Author Topic: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?  (Read 4084 times)

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Offline ashman01

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Last night i was on my way to the petrol station when i had to climb a gradual hill to get to it. just b4 i started to go up. the car started spluttering so scared i pretty much floored it in second gear up the hill and even with foot to the floor i was only just managing 2000revs/min.

When i got up the hill i rolled into the round about and went round it in neutral and my revs dropped to 300 then 200 and stedyed. The petrol station was just 10 meters after the roundabout and i rolled into the entre and down a short slope to the pump. 1/2 there my car stalled. I rolled in. put Premium in it and let it sit there and idol for about 2-5 mins. I dont really notice anything has changed but could it have hurt my engine?

Thanx ashman01

Offline JIMB0

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #1 on: Aug 20, 2005, 03:02PM »
Your fuel pump would have sucked up all the crap out the bottom of the tank, which is not good. Your fuel filter would have stoped crap getting into the engine but now it is probably clogged up and you should replace it. They are $10.

The main concern about running low/empty all the time is the fuel pump failing and the fuel filter clogging up.

Offline Craazy

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #2 on: Aug 20, 2005, 05:22PM »
dont forget there is a filter on the fuel pump itself, so the fuel is getting filter twice before it is getting to the engine, really it is a myth that this is bad for the engine, it is just a matter of replacing the fuel filter in the engine bay if your really worried


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Offline bungs

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #3 on: Aug 20, 2005, 06:21PM »
really it is a myth that this is bad for the engine

Exactly. The pickup is at the bottom of the the fuel tank, it's not picking up any more crap then it does when there's fuel in the tank anyway...

Offline ashman01

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #4 on: Aug 20, 2005, 07:21PM »
This is the 3rd time the car has completly run out of petrol on me but its the first time that i forced it to get to a petrol station.

1st time: when i got the car it had nothing in it. Ran out while going up a hill to the petrol station. just got in.

2nd time. Same thing was going up a hill and it started to splutter, but i was a few 100 meters away from the station so i rolled in there.

and last night.

I had massive fuel problems relating to this in my old car. And ended up wanting to sell it because of this. But the pintara doesn seem to mind as long as i only put optimax in it.

Offline Chadza

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #5 on: Aug 20, 2005, 07:43PM »
Thats pretty slack really...you shouldn't let your fuel level get that low...I usually treat empty as 1/4 full just to save the fuel pump and everything.

Bungs you do kinda have a point, but with enough petrol in the tank, the mixture (crap) at the bottom of the tank won't be so sludgy. With no liquid it would get VERY sludgy and that is the stuff that cloggs fuel lines.

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Offline ashman01

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #6 on: Aug 20, 2005, 08:01PM »
I was pissed off at fuel prices. If u notice, all 3 times i have run out, i have been on my way or less than 10 meters away from a petrol station.

The second time i had no money for petrol and the first time wasnt my fault.

True still is very slack and wont happen again.

Offline vector

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #7 on: Aug 21, 2005, 02:12PM »
eh i wouldnt worry cars have been designed for this sorta stuff, ive ran out a few times in mine and its never killed anything, i even replaced  the filter after 3 or so times running it dry and there was no sludge init, the wasnt even that discoloured.
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Offline SSS

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #8 on: Aug 21, 2005, 03:52PM »
When i installed my walbro fuel pump, i was very suprised to see that the built in surge tank where the fuel pump draws in fuel was so clean, if it didn't contain fuel, you could eat from that surface.

Offline Jono

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #9 on: Aug 22, 2005, 12:42AM »
I wouldn't be worried about junk in your fuel tank just because you have run out of petrol.

I find if my car is starting to splutter, if I drive it like a granny (aka less than half throttle) it runs better, and I get further before it dies. I carry a 5l jerry can of petrol around in my boot for when I (occassionally) run out. And I get about 50km after my fuel gauge hits the empty mark.
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Offline ashman01

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #10 on: Aug 22, 2005, 09:48AM »
Yeah, I can usualy drive minimaly for about 2-3days after my tank hits empty.

Offline highway star

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #11 on: Aug 25, 2005, 08:46AM »
well i think when you ran out of fuel the pump will keep sucking on nothing, that will heat up the pump itself. it is kind of bad! Engine wise meants it will be running on Lean, not good as well.  8)

does any one running LPG in their car as well? :o


Offline ffourc

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #12 on: Aug 25, 2005, 03:36PM »
supposed to be bad for injectors

Offline JIMB0

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #13 on: Aug 25, 2005, 09:50PM »
In the factory manual it says not to run the fuel pump dry. It is designed to use the petrol as lubrication.

Offline [TRX2NV]

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #14 on: Aug 25, 2005, 10:11PM »
ashman01,

My car is LPG.
But it's straight gas.

Offline Alister

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #15 on: Aug 29, 2005, 04:41PM »
In the factory manual it says not to run the fuel pump dry. It is designed to use the petrol as lubrication.

Yep, that's 100% correct.
As other members have said, sediment gets sucked up, not a huge deall as the fuel filter blocks most of it.
Not so much of a problem on newer cars as they have less sediment at the bottom of the tank.

Offline KMA_TRX

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #16 on: Sep 5, 2005, 11:17PM »
of course it does the dirt gets stuck in the pipe

Offline bungs

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #17 on: Sep 6, 2005, 12:55AM »
of course it does the dirt gets stuck in the pipe


prove it.

Offline ashman01

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #18 on: Sep 6, 2005, 03:00PM »
of course it does the dirt gets stuck in the pipe


Im pretty sure i dont have big dirt clumps in my tank or my pipe.

Offline Virus

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #19 on: Sep 6, 2005, 05:11PM »
it also uses the fuel to disperse the heat. If there is no fuel it will over heat.

Offline eurisko

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #20 on: Sep 15, 2005, 06:27PM »
Well, besides the fuel pump problems discussed previously, the only thing i can add is something taken out of the Service Manual.

Page GI-4

Precautions for Catalyst

3. Do not run the engine when fuel tank level is low, otherwise the engine may misfire, causing damage to the converter.


Anyone had something like this happen to them??

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Offline JIMB0

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #21 on: Sep 15, 2005, 11:38PM »
The reason they say that is because if the engine missfires then unburnt fuel goes into the cat, which can cause it to "malfunction". The manual even says not to push start the car because that can also let unburnt fuel into the cat.

Offline Jono

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #22 on: Sep 16, 2005, 01:08AM »
The reason they say that is because if the engine missfires then unburnt fuel goes into the cat, which can cause it to "malfunction". The manual even says not to push start the car because that can also let unburnt fuel into the cat.

Do they really think anyone would be worried about the condition of the catalytic converter? ::)
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Offline ashman01

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Re: Does running completly out of Petrol hurt your engine?
« Reply #23 on: Sep 16, 2005, 01:20AM »
Was just thinking the same thing.

When i red "Precautions for Catalyst" i thought sh*t what eles could of i screwed up and then i realised what it was and read down to jonos post.