[Guest]

My father in law ended up stranded when he ran dry in his 156 V6 manual tonight on the A1M hard shoulder, bloody typical alfa fuel gauge reading just above the red mark??????
He called me and I took an emegency can of fuel with me brimmed so about 5.5 ltrs worth..

I put it in and expected the beasty to fire up fairly quick! Nope, no way... Just a token splurt of attempts to rumble into life.

After scratching of heads and thinking it could be even worse for about twenty minutes, I remembered an older thread about low fuel levels and possible fuel pump issues.

Drove down to the local services and got another 5.5 ltrs, drove back & put that in.... Waddyaknow:thumbs:
Started first time:lol:

Word of warning for the sensible peeps... Don't just carry one fuel can, carry two... Or it will be a long, long frustrating search for problems that aren't there in the first place:lol:

After thinking about it now, it isn't surprising really.. The shape of the fuel tank and the upper frontal location of the fuel pump itself doesn't help but once it gains pressure in the system, it runs perfect.... No wonder

 

[Joss]

Or.........fill the car up instead of driving round on fumes By running it low you suck all the crap out of the botom of the tank which can lead to blocked injectors and poor running issues further down the line.

 

[Guest]

I got annoyingly stuck with no fuel at the weekend and my car cut out 100 yards from the petrol station, would have made it if i wasn't stuck in traffic! Had to push the rest of the distance and my back is suffering now!

 

[Chris Type R]

I've also run out of fuel on the A1M in my GTV - managed to pull off onto the Stevenage off ramp. Fortunately mine started with just the one container of fuel.

 

[ExBrick]

By running it low you suck all the crap out of the botom of the tank which can lead to blocked injectors and poor running issues further down the line.

Goodness, sounds horrific. Quite amazing that the crap that doesn't get disturbed by the tank being filled up, or the car being driven around, but does manage to get sucked up when the tank is nearly empty. Despite the tank feed being always taken from a low point anyway. Anyway, let's ignore all that. You think they'd put a filter in somewhere to stop the crap wouldn't you. You could call it a "fuel filter" perhaps.

Or, to put it bluntly: balls.

 

[alfafanatic100]

I don't trust the fuel gauge so i never let the reading go below 1/2 a tank before topping up.
I don't fancy sucking crud through the fuel system or giving non Italian car owners the chance to gloat and pass negative comments about Alfa's and reliability to their passengers.

 

[alfafanatic100]

QUOTE; Despite the tank feed being always taken from a low point anyway. Anyway, let's ignore all that. You think they'd put a filter in somewhere to stop the crap wouldn't you. You could call it a "fuel filter" perhaps.

Filter or not it's not good practice to run on fumes, the car will need petrol to run so why do some people run on empty?

 

[Joss]

Goodness, sounds horrific. Quite amazing that the crap that doesn't get disturbed by the tank being filled up, or the car being driven around, but does manage to get sucked up when the tank is nearly empty. Despite the tank feed being always taken from a low point anyway. Anyway, let's ignore all that. You think they'd put a filter in somewhere to stop the crap wouldn't you. You could call it a "fuel filter" perhaps.

Or, to put it bluntly: balls.

Guess you've never heard of tank sediment then Try a google search perhaps

 

[ExBrick]

Now explain howyour sediment gets past the filter...

 

[torque]

Agreed, running on fumes is not best practice, but there's usually a gauze on the pump pickup anyway to stop grit etc getting into the mechanical of the pump.

 

[OperationAlfa]

I ran out once in my 147 2.0, only took 4 litres in a can to get it back up and running

 

[alfabeat]

Took 15 litres to get mine going again after I ran out (but it was parked on a slope by the side of the road). 3 trips to the garage....... fun fun fun! Got quite fit that day!

 

[Joss]

Now explain howyour sediment gets past the filter...

Yeah cos we all know how good the general public are at servicing their cars reguarly. So you can have a blocked filter as well. Or is suppose you think that is balls too? I suppose you think a bocked injector is a myth then? Tell you what why don't you pop round and tell that to my mrs who had one on her car the other month because she always used to run round on fumes. Perhaps you can explain to her that the cost for a new injector due to the holes being blocked was not needed. Perhaps you could tell her the car made up the misfire for no reason. Or you could explain that to me who stripped it out and tested it and could visibly see that it was blocked as no fuel came through when cranking the engine even when the other three clearly fired. Or perhaps I need to go to specsavers

 

[ExBrick]

Right, so the fuel filter is blocked now, OK then. So how does sediment get past a BLOCKED filter? Just think it through instead of digging yourself deeper.

 

[1of1]

 

[Mitch916]

Right, so the fuel filter is blocked now, OK then. So how does sediment get past a BLOCKED filter? Just think it through instead of digging yourself deeper.

Your being too pedantic and making yourself sound stupid. The point being made was its not good practice to run the tank low and risk taking rubbish into the fuel system. This is clearly good advice. Even with some of the back peddling you have done, what's the point of risking a blocked fuel filter because you run the tank low? Also filters are not perfect, it doesn't take much of a bypass to cause all sorts of problems. Just don't run the tank low.

 

[NineOneSix]

I thought the 156/147 and gt didn't have fuel filters. At least they're not present in eper.

 

[Joss]

Filters....filter stuff suprisingly. However the also have to let stuff through or it wouldn't be called a filter It will stop the larger stuff but not all the very very fine particles. Injector holes are very very small to help atomisation and improve burn efficiency and are easily blocked. Why not read through what other people have said You still haven't said when you are going to pop round and explain to the mrs about her imaginary blocked injector

 

[Cosmo156SS]

I thought the 156/147 and gt didn't have fuel filters. At least they're not present in eper.

IIRC it is integrated into the pump.

 

[ar_florin]

I went with my 156 1.9 JTD 116 BHP until my fuel indicator was on the lowest line. On display appeared first LIMITED RANGE and then only ----km :lol: but it didn't stopped. Luckley the gas station was near by so I didn't had to push (I have back problems so ... ).
I guess my fuel indicator is good