# Fuel Light



## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

I have a 96 GXE and have heard of talks of a fuel light. My brother said he has seen it but i have not. If so, where does it come out from??


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## scrappy (Jun 30, 2002)

What do you mean fuel light. The one that comes on when you are running low on gas? If so hen it should be right by you gas gauge, mine is in the lower left corner by the gas gauge if this is what youre talking about.


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## landlord (Jun 11, 2002)

yep right under empty . changes intensity too. little yellow guy. its time to get gas when it stays on full all the time, trust me and dont ask how i know!!


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

*landlord*

About how many miles do you get after it stays lit?


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## UnderDog (Jul 14, 2002)

My gas guage is off somewhat, and I don't know why. My gas light came on fullbright one day and I winged it and drove from Hurst to Grand Prairie and back (about 35 miles round trip for those not in the Dallas, Texas area) and I still never ran out of gas. I never really know. I just reset the trip odometer and fill up every 300 miles or so.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

I filled up at 315 miles on my last tank...the needle was on E but no gas light came on...next time I'll try and wait for it to come on.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

Yeah i usually get about 320 per tank. The needle barely graces the top of the white part where the E is at. Does it turn on at the bottom?? When i fill up i put about 10 or 11 gallons. Is it a 13 gallon tank??


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## stealthb14 (Apr 30, 2002)

*Never.*

Only ONCE with my 97 sentra did my fuel light come on. I actually ran out of gas one time, because I misjudged how much I had in my tank (Way back in the day, I used to get 360 miles to a full tank, now I get around 260-280), Not once did my fuel light come on. I'm curious about that...my dealer can't seem to find the problem. I just fill up now when I am at 1/4 of a tank. --> good rule of thumb, IMO.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

So you ran out of gas without the light coming on? Not very reassuring to hear that...


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## aminidab (Apr 30, 2002)

Before I did a cluster swap my gauge cluster did not have a fuel light. The new cluster I put it does have a fuel light and it works once everything was rewired correctly.


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## UnderDog (Jul 14, 2002)

It's a 13 gallon tank. Sometimes mine comes on above E and sometimes below. It's tempermental.


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

I think i got to about 30 miles, after the lil red light came on. Was in the desert, and forgott to get gas before i left the dang city. So at least 30 miles from when the light 1st comes on.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

Does the '99 GXE LE gauge cluster come with a tach?


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Yes it does......


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

hmm...that's probably why aminidab also only noticed the fuel light working with the cluster with the tach, and not before. Guess I don't have a fuel light in mine(no tach)...does anything bad happen to the engine if you run it 'till it runs out of gas?


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## UnderDog (Jul 14, 2002)

Yeah, it shuts off and won't start until you get more gas.

(heheh)


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

As long as no engine damage is done, I guess I'm gonna be walking to the nearest gas station soon enough


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

well its is not good for the fuel pump if you are constantly running under a 1/4 tank of gas. Im not sure if it hurts if you run out of gas, and also im not sure if you might have to hit a reset switch like in some domestic cars.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

Does the fuel pump have to work harder to scavenge the gas from the bottom of the tank, or does it get damaged because it gets dirty from picking up the stuff that's at the bottom of the tank?


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## Nostrodomas (Jun 15, 2002)

Actually a lil of bolth.


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## landlord (Jun 11, 2002)

actually ive been told it can be damaging because you can suck up the junk on that settels in the bottom of the tank. that cant be good for the pump. i would hope the fule filter would catch it before it (the junk) got to the injectors.


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## scrappy (Jun 30, 2002)

Its supposed to be bad on your fuel injectors for your car to run out of gas


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## Scott (Apr 15, 2002)

barnoun said:


> *Does the fuel pump have to work harder to scavenge the gas from the bottom of the tank, or does it get damaged because it gets dirty from picking up the stuff that's at the bottom of the tank? *


The pump can also overheat if it gets too low.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

Good info guys...thanks


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

my fuel gauge is almost perfect when I run on empty. It settles right on the E when my fuel light goes on but when I fill it up, it doesn't quite make it to the F.

