Ran out of gas...

Sonicvaj

Sonicvaj

Casual User
You're 5
Jun 21, 2016
11
1
Ontario
VetteCoins
550
Car
C5z
So as a new c5 owner. My gas gauge doesn't work. Only when it wants to..
Went to a family picnic yesterday. My trip meter shows 400km. Wasn't too far so I thought I should be fine. On my way home I felt like my clutch wasn't grabbing??? Losing power??? Then eventually the motor struggled... died
Worst feeling ever. On the side of the road with a dead vette. To make matters worst my phone was not getting any service. I got lucky some family members were still heading home and aided me.
I've just started the gas gauge treatment a few weeks ago. Using gum out regen high milage. I'm currently waiting to go to the states to get some techron.
Now I know, when I hit 400km. Time for a fill up to be safe
 
All's well that ends well Sonic. Hmmmmm.....400km.... methinks you may have had your foot in it a couple times.... :thumbs:
Good luck getting the gum out!
 
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There is an fuel additive and I forget the name but it is hard to find in Canada but readily available in the US, maybe Techron or something like that, that is supposed to help with these problems in the fuel system. There was a discussion about it not long ago on here. Cleans junk off floats etc. Somebody will know.

Good luck and glad you were able to get some help.
 
You should also be able to use toluene as we used to use that at my old work place for cleaning electrical components AND it acts as an octane boost. Win-Win! However, do some research before using it. :D

I ran my Corvette out of gas once. It was a fight between my gas gauge and trip computer. The computer said I had 75 km left to go, the gauge disagreed and won so I know exactly what you are talking about. It kicked off my cruise control, went to an idle for about 30 seconds whether I pushed the gas pedal or not and then shut off. Luckily my phone worked.
 
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I feel your pain! Mine wasn't gas it was battery. Bought the vette and Darcy the previous owner warned me the battery was original and I should change it. Naw, having to much fun and it was working. The next weekend I took Jo and we travelled to Grande Prairie. Well we hit rain Thursday nght, snow Friday morning! Stayed the night and Parked in the car park at the old Grande Prairie in. Next morning was sunny and I was meeting Jo's son for the first time. Walked out to the car. Opened the doors, pressed the start button and all I got was Rowr, once.......

You got it battery dead. So I met joanne's son saying hi witht his ht car and asking him for a boost from a 90's minivan! Not cool, but now very funny!
 
I heard a story about fuel levels in Corvettes, perhaps any car with an in tank fuel pump. The story was that if the gas level is really low that the pump itself will be hot from use without the cooling effect of the gas in the tank. You then fill up the tank with gasoline which is cold from in ground storage. That sudden shock from the cold fuel can cause the pump to go into some type of thermal shock. This apparently very hard on the pump itself.

Maybe a wives tale but it might also keep you from running out of gas. Who knows.
 
Black 03 Z06 said:
I heard a story about fuel levels in Corvettes, perhaps any car with an in tank fuel pump. The story was that if the gas level is really low that the pump itself will be hot from use without the cooling effect of the gas in the tank. You then fill up the tank with gasoline which is cold from in ground storage. That sudden shock from the cold fuel can cause the pump to go into some type of thermal shock. This apparently very hard on the pump itself.

Maybe a wives tale but it might also keep you from running out of gas. Who knows.
Click to expand...

At the beginnings of fuel injected cars in the 80's, I was replacing fuel pump almost every day, the pumps where not as good and long lasting as today's cars. I remember I was telling all customers to keep the fuel tank at least half full to cool of the pump. Most of them who used to run on fumes where great customers. I never heard about the thermal shock but if it is right, refilling when the tanks is 1/2 empty probably make the fuel temperature drop les.
 
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I like to keep my tank as full as possible and don't let it stay very low for very long. But my reasoning is the less headspace in the tank, the less possibility of condensation forming..... sounds good anyway..... lol...
 
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I've heard of people having issues after running out of gas in the C5 so I was a bit nervous about the car firing right up but since I had a 45 minute wait for my brother to bring me some fuel, I'm sure the pump was cool by then.
 
RockyPM said:
I feel your pain! Mine wasn't gas it was battery. Bought the vette and Darcy the previous owner warned me the battery was original and I should change it. Naw, having to much fun and it was working. The next weekend I took Jo and we travelled to Grande Prairie. Well we hit rain Thursday nght, snow Friday morning! Stayed the night and Parked in the car park at the old Grande Prairie in. Next morning was sunny and I was meeting Jo's son for the first time. Walked out to the car. Opened the doors, pressed the start button and all I got was Rowr, once.......

You got it battery dead. So I met joanne's son saying hi witht his ht car and asking him for a boost from a 90's minivan! Not cool, but now very funny!
Click to expand...
RockyPM said:
I feel your pain! Mine wasn't gas it was battery. Bought the vette and Darcy the previous owner warned me the battery was original and I should change it. Naw, having to much fun and it was working. The next weekend I took Jo and we travelled to Grande Prairie. Well we hit rain Thursday nght, snow Friday morning! Stayed the night and Parked in the car park at the old Grande Prairie in. Next morning was sunny and I was meeting Jo's son for the first time. Walked out to the car. Opened the doors, pressed the start button and all I got was Rowr, once.......

You got it battery dead. So I met joanne's son saying hi witht his ht car and asking him for a boost from a 90's minivan! Not cool, but now very funny!
Click to expand...

Glad it worked out. Grande prairie! I was born there! Always thought it was a tiny town. But that was like 30 years ago lol
 
I run Shell 91 or Co-op 91. Ran them in my C6 as well and have never had a problem. Petro Can 94 is ethanol blended and I have no idea why, but I avoid ethanol blended fuels. Lots of guys out here don't seem to mind it though. Supposedly the Chevron 94 has a techron additive that cleans and helps lower emissions and no ethanol, but not sure where their stations are other than BC.
 
Riley P said:
Co-op 91 has ethanol as well. :(
So now I steer clear of Co-op for fuel. Good to hear Costco 91 doesn't have ethanol.
Click to expand...

hmmmm..... Maybe in Saskatchewan Riley.... Unless they are lying to us here in Alberta....



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Nope, there's no ethanol in Sask Coop's. My co workers wife is actually a manager at the card lock here in Lloyd, and they have their premium tested regularly, and no ethanol according to her.
 
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