My "low fuel" light comes on at about 7 gal remaining, or almost a quarter left. To this point, I've never put more than 24 1/2 gallons in the tank. Any comments on how low you can safely run before sucking air? Assuming pretty level ground.

 

Dont know , but there are a couple reasons NOT to find out...
Your IP is fuel cooled, so running low on fuel can cause the pump to run hot, shortening its life, and they are $$$$$!!

Second, the sediment and crud that might get into your fuel tank settles to teh bottom. When you run too low on fuel, it gets stirred up and sucked into the fuel system, clogging the filter and lines...

 

It's supposed to go on with 6 gallons remaining (20%). Figuring I don't want to use the last three gallons, I use the other three.

Three gallons gives me 55 miles running light, or 35 miles towing.

But there'd better be a pump at the end of that run, or I'm in deep doo-doo.

Regards, DBF

 

I agree 100 %. Shortened life for the fuel system for sure. Clogged FF, and little fuel into the IP r bad things. I ran my extremly low a few times, like 26 gallon fillup low, but my fuel sender was dying, it used to come on like yours (guage didnt work either) then eventually itd trigger with 3 gallons left.

 

so if i fill up with 26 gals thats a bad thing, ive had mine as low as 28.4 gal fill up.does that nessasary mean somethings wrong? but i felt no loss of power when it was that low

 

Well, its only a bad thing in the long run, the only immediate effect might be clogging the fuel filter IF there is enough crud in teh tank ...
Its just not a good habit to get into is the point we are trying to get across.....

Often teh fuel gauges in our trucks arent teh most accurate critters.. you'll run it dry at some point( we all have, we just dont admit it )

I prefer to keep at least a quarter tank in mine at all times simply because you never know when you'll have to run a critter to the vet or something and the fuel stations will be closed in the middle of the night or something

 

I once put 30 gallons in mine . . .& yes it was still running.

 

I would ask if you were running on fumes, but our diesel dont!

I worked with a landscaper 2 summers ago. We were coming back from the last job of the day and the fuel gauge was just starting to bounce from Empty to 1/8th.The truck was a 78 1/2 ton Chevy, 2wd. It held 19 gallons and when it started to bounce from empty to close to the 1/8 mark, we knew it had about 2 gallons left. Well we get back to the bosses house and lock up for the night. The next day we drove VERY carefully to town about 4 miles away. The needle wasn't moving anymore. We were towing about 2 tons of rock in a trailer. We get to town and to the gas station. I filled her up at 19.2 gallons!! Yes we always filled most of the neck, bosses orders.

Man were we ever sweating when we got'er filled up. She probably wouldn't have started if we shut'er down.

Jon

 

I haven't done this on the truck, but on the car, which I drain the tank regularly to swap in the 118 octane stuff, I pumped out the tank until the pump was putting out more air than fuel. Then filled it up. In my case the tank capacity is 14 gallons, and it took about 13.2, leaving .8 the pump can't get at. I've run it low enough to take 13 gallons.

On second thought, this wouldn't work on our trucks, you would need an electric lift pump. I guess I'm still not used to this old first gen yet.

 

just ran the gauntlet with this last weekend, I ended up putting over 28 gallons in when I finally stopped to fill up... eep!

I think I went about 50 miles towing a light boat after the light came on. I was trying to get to a cheaper pump and ended up paying the highest price i'd seen all day when I finally gave in.... go figure.

 

I have never ran mine that low.....don't plan on it either....just for the simple fact, it would really look bad and give my truck a bad rep if it was seen out of fuel on the side of the road....

 

I keep a 5-gallon yellow container full of diesel in the truck bed, chained to the 5er hitch.

If I get 30 miles past the low fuel light, in it goes.

Regards, DBF

 

I cleaned my tank when I installed the FASS and vent kit. I put in 38 gallons in the tank one trip. I also carried two 5 gallon cans "just in case." My fuel light comes on w/ about 4 gallons of fuel left.

 

Yeah i too keep a spare fuel can with fuel in it in my tool box at all times. U never know when u might need it. After all u might see a Powerchoke on the side of the road needin a hand.










HA! like im goin to waste my fuel on the wrong brand! but i had ya thinkin didnt i?