What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Hi All,

I have had my HCH II since Dec 2007. I have logged every tank and the mileage. I am averaging 42-43 mpg.

I get a light for empty tank at the 3 bars mark and I usually end up filling when the mark drops to 1 bar. That usually has been a 10 gallon mark it seems since the tank always gets filled up by 10.xx gallons.

So if the tank is supposed to be a 12 gallon tank, would this mean that I can actually drive another 40-60 miles without gas running out when the last bar is left?

Anyways, what I have noticed is that the mpg counter by the trip meter is not accurate. My averages are always off by at least 2 mpgs. Just a FYI.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

If Honda cars are anything like Acuras then they probably have a built in reserve for "emergency gas". I have a friend that owned an Acura Integra. He said he was once able to run it until it was completely dry. He said that he was able to run the car for about an hour after hitting "E" on gauge. I think an hour should be a reasonable time to reach a gas station for most people.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

After 9 months and 18,000 miles, I'm still amazed by how far I can drive the HCH on "E."

A month ago, I drove another 50 miles after the lights went dark on the readout, and I still put in only 11.5 gal (of the 12.3 capacity). And I believe that some of that 11.5 went into the filler neck, because I usually go 'til the third 'click.'

So, it's darn tough to empty an HCH fuel tank.

.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Do you have an '08? My fuel light doesn't come on till two bars, and fill up about 10 gal at zero bars.

Anyways, yes there is about a 2 gallon reserve (sometimes more; sometimes less), when you hit zero bars. I am usually to afraid to test this, but I have gone about 30 miles without any bars left and only filled up just less than 11 gal.

If you do a search around here, you can find many threads on this. Some people keep a spare tank in their trunk and purposely run the car empty. When it is 100% empty, you are able to put just over 13 gallons (assuming you are filling to the brim).

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

The most I've ever put in the tank was 12.01 gallons. I've calculated that after 22,000 miles that on average I have 1.7 gallons left of my 12.3 when the light comes on. I always reset my Trip B as soon as the light comes on so I can watch the FE and miles more closely.

A word of caution though. Unlike other cars I've had, once the fuel light comes on in the HCH, it doesn't flicker on and off as the fuel sloshes around in the tank. It locks on. The effect is that if you happen to go around a corner fast, you could cause the light to come on earlier than usual. In the data I've collected, I've seen the light come on as early as 2.0 gallons left (wife out driving like she does in her BMW) and as late as 1.4 gallons left (steady driving on the desert interstate).

-dan

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I have an HCH I, but the salesman who sold me my car said that there is about 1.5 gallons left when the tank signals that it's empty. I guess it's a safety net to prevent folks from running out of gas.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I waited for the gas light to come on once...and was able to put 10.5 gallons back in.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

All 6 of my largest fill ups have been 10.6 gallons - and I drive quite a while after all the fuel bars dissappear.

The tank holds 12.3 or gallons; That leaves 1.7 gallons.
At my average of 64.2 MPG I could still go 109 miles.

But I don't push it because I hear when you run a gas tank dry yucky sediment gets into your fuel injection system and clogs it up.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Last tank was 10.3 gallons. The light came on after the bars were gone and drove another 20 miles until fill up. My best tank so far at 47.67!

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I have noticed this as well. The gauge does not fluctuate going up or down hills like other cars. Once a blip disappears, it does not come back until the next fill-up. Personally, I think it's better than having a fluctuating gauge.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

The most I have ever refilled the tank was 12.614 gallons.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

We've driven the gage down to zero bars. When we filled up, it accepted 12.6 gallons. I do not think we could have driven much further without refuelling.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I drove it 20 miles past 0 bars today and only filled up with 10.623 gal

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

The giantquesadilla evidently had some extra gas somewhere...

:angel:

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

There's a website dedicated to this speculation on various cars. It's at:
http://tankonempty.com/ Have fun!

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Best 52.22 mpg (5th tank). worst 47.53 mpg (1st tank).

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

That is very good mileage! You must show great care and restraint when driving. Ashen typically got 40-44 MPG due to road rage. I salute your discipline!
:)

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

yeah. not too bad considering that I'm doing urban driving and only 40% of the time on city highways (not inter-state). the rest of the time in stop & go driving.

however, i envy those that is doing much better than myself. papaya is clocking 3.52l / 100km. this is 66.74 mpg!!!

i rely a lot on the iFE gauge. but i do not drive slow.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I've posted a few times in the forum on my tank distances after the fuel light comes on and after the last blip goes out. I've had my 07 HCHII since April 2007 and have put 15,600 miles on it. My overall average is 48mpg. On average (when temps above 50F) the fuel light comes on usually around 10-20 miles after there are only 2 blips left, which for me is around 460-500 miles. I notice that the last 2 blips seem to disappear very quickly (usually after 20-25 miles or so). I then continue to watch my tank miles and can run it to 575-650 miles. When I fillup, it's usually around 11.5 to 12.2 gallons. I don't top off except to get to the next $.50 or $1.00 on the pump (if it clicks at $36.72, I fill to $37.00).

