Gas Tank Reserve

[Yellow Rose]

You're cruising along and the low fuel light glows dim, goes out then glows brighter than before. At this point, your fuel gauge needle is at or below the "zero mark". Ever wonder just how much gas is remaining at this point?

When my needle hit the "zero mark" yesterday, I filled exactly fifteen gallons of go-juice. This brought the needle up to the "full mark". The owner's manual says the tank's cap'y is 18.5 gallons. Pretty complicated math, but I think this works out to 3.5 gallons still in the tank.

So the next time the needle hits the bottom and your passenger is nagging at you about running out of gas, assuming you get +20 MPG, you can at least get to safe haven before they have to push.

 

[nsxxtreme]

You can go pretty far with that nag light on. It's kind of funny to watch the person in the passanger seat squerm sp?.

The only thing I don't like is if you keep driving on it sometimes it is stays off. So if you forget you could be sh** out of luck the next time it comes on.

 

[BadCarma]

So the next time the needle hits the bottom and your passenger is nagging at you about running out of gas, assuming you get +20 MPG, you can at least get to safe haven before they have to push.

Thanks Andy, now my wife will have to cease and desist her 'nag mode' at least in regard to this issue.
everyone on this board with the exception of 'KEN' probably has experinced that high pitched I told you to stop and fill up screech from their significant other. what gets me is I know it is bad for the filter and I do it anyway, glad to know the margin is 3+ gallons.

 

[ChrisK]

I wonder how accurate the gas needle is from NSX to NSX. For example, I've filled up as much gas as posible when my needle dropped below the zero mark and barely reached 15 gallons. My light doesnt usually go on until I'm definately below the zero mark. For a while I though my light was broken because it never came on It wasn't until I pushed past my confort zone that I found out I could go quite a bit below zero before the light came on.

 

[stevefromatl]

I heard it's not good for your car to run it close to empty. Something like the fuel pump has to work extra hard. Anyone know more about this or is it just a rumor?

 

[ChopsJazz]

The way I understand this issue is that when a tank is near empty there is no gas insulating the pump to keep it cool while it is pumping. It's not actually working any harder near empty, it just tends to overheat a bit, thus shortening its life.

 

[pacacu]

I have a 91 and there is no low fuel warning lite, can anyone confirm if there is still 3 ga.l of juice left when the needle hit the red zone !!
thanks.

 

[ChopsJazz]

I have a 91 and there is no low fuel warning lite

No light? There's one on my '91! Maybe yours is just burned out.

 

[AndyH]

i never see my gas light pop up either ...when does it suppose to light up?? i put about 13 gallon everytime i fill the tank....does the light suppose to be up when you have only 5 or 6 gallons left?

 

[nsxtasy]

Re: Re: Gas Tank Reserve

The FAQ says that there are still 2.7 gallons in the tank when the low fuel light starts to come on. 2.7 or 3.0, close enough to count on at least 50 more miles.

everyone on this board with the exception of 'KEN' probably has experinced that high pitched I told you to stop and fill up screech from their significant other.

I don't know what makes you think I'm exempt.

Originally posted by pacacu
I have a 91 and there is no low fuel warning lite, can anyone confirm if there is still 3 ga.l of juice left when the needle hit the red zone !!

My experience so far is that everyone who claims that there is no low fuel warning light, never puts in more than 15.5 gallons when filling the tank. In other words - the warning light is there and it works, but you're just not using enough gas and running the tank low enough for it to light up.

 

[pacacu]

where is this LITE on a 91 ??
not on the top of the dash along with the other warning lites, then where.
I am sorry but mine is a true Acura NSX NA ?? not a converted CRX !!!

 

[ChrisK]

where is this LITE on a 91 ??
not on the top of the dash along with the other warning lites, then where.
I am sorry but mine is a true Acura NSX NA ?? not a converted CRX !!!

If you have an owners manual it will show where it is.

If you do not have an owners manual, than look right above the gas gauge that is on the right side of the cluster. Right above it you will see a series of 3 lights. A single light in the top followed by two lights right below it. The gas light is the on the bottom row on the right. It is right above the 1 mark, or full mark to the right of the TCS ON/OFF light.

