the actual wording is..) It takes several days of driving and it really does not change again until it gets to around 1/2 tank..

It does rise/drop a bit during the transition time, but for the most part, I know that at about 1/2 tank of normal driving, I should be around 275 miles.. Towing, 1/2 tank is around 175 miles. (I have the 36 gallon tank).

I don't let my truck get below 1/4 tank, as it's just too painful to fill up from that level! Especially when the pumps used to turn off at $100.00!! I hate that!!

Anyway, I've heard that running your tank that low is harder on the fuel pump, as it needs the fuel in the tank for keeping it cool as it runs..

My "fuel used" estimate on the meter is pretty darn close.. Maybe .5 gallon difference compared to what goes in at a fill up. So, I don't get to worked up about it and just use the fuel estimates as more 'suggestion' to what real life is..

Mitch

 

Anyway, I've heard that running your tank that low is harder on the fuel pump, as it needs the fuel in the tank for keeping it cool as it runs..

Yes you have heard that. It is wrong.

 

On the current gen trucks the fuel calculation algorithm has changed considerably from my previous trucks.

The miles to empty value can actually increase if circumstances or driving style alters.

 

I’ve replaced enough fuel pumps to know not to go below 1/4 tank if I can help it. But I’ve gone down to 0 MTE a couple times and still had 2.5-3 gals left in my 36 gal tank. Good to know in a pinch, but won’t rely on it.

 

So if you have had to “replace enough fuel pumps” but you don’t let the tank go below 1/4 how do you conclude low fuel has anything to do with your fuel pump problems? If the engine is receiving fuel then the pump is fully submerged.

 

I make the mistake of running mine past 0 miles probably once a month, unfortunately. I need to stop. but, I’ve been able to go as far as 30 miles or so. I’ve also ran out of fuel idling on a 25* nose down incline for about a minute, with 20 miles left on the tank. just yesterday, I ran it to 4 miles before empty and pumped 23 gallons into my tank. Very strange. so, according to the law, all cars are supposed to have at least a 2 gallon reserve once you hit empty empty as a safety feature. Ive put this to the test with every vehicle I own with no negative results but don’t suggest it. I can consistently get at least 1.5 gallons worth of driving at my current mpg.

I will throw in though, and I’ve confirmed this through multiple pumps, filters, and others agreeing that running too low on gas(under 1/8 tank), your fuel pump filter is more likely to pick up more crud. It’s worse with e85 that tends to sit in tanks at gas stations instead of being sold rapidly too. Friends that have learned their lesson(unlike me) had fuel pump filters last twice as long before getting fuel cutouts. These were really high demand situations but the results were pretty consistent between 10-12 filters and multiple people. Once we became aware of it and stopped running low, our filters magically lasted twice as long.

 

Very strange. so, according to the law, all cars are supposed to have at least a 2 gallon reserve once you hit empty empty as a safety feature.

What law? Care to cite chapter and verse? It should be in the Code of Federal Regulations also know as CFRs. Federal Register :: Request Access

I know of no vehicle having a “2 gallon reserve”. Have owned several that I know have the thermistor feature in fuel tank for reliable low fuel warning, none had 2 gallons remaining. Most recent Subaru Outback spec says 17.6 gallon tank. Idiot light illuminates reliably at 16 gallons. DTE is all over the place when the light illuminates.

F-150 has a low fuel idiot light. What is it connected to?

 

Fueling is like oil change intervals to me.
It starts to bug me long before it's an issue.
So it's rare that I get low on fuel or make it to the planned interval.

 

Talk to me brother. I have those thoughts like, I've got a month before hitting 3,000 and then be out changing my oil 2 days later.

 

Is it us just being old and don't see a reason to wait for T I M E to pass?

 

I was the same guy at 20. Don't wait until tomorrow if you can get it done today.

 

When this is happened to me with my 36 gallon tank it was a lot tighter than that. At zero i usually have 1-2 gallons

My lexus is more like your truck. 0 miles to empty means you have 100 miles left lol

 

Yea Toyotas are notoriously bad with this. Our Sequoia is the same way. I love getting a "rise" out of the wife by driving another 30-40 miles past zero.

 

I ran my pretty low last week and refueled. Based on the miles to empty and how much gas I put in, I had a 3 gallon buffer if I had hit 0.

I believe somewhere in the settings, you can adjust how conservative you want the DTE calculator to be.

 

I had a 2004 Duramax that I tested the DTE on a couple times and both times it ran out right as DTE went to zero. I couldn’t believe how accurate it was. Since those two experiences almost 20 years ago I don’t recall ever risking running out again. Luckily those duramax’s had a hand primer under the hood so running out of fuel didn’t cause the problems other diesels had when they ran out. I ran out a powerstroke or two in my day and had to take to a mechanic to get it primed and running again, major hassle. I assume they all have the hand primers nowadays but haven’t owned a diesel for about 15 years..

 

all ford vehicles i have owned,when low fuel light comes on ,there 6 gallons left in tanks

 

My dad used to have an '01 F 150 and the light cam eon once when I was using it and my wife who was with me was freaking out, I wasn't, I told her read the owners manual (which kept her occupied) and she read something like when the light comes on there is enough fuel for 20-50 miles.

On my '07 Ranger the light would come on and I had about 50 miles. 17 gallon tank at 18 mpg average. One time it came on and then started running rough but I was right next to a stop and rob so I pulled in and filled up.

On my '14 F 150 I have now the light comes on, I have a 36 gallon fuel tank, and I usually put 31 gallons in. So in 5 years of owning it I seem to always have 5 gallons when the light comes on.

 

Not good on the fuel pump.

 

I refuel when I get to half a tank or so. I have no idea but I'm going to have to see.

I'll drive until I get down to where the lie-o-meter tells me 2 miles until empty then head over to the 93 octane watering hole then drive around in circles in the Shell station lot until I run out.

Seriously, I am curious. The only vehicle I've owned that got tested was my '99 Explorer. When it said 5, or whatever it was, miles until empty it was very close to that number. Ask me how I know. There was some walking involved.

 

Have any of you folks ever run out of gas? My wife and I were talking about this, we've never had this happen as long as we've been driving. Just curious.

 

Ran out in my '87 f250 in high school a couple of times. I worked on Saturdays, and paid my own insurance, gas, and maintenance. Sometimes there was no way to put any more in until Saturday came. [emoji38]

Had a 460 and got 6 mpg, and the fuel gauge didn't work quite right.

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