Fuel Range

[edocali]

A couple of weeks ago I deliberately ran the Cali to 0km if displayed range and kept driving for another ~3km before refuelling. All good.

So today I was counting on the display which was still showing 10km as I exited the motorway in Calais to refuel before getting on the eurotunnel.
However as I stopped to search for the closest cheapest petrol … the stop/start mechanism stopped the engine… but did not manage to restart it!
The battery light came on so I was mislead and I tried a few times to restart the engine until it dawned on me that the battery light was a red herring and lack of fuel was the issue.
I took the bike off the rack and cycled to the nearest petrol station. I filled a used water can (not too dry unfortunately) with diesel and it was enough to get the engine to restart after a longer attempt.
from my reading of the forum I had been quite lucky … will not tempt fate again…

 

[andyinluton]

A couple of weeks ago I deliberately ran the Cali to 0km if displayed range and kept driving for another ~3km before refuelling. All good.

Not a good idea, the bottom of the tank is where you find all the bits of dirt, also water floats on diesel so any water in the tank will be in those final dregs.
I know there are filters but that's the easiest way to clog them up.

 

[B J G]

When I first have a new vehicle I (at some convenient point) run it until the low fuel warning comes on and fill it ASAP. I then deduct that amount from the tank capacity to see what was actually remaining in the tank, from that I can calculate the maximum range left. Usually less than display figure.

In petrol car days I used to carry a full fuel can and then drive until the car ran out/stopped to see how far it went from the low fuel warning indication.

On my Cali the range drops faster than the miles covered when the fuel gauge gets below 1/3rd full.

I also take the fuel low level warning as the point when fuel is needed due to the Regen needing a 1/4 tank.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I was thinking the same about the running out of fuel thing so I bought a nice black 5 ltr fuel container filled it with diesel and put it in the shed ready for holidays. I thought great I should be ok now till when I went to get it out of the shed and mice had chewed through it in 4 places with a nice dribble of diesel on the shed floor. Yet there has been a green petrol can for the mower been there for the past 15 years and it’s still perfect. At least I know now what tipple mice like...

 

[altvic]

I was thinking the same about the running out of fuel thing so I bought a nice black 5 ltr fuel container filled it with diesel and put it in the shed ready for holidays. I thought great I should be ok now till when I went to get it out of the shed and mice had chewed through it in 4 places with a nice dribble of diesel on the shed floor. Yet there has been a green petrol can for the mower been there for the past 15 years and it’s still perfect. At least I know now what tipple mice like...

They like the new ‘organic’ plastics. Folk have had their cali wires nibbled through by rodents and foxes etc. Very expensive for consumers and design flaw by automotive manufacturers.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

They like the new ‘organic’ plastics. Folk have had their cali wires nibbled through by rodents and foxes etc. Very expensive for consumers and design flaw by automotive manufacturers.

I can tell you they certainly liked mine. They are now all now nibbling on that big fuel can in the sky...

 

[66tim99]

I then deduct that amount from the tank capacity

Is the 80L tank really 80L?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Is the 80L tank really 80L?

Its bigger than the silly 70l.
Always tick the 80l option IMO.

 

[B J G]

Its bigger than the silly 70l.
Always tick the 80l option IMO.

Doesn't matter if it was a 100ltr tank there is still the possibility to try running to the range limit.

 

[Mr T]

Its bigger than the silly 70l.
Always tick the 80l option IMO.

My T5.1 had the 80L tank and my T6 has the “silly 70L” tank and I really am not bothered. Never found it inconvenient to refuel a little sooner, I never run the tank right down anyway.
It’s my daily driver too.

 

[66tim99]

I then deduct that amount from the tank capacity

Is the 80L tank really 80L?

Doesn't matter if it was a 100ltr tank there is still the possibility to try running to the range limit.

Of course, a worthy exercise, but to use your method you need to know the tank capacity. I just wondered if it was accurate, whether 80L or 70L...?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Doesn't matter if it was a 100ltr tank there is still the possibility to try running to the range limit.

