# Fuel pumps/ empty gas tanks

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158>\
**Category:** The Show\
**Created:** [December 26, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158 "2010-12-26T15:16:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158/21 "2010-12-30T00:41:25Z")

</div>

No argument here, it is best to keep gas in the car. The times I don’t keep her gassed up are the times money is short. I could claim I am a poor student or I could claim Disability does not pay much (something I am working to get off but school goes until the end of the Spring 2013 semester). That will make it over 5 years for my “2 year degree”. Or I could admit that I need to stick to my budget, I am always buying learning material for school (tutorial DVD’s, they are expensive).

What my real goal was, was to downplay any type of “guaranteed you will damage the pump” information.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158/22 "2010-12-30T03:46:23Z")

</div>

I am sure there is a message here (why would you write if there was not?)Perhaps the message is directed towards me,perhaps not. I can say, I don’t get it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158/23 "2010-12-30T19:49:31Z")

</div>

There are no absolutes. You might routinely run the tank low and never have a pump failure, just as you might routinely race dirt bikes and never crash. In both cases you’re “playing the odds”. The only guarantee is that if you maintain a reasonable level of gas in your tank the pump will not fail due to routinely running with low gas.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jt1979](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jt1979/32/1863_2.png) [@jt1979](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jt1979)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158/24 "2010-12-30T21:57:37Z")

</div>

Well, you did say _“There’s no ‘downside’ to keeping the top half full. Only ‘upsides’.”_ I consider having to stop at the gas station nearly twice as often to be a downside. I don’t know who wouldn’t. Someone with a bladder problem maybe, or an addiction to disgusting gas station hot dogs…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158/25 "2010-12-30T23:33:06Z")

</div>

jt1979, you’re correct, I did say that. And I have to admit that my bladder isn’t what it used to be.

The hot dogs are terrible but the Hostess Cupcakes are great!

[Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-pumps-empty-gas-tanks/59158.md?page=1)