Running out of gas is embarrassing, but that isn’t the primary thing you should worry about. McCurley’s Shell cautions that driving on a near-empty gas tank can actually damage your automobile. Gas does more than provide the combustion chamber with an accelerant to start a fire. It is a cooling liquid for your fuel pump. A good rule of thumb is to fill up when you have one-quarter of a tank left. Whatever you do, don’t go as low as your fuel warning light to avoid the following problems.
Clogs the Fuel Filter Sooner
Even if you fill up with the cleanest premium gas in town, sediment settles to the bottom of your gas tank. All gasoline has sediment, which is why your engine needs a fuel filter. In fact, the fuel is filtered twice. Gas flows through the fuel filter when it is drawn out of the tank, and then it flows through it again when it is pushed through to the engine. The less fuel you have in the tank the more sediment is drawn out of it, and this clogs your fuel filter before it would normally need to be replaced.
Damages the Fuel Pump
As we said above, gasoline keeps your fuel pump motor cool. It works as a coolant to prevent the motor from overheating. Driving on fumes draws more air through the fuel pump and this, consequently, can make the fuel pump motor overheat. Because the heat has nowhere to go, if the motor gets hot enough, your engine will overheat, too. The pump will also draw sediment out of the gas tank and this can clog the fuel pump as much as it can clog the fuel filter.
Draws Sediment to the Engine
Any sediment that makes its way into the engine can cause some serious damage. When driving on empty, pretty much the only thing that the fuel pump is pulling out of the tank is the dirt and sediment. Some of this debris can make its way through the clogged fuel filter and end up in your combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is sealed off completely because the parts cannot be contaminated by any outside source, including sediment from your gas tank.
You Could Break Down
Finally, you don’t want to be the person who causes a traffic jam because you ran out of gas. It’s just not worth opening yourself up to the risk of someone hitting you because they couldn’t stop in time. Stop by and fill your tank at McCurley’s Shell in Atlanta, GA. We’re also a full-service auto repair shop, and we can help you take care of your car, truck, CUV, or SUV. Give us a call for a service appointment.