full tank or let go almost empty

Rkh · Nov 5, 2015

I like keeping my vehicles full of gas & not letting my gas get down past 3/4 full, even with cheap gas. Whats everbody's opinion on keeping tank full vs letting it go almost empty & that unused gas possibly getting bad sitting in tank?

old · Nov 5, 2015

On my cars and trucks I try to keep them at half a tank or more all the time. On my tractors I tend to let them go dry and have not had much if any trouble with them and the tanks stay nice and clean.
I do have a new to me Dodge D-50 that the gas gauge does not work so I try to remember to fill it almost every time I drive it

w1ebb · Nov 5, 2015

Try to keep at least a 1/4 tank of gas in your car or truck. It will help prevent failure of the in-tank mounted fuel pump.

Scott

Ozlander · Nov 5, 2015

Baloney.

farmer boy · Nov 5, 2015

I try to keep it over 1/4 full because of the in tank fuel pump. That said though, those pumps have gotten better, and aren't quite as trouble prone as the original high pressure Chevy in tank pumps. Or it might have just been a chevy thing. Our 1998 Toyota Camry with over 430,000KMs is on it's original fuel pump, and it was run dry more than once. On small gas engines(pressure washer, weed eater) I try to run them right out for winter storage. That way there's no gas to go stale. On the tractors, I try not to let it run empty. Just so I don't run that injection pump partially dry, plus some tractors can be a GAINT pain to get bled.

MARK ROBKE · Nov 5, 2015

We always fill up at 1/2 full.That way if we had an emergency late at night and had to go the car would make it without running out.We live nowhere near any station that is open past 9 or 10 pm. Most all relatives live over an hour away.Same for late night gas.Mark

JOCCO · Nov 5, 2015

I have issue with cars and equipment being on e!!! Same as mark said emergency, storm, power outage etc. Yikes, exception is winter storage or seldom used item but I have fuel available.

JerryS · Nov 5, 2015

No expert, but I've heard that a full tank prevents condensation from collecting as water in bottom of your tank. ?????

BigMarv1085 · Nov 5, 2015

I will let my F250 get pretty low but it is not my main vehicle. In fact I had to drive the F250 today and on the return trip back home my low fuel light came on and I drove it about 25 miles like that, the only fuel station on my way back to town wanted $2.78 and made it back to town and got it for $1.89

JayinNY · Nov 5, 2015

I let my gas truck go to a 1/4 tank or less, my diesel no less than a 1/4 tank but I have had a few times were the light has come on, I can read the gauge, but they also have a low fuel light?? My other truck the gauge stoped working so I fill it when I drive it. What I don't like is as gas prices drop I don't like to fill up, it will be cheaper a day or 2 later, but you can never catch the bottom! Lol

tomNE · Nov 5, 2015

the days of keeping tanks full and having gas on the farm, passed, when card troll pumps were installed 20yrs ago. I can remember if u hadn't fueled by sat noon, it was going to be a long drive to get any gas! new fuel pumps in the gas tanks are much better then the first ones, which tended to overheat if gas level got too low! i don't even have diesel delivered to the farm. i have a trailer for farm diesel and local coop has farm diesel at the pump, cheaper then having it delivered!

F.E.Bear · Nov 5, 2015

They don't use any more fuel if you run off the top half than the bottom half of the tank. Plus you won't run out if you momentarily forget too fill it.
I usually fill up when the gauge shows a bit less than half.

Fred

wilson ind · Nov 5, 2015

I like the garlic flavored .

Eldon (WA) · Nov 5, 2015

(quoted from post at 16:36:42 11/05/15) I like keeping my vehicles full of gas & not letting my gas get down past 3/4 full, even with cheap gas. Whats everbody's opinion on keeping tank full vs letting it go almost empty & that unused gas possibly getting bad sitting in tank?

Gas tractors get just enough to get by....low humidity out here empties them out quick. Diesels get topped off regularly....of course they get used a lot more and diesel doesn't evaporate. Truck gets diesel as needed....I know they say not to run them low or you risk lift pump failure, but who has time to keep them full??

