Avoid running on 'reserve'

Avoid running on 'reserve'

With the price of a full tank becoming ever more difficult to stomach, the Internet is awash with fuel-saving tips. While this blog does not intend to add to them, we thought it helpful to comment that driving continually with the low fuel level indicator displayed is unwise.

Of course, fuel adds to vehicle weight and, because more weight (tends) to mean higher fuel consumption, the advice makes sense. However, there are other issues to consider. The first is a legal problem: you could be prosecuted for incidents that may result from you running out of fuel.

Yet, it is not appreciated that modern fuel injection systems comprise precision components, necessary to generate high fuel pressures. Prior to being burnt within the engine, the fuel also has a vital lubrication role. Running the tank low increases the chance of air being introduced into the fuel injection system, instead of fuel. The result is rapid wear. The most obvious evidence is metal flakes within the fuel filter housing.

Low diesel levels especially can cause the engine to cut out and not restart, until the tank is topped-up, by which time, damage to the fuel system is likely to have occurred and may be responsible for a future breakdown. Low fuel levels can also prevent the diesel particulate filter (DPF) from regenerating, resulting in the exhaust system being loaded with too much soot, which can also cause mechanical failure and a potential roadside emergency.

Therefore, running with low fuel levels is a false economy: strive to keep the needle above the one-quarter full level.

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