When do I fill up?

[blackbeagle]

Hi everyone. I just picked up mine Monday night. Right now I have 258 miles and there's 1/8th tank left. This sounds like a stupid question but when do I actually fill up? Do I fill up now? I've seen where some people got over 300 miles on a tank. I assume there's still gas in mine but I don't want to get stuck out of gas. What is everyone doing? When do you stop to fill it up?

Thx

[smartSparky]

Read your manual. You've got 8.7 gal. in the "main"tank. 1.3 gal in the "reserve tank. Assuming the worst case of 30 MPG on a new engine, once the fuel gauge kicks over to reserve, you've got 39 miles to find a gas station. Relax.

[Smartfor2guy]

Fill up now and record your odometer mileage . If you want to check your fuel mileage , dont use the first tank to figure it as you dont know how full it was. Set the pump handle on the first click and stop when the pump shuts off. Do the same the next time you fill up. divide the miles by the gallons. That simple

[Big Panda]

Originally Posted by Smartfor2guy

Fill up now and record your odometer mileage . If you want to check your fuel mileage , dont use the first tank to figure it as you dont know how full it was. Set the pump handle on the first click and stop when the pump shuts off. Do the same the next time you fill up. divide the miles by the gallons. That simple

right....and good advice on the pump setting. too many people put it on the 'fast' setting and pump more fuel in it once the pump 'kicks off'. this is really a 'no no'.....

[kitttie]

I've been trained not to let any of my cars go below a quarter of a tank. I still follow that rule to this day (most of the time anyway!). You don't want to burn the sludge in the bottom of the tank...

[AnitaInKC]

I'm glad this topic came up. I filled up for the first time, too, this week. I had 3 blobs left on the tank, so figured it was time. I, too, didn't want it to go too low. Anyway, I was very apprehensive this first time: get the cap off just right, don't pump too much gas in it, etc. etc. So, I just held it myself in a kind of slow-on position. Gas was 3.44 here (premium) that day, and I didn't think it'd take $20, but, to my surprise, it clicked off at $19.10...so I pumped it to $19.50...I was afraid to overfill! But at that price, I don't think .40 cents is too much. And, got the cap on securely, and off I went! Oh, and calculated it, and got 36.11 mpg that first tank. Not too shabby.

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by kitttie

You don't want to burn the sludge in the bottom of the tank...

Too late - since the fuel pickup is at the bottom of the tank, you've already burned it.

As when to fill up - anytime prior to having to push it to the gas station.

How much prior depends on your comfort level with risk taking.

[msjohnson1974]

The "last" gallon is conveniently counted down for you on the instrument cluster...

[oldbike]

Originally Posted by smartSparky

Read your manual. You've got 8.7 gal. in the "main"tank. 1.3 gal in the "reserve tank. Assuming the worst case of 30 MPG on a new engine, once the fuel gauge kicks over to reserve, you've got 39 miles to find a gas station. Relax.

The manual states "8.7 gallons, INCLUDING a 1.3 gallon reserve". This just means it will allert you when you get near the last gallon.

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by kitttie

You don't want to burn the sludge in the bottom of the tank...

I run my Commander to empty almost 50 % of the time I drive it, The gauge indicates "0 miles till empty" then I fill up. Since I only get 13 MPG and can travel 30 miles on empty and it costs $65 plus to fill up, I just hate going to the gas station.