Now, stating what I have above, I have run out of gas twice. Both times my wife had driven it sometime on those 2 tanks which have thrown off my estimated numbers by as much as 30-40 miles on the tank (shows how heavy she can be on the accelerator). The first time I ran out of gas, I was pulling up to a computer job and as I turned onto his street, the car started to shudder when I pressed the accelerator. I coasted to park in front of his house. I had to put about 1 gallon of gas in the tank before I could get it started and over to the gas station.

The 2nd time I ran out of gas I was on the freeway. It was strange to me because I only had 517 miles on the tank (but again my wife had driven the car and f'd up the mileage and mpg only driving it about 25 miles). I was in a hilly part of the freeway (right near Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo) so I was able to shudder and coast about 1 mile, using up the battery from a full charge down to 1 bar! I walked about 1/4 mile before a CHP pulled up behind me (as I was walking on the side of the freeway) and took me to the next exit about 2 miles away to a gas station. He couldn't drive me back because the CHP can't transport fuel, so I got a ride back from someone at the station going back that way.

I still push each tank, but do try and fillup after about 50-75 miles after the last blip goes out :embarass:

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Please tell me that this still isn't the case in 2008! I mean, surely the car companies must have figured this out and put some sort of a filter between the tank and the fuel line no??? ANyone?

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I can't think of a car that doesn't have an inline filter somewhere between the gastank and the engine.

I do know that some vehicles' fuel pumps are in tank and lubricated by the fuel. In that case, it's not a good thing to run them dry.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

refilled w/ 13.4 gal once, to the neck. someone here got a bit more.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Whenever you can put in more gas than your tank holds, it makes me think maybe the station owner is padding his wallet with some rigged pumps. Not only does this cost you more, it hurts your FE.

-dan

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

If you are suspicious of someone doing that, I would try and fill a 2 or 3 gallon tank with gas and see what happens.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

How the heck are you getting that kind of mileage? I am trying and getting 39MPG. It is in temps of 5 to 32 degrees.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

Wait until it warms up in the spring. You will notice a huge increase in FE. Also your car needs to break in. Are you using a block heater and/or covering your front grill?

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

[quote=AJR;162172]...I have run out of gas twice. Both times my wife had driven it sometime on those 2 tanks which have thrown off my estimated numbers by as much as 30-40 miles on the tank (shows how heavy she can be on the accelerator).

This comment brings up another question pertaining to figuring out how much gas you have left. How accurate are the MPG and TRIP meters? If the MPG meter states 40.0 MPG and the TRIP meter reads 400.0 miles, you have consumed 10 gallons of gas (+/- some error). Given this you would have 2.3 gallons of gas remaining. IF you fillup to the very top of the neck of the tank, you would still have to determine how much the entire tank can hold (12.3 gals + any designed reserve + the neck). Let's say for example this number is 14.0. Knowing this, wouldn't you be able to use the MPG and TRIP meters to determine when you have consumed 14.0 gallons of gas? Using this method would make it irrelevant who drove the car and what driving habits they exhibited.

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I have a 2006. The light usually comes on when I have 3 bars left. On my last tank, all the light came on with 3 bars left and I ran it till all the bars were out. After the last bar went out I drove 23 more miles then filled up.....I put 12.31 gallons in! (I know some of that was the filler neck that is probably NOT counted in the tank capicity....but I must have be close to completly empty!)

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

I try not to go below 1/2 tank. Easy on the pocketbook to only put $10 - $20 bucks in and see my trip saying 200- 300 miles... love it.

Only once have I got to the LOW GAS LIGHT...and I was 50 miles from a gas station... I was worried...but I was getting 62 mpg...I think I put 11 gallons in...and since I knew the tank was 12.3 ...I could of gone another 60+ miles...WOW! LOVE MY HCH!

Re: What's the lowest level have you gotten your tank?
 

How is filling up at half a tank benefical? It amazes me when I see someone not fill up, particularlly when they put in only $5-$10. Sure, it makes sense if you borrowed a friends car or have a leaky tank, but I think some people just do it this way with their own cars all the time. It seems to me they're going to spend the same amount on gas in a year whether or not they fill up each time. The difference being that those that don't fill up waste a lot more time detouring to and hanging around gas stations.

Aside from the personal time lost, another disadvantage of keeping your tank more than half full is that on the average you're carrying around more weight which hurts your FE more when you have to accelerate or climb a hill.

That aside, congrats on keeping up the good FE.

-dan