Of course.
Man mentality
Pretty sure, no woman on the planet ever ran out of fuel…

 

[ash]

Capacity-wise, I coasted into the local petrol station on Monday in our T5 (80 litre tank as standard back then I think) with the range on 5 miles and tipped in 84.24L before the pump clicked off. Decided not to share my mild range anxiety with the others 4 on board, especially having previously treated the tank to 10L of unleaded for a change.

 

[66tim99]

Capacity-wise, I coasted into the local petrol station on Monday in our T5 (80 litre tank as standard back then I think) with the range on 5 miles and tipped in 84.24L before the pump clicked off. Decided not to share my mild range anxiety with the others 4 on board, especially having previously treated the tank to 10L of unleaded for a change.

How did the unleaded work out?!

 

[ash]

How did the unleaded work out?!

I wasn't brave enough to dilute it with 60+ liters of diesel and hope for the best. I rolled the van off the forecourt and waited for the nice man in a yellow van (with special "I'm dealing with a berk" misfuel branding all over the side) to arrive and hoover it all out. I'd like to say it won't happen again but somehow ...

 

[WelshGas]

I wasn't brave enough to dilute it with 60+ liters of diesel and hope for the best. I rolled the van off the forecourt and waited for the nice man in a yellow van (with special "I'm dealing with a berk" misfuel branding all over the side) to arrive and hoover it all out. I'd like to say it won't happen again but somehow ...

Fuel Angel - then it won't happen again.

 

[flying banana]

70l tank. Mine said zero when I filled up . So reckon it wasn't too far off. I don't recommend trying it. Running those expensive modern diesel fuel injection pumps dry isn't a good thing.

 

[Erbster]

I wasn't brave enough to dilute it with 60+ liters of diesel and hope for the best. I rolled the van off the forecourt and waited for the nice man in a yellow van (with special "I'm dealing with a berk" misfuel branding all over the side) to arrive and hoover it all out. I'd like to say it won't happen again but somehow ...

Fair play for doing the right thing.

About 15 yrs ago, I had a diesel Passat. One wet and windy Sunday night, in the middle of a long journey home with wife and two young kids, I stopped to refuel. I had just started to fuel and realised I had put about 5L of unleaded in. I decided that I would take a chance, not wanting to do the fuel-sucky-out thing and filled the tank (about 30L iirc). Didn’t cause any noticeable issues (vehicle had done 120k mi when I sold it). I wonder if I would get away with that in the Cali?

 

[66tim99]

I wasn't brave enough to dilute it with 60+ liters of diesel and hope for the best. I rolled the van off the forecourt and waited for the nice man in a yellow van (with special "I'm dealing with a berk" misfuel branding all over the side) to arrive and hoover it all out. I'd like to say it won't happen again but somehow ...

Makes me think I’ll fit the fuel Angel I’ve bought, despite some having removed theirs as it restricts filling flow

 

[Amarillo]

Is the 80L tank really 80L?

My record is 81.33 litres, but maybe the Greek pump had been doctored to over read.

 

[B J G]

Is the 80L tank really 80L?

Of course, a worthy exercise, but to use your method you need to know the tank capacity. I just wondered if it was accurate, whether 80L or 70L...?

Makes no difference as to the tank capacity as the number of litres taken to fill up from low fuel warning illuminating is needed. This can be taken over a number of fill ups to get an accurate figure. (very unlikely that you will be within a couple of miles of a Fuel Court first time).

That figure is taken away from the tank capacity, 70 or 80ltrs,

To be on the safe side base the remaining range on 30mpg, or whatever you feel confident with.
I actually work on a 50 miles range left with my 204 4M.

eg The figure calculated is10ltrs roughly converted to 2 gallons which gives 60 miles range left.

Note! This is just a guide which keeps a safety margin. This has worked for me over hundreds of thousands of miles except when I was told that an HGV I purchased had a 380ltr tank but turned out be 350ltrs. Like the original post an expensive experience 4 miles from fill up point.