Anyway, when the fuel light goes on, you still have a good amount of fuel left. The longest I've driven WITH the fuel light on is 3 days of normal back and forth driving. When I finally filled it up, I only put in 11.2 gallons before it was full again. To me, that means that after driving 3 days with the fuel light on, I still had 1.8 gallons still in the tank.

also, on the tach cluster, the fuel light is a little orange dot below the fuel needle. On the non-tach version, I think it's a bigger icon on the bottom, by the CEL or the brights indicator.


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## aminidab (Apr 30, 2002)

I might be wrong about my fuel light on my old cluster. I just checked and it does have a fuel light, but it also has an ABS and O/D off light(on a manual w/o ABS). But the fuel light probably works (why wouldn't it?) I just never got that low on fuel.


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## 97sentragxe (Jun 20, 2002)

OK, here's the deal with distance to empty. I am a professional at this...
I average over 400 miles per tank on my 97 Sentra. At this moment, it's got 297 miles on this particular fill-up, and I"m barely below the 1/2 mark. The most I ever got on one tank of gas was 455 miles. This was ALL highway, with no AC on. When I filled it up it took something like 12.3 gallons, which, considering at the time, I thought Sentras only had a 12 gallon tank, I thouhgt that was amazing. Anyway, I've never had a problem with my fuel pump, or filter, although I replace the filter every 30,000 miles and I"ve never run it out of gas before, either. I've got 70,000 miles on the car, and I always drive to the last drop, it seems. It runs in my family. 
Anyway, after driving like this for so long, I would have oto think that driving on empty does absolutely nothing to harm your engine, injectors, or any other part of your car. As long as you keep up with the manufacturers suggestions, you should be fine, and I've never seen in an owners manual where it says "driving on empty will harm your car." Since owners manuals are idiot based guides, mentioning such intricities as how to fasten your seatbelt, or how to lock and unlock the doors, etc. you'd think they would mention harm if it were a possibility. All it says on the fuel issue is where the gas door is, how much gas the tank holds, and of course, to make sure you always turn the ignition off when refueling. 
Damn, that went on forever.


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## Scott (Apr 15, 2002)

97sentragxe said:


> *Anyway, after driving like this for so long, I would have oto think that driving on empty does absolutely nothing to harm your engine, injectors, or any other part of your car. *


That's one person's conclusion. Running the tank to near empty is still not recommended. It causes unnecessary stress on the fuel pump.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

damn, 400mi, I wish I could do that. first of all, I drive with my AC on all the time, being in FL, I can't even touch my steering wheel If my AC hasn't even been on for at least a minute or two. but my mileage still sucks, I may only get up to 250 mi per tank in the city and not much better on highway (maybe 300) what should I do, I just passed 30,000mi. All I know is I need to get rid of these crappy Bosch plugs. BTW, I know this has been told a million times b4, but how much a gap in the plugs?


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## 97sentragxe (Jun 20, 2002)

Scott, you're an admin, so I obviously can't argue on anything with an admin. I've learned by watching others try to argue. Yes, that's one person's opinion, but then, you say it's not recommended to drive near empty. Like I've said, it doesn't say anywhere in the owners manual that it does damage, so why are you so sure that I'm the one who's wrong here? You have your opinion, I have mine, you say potato, I say potahto.... Don't ban me, I'm just further expressing "one person's opinion."


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

97sentragxe said:


> *so I obviously can't argue on anything with an admin.*


got that right.....


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

I am running 91 octane on my car and i get about 320 miles per tank. Actually i could be getting close to 400 cause when i fill the tank i always have to put in 10-11 gallons when i reach this. This is going about 35 miles a day in which 2 miles are street.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

those numbers sound about right. especially if you have a 5sp.


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## Scott (Apr 15, 2002)

97sentragxe said:


> *Scott, you're an admin, so I obviously can't argue on anything with an admin. I've learned by watching others try to argue. Yes, that's one person's opinion, but then, you say it's not recommended to drive near empty. Like I've said, it doesn't say anywhere in the owners manual that it does damage, so why are you so sure that I'm the one who's wrong here? You have your opinion, I have mine, you say potato, I say potahto.... Don't ban me, I'm just further expressing "one person's opinion." *


Has nothing to do with me being an admin. It's your opinion that no damage will result simply because it hasn't happened to you and the owners manual doesn't specifically warn against the practice. The manual probably doesn't warn against driving into trees either. However, that doesn't negate the fact it's not good for the fuel pump to run the tank low. Honestly, do whatever you like because it's your car and I don't care.  But I won't do it to my car.


