Low fuel indicator light

[Green1]

the only way to test the whole thing is to run out of fuel... carry some spare fuel, and know how to prime your pump and you'll be fine...
Alternatively, and a little safer, is to just push yourself a little further each tank until you're either putting in close to 70 litres a fill, or the light comes on...

[jrman]

I finally ran the fuel down far enough to get the indicator light to come on. Same as Delicamark at 60L this evening. Good to know from Doc that there is actually still 15L still in the tank - still amazes me that there could be a reserve that big. Guage was showing a needle width below E by the time the light went on.

[Erebus]

I've only had the light come on once, drove another 50 km, then put in 68.2 litres. Then next biggest fill-up (without the light coming on) was 59.6 L.

[coaxial]

I haven't seen mine yet, I've had the needle on the empty line but not below it yet. I carry a 10L jug in the back so I've been meaning to let it get almost empty sometime but I'm always headed for far off lands.

The automatics have a 70L tank or two 70L right? thats including reserve?

I've got a manual 5speed so I think I have a 50L tank ?? I forget. I've been really close to E before and put in 45L. \

In other news my shipment of opti-lube XPD arrived, I'll make a new thread about that shorty actually.

Are there diesel stations people prefer? I usually get Shell #2 (premium) diesel or anywhere that looks hi-volume like truckstops.

[Erebus]

The automatics have a 70L tank or two 70L right? thats including reserve?

The autos have 2 tanks totalling 70 or 75 L, opinions differ. Also not sure if that is total volume or usable fuel. Really wish auto manufacturers would do like aircraft manufacturers and quote "useable fuel". I really don't care how big the tank is, I only want to know how much I can use. <rant off>

[CVI]

Water condensation happens on empty tanks specially during this season. It will be safer to test those low fuel indicator light in summer. If you plan to park it for sometime, fil' er up first to prevent this condensation problem. I've had some sudden loss of power before ...thinking something went wrong with the engine. It was intermittent though and figured it could've been some water dillution in the tanks. I drained it and sure enough...there were some water traces.

[EricN]

I have to disagree. Condensation from low fuel in the vehicle is a very, very tiny factor of getting water in the tanks. 99.9% of water comes from the delivery process (condensation and leaks in THEIR storage tanks is an issue, less so now that most of their tanks are fibreglass and not steel) It is pumped into your tanks from theirs during filling or getting in through a leak of some sort. At 100% humidity the amount of water in the air space of an empty Delica fuel tank is going to be maybe .1 oz. Then you still need the proper conditions to create condensation. It is also agreed that less fuel in the tanks allows for quicker temperature "matching" between the inside and outside of the tank, which means less chance for water droplets to be created.
Chalk that one up to an old Farmers tale right along side the "car batteries have a parasitic drain when left sitting on concrete and will go dead"

[robinimpey]

I've been around town only the past while so I've been letting my fuel run low to see if my light would come on, and just when I was starting to think this is dumb, I'm going to end up on the side of the road without any fuel, my light came on. My gauge is halfway through the empty mark. Tomorrow I'll fill it and see how much it takes and then hopefully I can figure out how much fuel I have left once my light comes on. I'll let you know what I find out.

[ifraserbc]

My indicator light apparently doesn't work.
Ran out of fuel today.
Put a jerry can's worth in and after cranking a bit it started.
Now why would the light not work??

[Erebus]

My indicator light apparently doesn't work.
Ran out of fuel today.
Put a jerry can's worth in and after cranking a bit it started.
Now why would the light not work??

I believe the light works on a different circuit than the fuel gauge. And since unlike many other warning lights, it doesn't come on at engine start, there is no way to know if it is not working until you run out of fuel.

I had a similar problem when I dented my fuel tanks that moved the pickup up in the tank. So the fuel gauge showed 1/3 tank but I ran out of gas. Had to replace the tanks to fix that one. My low fuel light does work now (and presumably never stopped working).

You can expend effort to fix it, or just live with not having a low fuel light.

[Rattlenbang]

There are three wires going to the tank; one ground and a wire each for the low fuel lamp and the other for the gauge. Easy to check if the light or the sender is at fault by shorting the light wire to ground and see if it comes on at the dash. If it doesn't, the lamp needs replacing or there's a wiring issue. Most likely the fault is in the sender.