Eldon (WA) · Nov 5, 2015

(quoted from post at 17:15:18 11/05/15) I try to keep it over 1/4 full because of the in tank fuel pump. That said though, those pumps have gotten better, and aren't quite as trouble prone as the original high pressure Chevy in tank pumps. Or it might have just been a chevy thing. Our 1998 Toyota Camry with over 430,000KMs is on it's original fuel pump, and it was run dry more than once. On small gas engines(pressure washer, weed eater) I try to run them right out for winter storage. That way there's no gas to go stale. On the tractors, I try not to let it run empty. Just so I don't run that injection pump partially dry, plus some tractors can be a GAINT pain to get bled.

I've run my 04 Dodge diesel way to much on "E"....I guess having a slip tank in the back allows me to push it at times. Once ran it 10 miles after DTE showed 0 on the computer just to get to the next exit on the interstate.

Dalex · Nov 5, 2015

I fill up at half a tank for this reason . No water : longer fuel pump life....

D beatty · Nov 5, 2015

I keep mine full and fill up when it gets a little below half and never buy cut rate gasoline.

big fred · Nov 5, 2015

I buy gas when I need it, so it's usually down below half a tank. And I buy the cheapest gas I can find. I once calculated that on my 95 F-150 each injector had passed over 2,000 gallons of gas this way, never had an injector problem.

big fred · Nov 5, 2015

I agree. That is some pretty good stuff, especially with garlic bread.

Andy Martin · Nov 5, 2015

My dad explained to me the concept of vapor space breathing in moist air in the cool of the evening, resulting in water in the gas tank. So run it full. Not true for cars any more, for many years cars have had pressurized tanks which prevent evaporation and condensation. I also burn E10 which will absorb any water which may be present.

Old farm tractors are like old car tanks, they breathe, but I rely on E10 to absorb water and keep them low until they get to work, then of course fill as required.

RalphWD45 · Nov 6, 2015

I learned 10 years ago, to let the tractor tanks stay low. They get 5 gallon of gas when I need to use them, and more as they need it. The only things that are safe from the local gas thieves, are my 2 trucks, parked under the pole light, by the back door. Any water in my tractor tanks is evacuated by the siphon boys. KIND OF A LOCAL SERVICE I guess!

Two Dogs · Nov 6, 2015

I never let anything set empty or below 3/4 full except the chain saw and then I have a jug handy for that. In my vehicles I always fill up at the end of a trip. I was never a boy scout but I like their motto, "Be Prepared". TDF

Roger in Wisconsin · Nov 6, 2015

My neighbor's uncle passed last year and he inherited 3 low hour tractors. None of them would start. He asked me to help get them going. They were all gas and he kept them full. The gas tanks on all 3 were the worst I've ever seen. Many hours were spent cleaning tanks and carburetors. They sat for several years as his health failed. There was sea foam in his shed, I don't know if he used it, or what type of gas he used.

Leroy · Nov 6, 2015

Less time keeping them full tha replacing that pump. And I have no diesel, just gas and if I am close to the station I try to fill up car or truck if they get down a hundred miles. Few years ago we went to a town 50 mile away, gauge was on low, figured fill up there. Did not happen as storm went thru and no power anyware. Finly found some about 20 mile from home with the needle just touching the empty mark. Sure feels good when you finally find the fuel. But always expect you will not be able to find the fuel on the next trip when you are running on empty.

sotxbill · Nov 6, 2015

As others have said.. newer tanks are CLOSED systems and will NOT breath for about 30 years now. I normally fill up when below a quarter unless there is a need otherwise, like a long trip or holiday weekend. On closed systems there is NO need to keep full. And keeping almost full is NOT full so whats the point.