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## Niss200SXGTR (May 31, 2002)

I agree scott, my manual says "watch for falling cows, and pigs"... and "keep your windshield wipers replaced every 6 months". but i sometimes have to bend the rules.. and i replace them every 3.. lol


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Scott is right about the possible damage to the fuel pump. Dont belive me? Read the first line of my sig..nuff said.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

Don't try and start going on a power trip admins., just because you can edit and ban us doesn't mean you're almighty and powerful...which you aren't being in this thread, but that's what it seems like the others are thinking from what they wrote


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

barnoun said:


> *Don't try and start going on a power trip admins., just because you can edit and ban us doesn't mean you're almighty and powerful...which you aren't being in this thread, but that's what it seems like the others are thinking from what they wrote *


I am not on a power trip because I am a moderator. I have the education and work experiance in the automotive field to know what I am talking about. So what you(barnoun) just said has nothing to do with my reply to this post. If we(mods/admin) were on a power trip, dont you think we would have used our "powers" on this thread to "fiddle" around with other members replies? Man, we could make any member "say" anything we want. We dont do that though.

If you want to share your opinions thats fine, but dont try to present it as facts. If you do, you will fool the less educated members, but those who are educated will shoot you down.


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

I know you guys aren't abusing your power(from what you've responded in this thread), I was just saying to not start abusing your power(yeah, I know you haven't). Alright, the reason I wrote what I did was because of that message where (97sentragxe) says he can't argue with an admin., and (1997 GA16DE) agrees. Just wanted to make it clear that you guys aren't super authorities or anything like that, and that it's okay to argue if there's a valid pont to be made. That is all.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

hey man don't bring me into this, I'm already on bad terms with Patscott...


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## Scott (Apr 15, 2002)

We make an effort not to use (much less abuse) our power. I don't edit messages unless the content is illegal or violates our advertising rules. If we as administrators disagree with someone we certainly won't ban them or curtail their forum permissions. In fact, if a message is edited by a moderator or administrator you will know because a disclaimer will be added at the bottom.

Argue with admins or moderators all you want. Despite what some of you may have come to believe that is no reason you can't. But don't expect any of us to back down simply because you disagree. Would you?


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## barnoun (May 7, 2002)

1997 GA16DE said:


> *hey man don't bring me into this, I'm already on bad terms with Patscott... *


Sorry dude, didn't mean to put you in a bad position. 

Scott: I just wanted to clear that up, I didn't mean that you or PatScott were doing anything wrong.


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

As Scott said, go ahead and argue with us if you want, argument can be healthy. Remember that many members of this board are engineers,techs,professional racers,ect, and becuase of our background that is why alot of us have our mod/admin postitions(not that you need this to have one of these positions). So when you/anyone argues with someone like me or a certain famous engineer around here, it is quite possible that you are arguing with someone who has more automotive education(not saying we are are ALWAYS right, though). Its cool if you want to argue with me about automotive stuff, but if it is something that I have been "schooled" in I will probably not back down.


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## 97sentragxe (Jun 20, 2002)

I, for one, wasn't arguing with anyone, admin, mod, or otherwise. So you're an ASE master tech.... Good, you probably do know more about a car than myself, and that is good. When something is wrong with my car, and I can't figure it out, it will go to an ASE tech, because you guys are supposed to know whats wrong. However, just because you're an ASE master tech, does not automatically mean you know all there is to know. I'm not saying anyone should back down when challeneged. Hell, a lot of people on here know I'm a state trooper, so I obviously can't back down when challenged on things related to the law. HOWEVER, this doesn't mean, I don't listen to people and their reasons/excuses, and if it's a valid point, I"ll sometimes let little things slide. 
I never implied that anyone was abusing their mod power in this thread or any other, and I'm certainly not trying to "fool inexperienced members" into believing anything. I was simplly stating MY observations on the thread, which I thought was the entire point of this forum. This thread isn't even related to fuel lights anymore, so why don't we just close this one and forget about it?


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