It’s something that everyone has done: driving your car until the petrol tank dips precariously low, only pulling into a petrol station when the petrol alert light flicks on.
You’re forgiven for thinking this is just a normal part of car ownership, an everyday occurrence that has no long-lasting effects on the condition of your car. However, a motoring expert has told an Australian media outlet about the perils of running your car on empty.
In fact, even running your car on less than a quarter-full tank can cause issues. Steve Spalding from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland told Yahoo7 that letting your tank dip below a quarter full can cause serious motor damage.
“There are dangers in two ways. One is that the sediment and rubbish that’s in the fuel tank can end up in the fuel filter and that in itself requires some servicing work, but more of a risk is the fuel pump which can be very expensive. It could easily cost $500 to $1000 and if you run a fuel pump dry, there’s a fair chance that it won’t be recoverable, and then you’ll end up in expensive repair and a tow.”
Spalding recommended that drivers should be filling up their cars once the needle hovers at around a quarter full, no less.
Autoguide.com concurs with Mr Spaldling, reporting that a fuel pump relies on petrol in the tank to keep it cool and lubricated. Running your tank to empty means the pump isn’t as lubricated and is at risk of overheating. Similarly, the fuel filter can end up blocked or damaged if it starts to take in dirty fuel from the last remaining dregs in the tank.
You learn something new every day!
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