When do you fill up your car's gas tank? ⛽

Caspers Human

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I'm Type-C. ;)

I know my car's gas mileage by heart. I know how far my car can go before it needs a fill up just by looking at the gas gauge. Whenever I get into the car, I decide whether to fill up based on how far I have to drive. If I'm just going to the convenience store, only a mile away, I probably won't stop for gas unless the warning light on the gas gauge is lit. If I've still got a quarter tank but I'm driving all the way across town, I'll stop to fill up, first.

Years ago, I used to drive up to 1,000 miles a week for my job. I was on the highway, headed to my next jobsite when my speedometer went haywire and I just happened to be in an area where cops were known to set up speed traps. Because I knew the rate my car burned gas, I was able to use the tachometer and gas gauge to calculate my estimated speed.

I knew that my car gets about 250 miles on a tank of gas. That means it takes about 62 miles to burn a quarter tank. If the speed limit is 65 mph. then I should burn approximately a quarter tank in one hour. Right? I also happened to know that, if I put my car in fifth gear (I haven't owned a car that doesn't have a stick shift in almost thirty years) and keep the tachometer right at 2,000 rpm., I'd be traveling at just about 62 miles per hour.

All I had to do is put my car at 2,000 rpm. and keep an eye on the mile markers by the side of the highway. Think about it... 60 mph. is a mile a minute. Right? I should be able to cover fifteen miles in fifteen minutes. Right? All I needed to do was look at the mile marker every fifteen minutes. If I've gone fifteen miles, more or less, I should be good. Right?

I drove my car around for an entire week before I took it in to get the speedometer fixed. (It was just a broken speedometer cable. It took less than an hour to fix. :) ) I never had any problems going over the speed limit.

All you need is to know how quickly your car burns gas and have the ability to do some simple arithmetic in your head. :)
 

NY cat man

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Type A. I never allow the gauge to get much below 1/2 for two reasons. First, it prevents condensation (water) from building up in the tank, and second, because the fuel pump on newer vehicles is in the tank, the fuel both cools and lubricates the pump. Letting the fuel level get too low can, over time, shorten the lifespan of the pump and lead to premature failure.
 

Lari

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Well, I had one bar left (out of like 8 or 10?) on our gas thing when I filled up today, so more of a B, though usually I try to fill at a quarter tank.
 

FeralHearts

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I'm slightly below a type A but often I go by 1/2 tank.

Life is unpredictable. I've been stuck at the border, in traffic jams - and in weird spots. Thankfully that was the one worry I never had. Do I have enough gas? We have some harsh winters here and I have to travel a distance from time to time. I don't want to have to think about that if I get stuck. Not to mention emergencies. Life has enough issues - why add to it when there if something you can do about it?

The other reason I do it is I was taught about engines. Slug and other sediment can sit at the bottom of the tank. You don't want it going through your pump and engine by running on fumes all the time.
 

Crabbysquatch

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I used to wait to the point I was putting the trans in neutral on hills so that last little bit of fumes could get me to the gas station. I didn’t make it more than I care to admit.
After I became a mechanic I learned the reason I went through fuel pumps is they count on being surrounded by the fuel for cooling purposes.
I’m now solidly an “A” type.
 

misty8723

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Somewhere between A and B. I usually wait until it a bit below 1/2 to fill. Since I don't work I don't drive as much as I used to so it's maybe every couple weeks.
 

vansX2

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Definitely a "Type A". I live only about 2 minutes from a gas station . With gas price fluctuations as they have been I like too keep the tank closer to 3/4 full at all times.
 
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