Older vehicles.. danged if you do danged if you dont. gas only last 6 months or less. so fill it up and store it and you have 20 gallons of crap in your tank to flush out. Stabil does not work over a year and most cases even less in my collection of 14 motorcycles.. I prefer to run them dry... I ESPECIALLY run the carburetors dry or they will need cleaning with the external_link gas. The 4 generators are also run dry and have removable boat tanks on them for that purpose. Diesel will hold for many years and fire right off, so no problem there. I prefer to leave them low and add new fuel when using.

And keeping almost full is NOT full so whats the point. old wives tales keeping keeping on.

sotxbill · Nov 6, 2015

when your two gallons down, you expose 45 percent of your tank to air..... when your 3 gallons FROM EMPTY you expose only 60 percent of your tank to air.

so.. what are you worrying about?? Modern tanks have a floating cutoff in the neck to keep you from filling all the way anyway so your really fooling yourself about a "FULL" tank. Most car tanks are now plastic anyway...

David G · Nov 6, 2015

I keep the tanks full on units I use rarely to prevent condensation and cycle full/empty on ones that get used.

Part Time Pete · Nov 6, 2015

I try and keep the tanks on my truck and equipment full, but I have to gas up my car every day, so I don't think I have to worry with that

sotxbill · Nov 6, 2015

With sealed systems you only expose it to condensation via outside air when you fill up. The more often you fill up, the more times you let air in and expose it to condensation. Fill up often and get more condensation. Fill up only when you need it and the filling of the fluid pushes out all the air and you only have exposure to a little bit of air less often, therefore less condensation.......

And then there is the venting off when hot and cooling down and equalizing. Venting off hot air means your getting rid of moisture laden air. Equalizing with cool air means you getting dryer air and you do this every 24 hours in most all climates unless ultra cold and then below freezing the air the dry anyway.

And filling up during a rain storm is even worse.

So those who fill up more often have more exposure to air and the condensation it brings. So your doing more harm to your fuel system. And dont get me started on alcohol in fuel being hydroscopic. Meaning it attracts moisture and carries it through the fuel system. :twisted:

fixerupper · Nov 6, 2015

I had a 92 S-10 that I was frequently running out of gas. The gauge was working and right in front of me but I didn't pay attention to it. When I took it to Grab-N-Go with 145,000 miles on the clock the fuel pump still worked.

While I'm at it, today on a whim I decided to start my '35 A Deere today. It started like it had been run just yesterday but it hasn't been run for a year and needed a good warming up. It sits in an old unheated wooden barn with a cement floor and a good roof. The gas (yes, ethanol) was two years old at least and when I looked down into the tank to see if any was left there was a fourth of a tank and when I took a whiff it still smelled fresh. I was expecting an old rotten smell.

When I started my R Deere a month ago, for the first time in a year the gas in the little quart can for the pony motor smelled terribly rotten and the carb, or fuel mixer was gummed up and needed cleaning before the pony would start. This fuel tank was filled with fresh ethanol a year ago, so why is the two year old gas in the A still decently good but the one year old gas in the R is rotten?

OLWHDA · Nov 6, 2015

Fill the car and pickup every time we come home from family visits etc, even just driving around the city. Learned that years ago, (1975) having a daughter that might be going to hospital or EMRoom in the middle of the night, (ASTHMA) you'll learn real quick, maybe power outage, NO 24 hour stations in town. Also learn to keep good tires on vehicles.

Aaron Ford · Nov 7, 2015

No lower than 1/4. I do this for two reasons. The midnight run to the ER is much easier when there is gas in the tank. (In case of emergency, take my car. My wife's will be empty.) I also do this for the fuel pump cooling. I hate dropping a tank and will do just about anything to reduce my odds of dropping one in the future. I may have to change the one in my wife's car but dropping a tank is easier than getting her to change... Remember the "just about anything" part?

Aaron

mj · Nov 7, 2015

(quoted from post at 20:31:55 11/05/15) They don't use any more fuel if you run off the top half than the bottom half of the tank. Plus you won't run out if you momentarily forget too fill it.
I usually fill up when the gauge shows a bit less than half.
Fred

Yep - it's no cheaper in the ground than it is in the tank.

full tank or let go almost empty

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