This past week someone whose name I could find by lisening to the call for a third time but oh heck. I just want to say that I think that having someone run out of gas is a BOGUS answer. If you can fill up the tank I would say set the tripometer to zero fill up the tank and drive 100 miles. Then check mileage. Does this oh say 3 or 4 and determine your average mileage. Then all you need to know is how many gallons the tank holds and you can come close to knowing how many miles you can drive on a tank of gas.
I agree, the answer given was lame.
The lady said when the gage said “E” the tank only held 6 gallons, gage indicated 3/4. OK, “So what? Perhaps 6 gallons is enough?” Then do nothing. Quit worrying about the broken gage. I second NedLark’s instruction to reset tripmeter and note the mileage. Use the tripmeter as the primary fuel gage.
If one must have more than a 6 gallon range then pack the spare gas can recommended by Click & Clack. If it is supposed to have a 14 gallon tank then one can safely go about twice as far as the 6 gallon range, but if that doesn’t work one has the spare gas can.
Another thing, I wouldn’t recommend she fill up the tank and drive until empty. Sounds like C&C recommended a road trip specifically for this purpose. Would serve better not to drive any different than usual. She should simply use the car as she always does for the next several days or weeks until it needs to be filled again.
Years ago few motorcycles had fuel gages, but had tripmeters. One learned very quickly to use the tripmeter as one’s fuel gage. Helped that the tank petcock also had a reserve position allowing one to ride until reserve, flip the petcock, and go find gas. Exactly what is suggested above.
One also learned to open the gas tank and look inside.
I agree with using the tripmeter.
I had a car with a broken gas guage and used the tripmeter method all the time. I never ran out of gas until I complained to my boyfriend (now husband), who was always running out of gas in a car with a working gas guage. The next month I ran out of gas not once, but twice!
Esther
Bethesda,MD