 

[Soichiro]

The fuel pump is immersed in the fuel. The fuel cools the pump. If you have a habit of running your car low on fuel, especially in hot climates, you run the risk of shortening the fuel pump's life due to overheating.

When you fill up you should not top up the tank after the auto shut off either. This could cause gasoline to flow into the charcoal canister used as the fuel vent filter. It's designed to handle funes, not liquid, and this could ruin it. This is true of any modern car.

 

[fastcat99]

My wife never nags me about the low fuel light. She's usually looking ahead for the next apex, ready to hang on!!

 

[NSXBill2]

My wife doesn't nag about the light, she nags at tire-buying time, insurance buying time, ad-velorum tax paying time.....

 

[nsxtasy]

My wife doesn't nag about the light, she nags at tire-buying time, insurance buying time, ad-velorum tax paying time.....

What's "ad velorum tax"? Is that your state's version of our $78 annual registration fee, or something else?

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

Re: Re: Re: Gas Tank Reserve

My experience so far is that everyone who claims that there is no low fuel warning light, never puts in more than 15.5 gallons when filling the tank. In other words - the warning light is there and it works, but you're just not using enough gas and running the tank low enough for it to light up.

I agree. I too thought my warning light wasn't working. But if you let it go low enough, it will turn on. The light turns on at a lower point of the gas guage than any other Honda's I've owned. (It's pretty frickin' low.)

I wasn't aware of the fuel pump cooling issue. I have made it a (bad) habbit to run all my cars down low until the light turns on... then I pump it up.

I thought I was helping the thing out by trying to reduce the gunk that collects down there.

 

[NSXBill2]

AVT

The Georgia Ad Velorum Tax is my state's ~$350 PER YEAR property tax (collected at the same time as the annual registration) on my '91 NSX...about the same as our new MDX and my 01 325. Its based on the value, I guess. The tag fee is an additional $21.

It is my understanding that Ad Velorum (probably speeling wrong) means "Use Tax" in Latin or something.

I hate that GA charges me $1000 per year just to possess 3 vehicles, but at least you don't have to have a front plate and you can legally carry a firearm in your glove compartment.....

 

[AaronR]

Wife, what's that?????
I have never seen my gas light.

I always thought is was better to not run the car out of gas because there may be sediment or water in the bottom of the tank, is that true?

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I have always wondered how much gas was left in tank when light came on.

 

[ChrisK]

Wife, what's that?????
I have never seen my gas light.

I always thought is was better to not run the car out of gas because there may be sediment or water in the bottom of the tank, is that true?

I've heard that, but that might be for the old school cars. Doesn't the fuel pump pick up fuel from the bottom of the tank anyway?
The cooling factor of the fuel makes for a better reason to not run the tank too low. Besides, I think the fuel filter will do its job and filter out any unwanted material before it reaches the injectors. But then again, I'm no expert.

 

[jrehner]

mosquito in car-high whining

Noway--I have a portable mosquito zapper

Yeah--the gas in the tank cools the fuel pump of vehicles that have same in the gas tank. I live in AZ and the one in my old Jag kept going bad....Yes the fuel filter will keep the gunk from getting to the injectors etc but then you have to replace your filter more often.....I usually fill up when the mark gets down to the 1/4 mark or so

 

[ChopsJazz]

Am I missing something? Didn't I see a reply about the A V Tax by AndyVecsey saying something about looking it up in the dictionary? Is that part of the thread gone now? Or am I mistaken?

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Is the bottom of the fuel cell flat?

 

[matteni]

Actually the NSX is much better then my Odyssey that tends to show you the light when you still have a 1/4 tank left (has something to do with the long flat tank and the design of the "magic seat").

Also - I have had the light come on for so long that it started flashing. I knew I was REALLY out of gas then. I understand that running the injectors dry is a death sentince so at some point the car (like most modern fuel injected cars) will shut itself down to protect the fuel system. Is this true?