Using empty oil bottle for petrol?

arleitiss

Hey, just wondering, as my fuel consumption is ****ed up, I am thinking of driving on a red light of low fuel warning until car starts to stop or whatever will happen, in fact what does happen when fuel is emptied? will it just stop?
What if it stops in traffic? will there be some kind of signs that fuel is extremely low other than fuel warning light?

I have an old 5 litre plastic oil can from motor oil, it's been washed well so it's not even greasy anymore, you could drink water from it if you want and not feel anything
Could I use it for fuel? or would 5 litres be too low to start up car if it's emptied? I mean have this full oil can of petrol in a boot or so?

dmc17

What exactly are you trying to achieve by doing this?

Kenny Logins

There should be a flap near the back of the car somewhere, if you open that and remove the cap you can store petrol safely in there. Anything from 40 up to about 70 litres.

arleitiss

dmc17 wrote: »

What exactly are you trying to achieve by doing this?

To find out how much off is my fuel gauge. I want to find out how much can I drive on a red warning light of low petrol.

arleitiss

Kenny Logins wrote: »

There should be a flap near the back of the car somewhere, if you open that and remove the cap you can store petrol safely in there. Anything from 40 up to about 70 litres.

Good joke, but not what I am trying to do!

Justin10

Why would you want to drive with your warning light on?

Your car will just cut out, or run a bit rough before it cuts out.

juan.kerr

Do you have AA cover?

arleitiss

Rochey18 wrote: »

Why would you want to drive with your warning light on?

Because my fuel gauge seems to be ****ed up, it keeps showing red warning light when I have driven only like 200 miles since last full tank fuel up. For 1.2L car, that should be way more than 200 miles on 45 litres of fuel.

arleitiss

juan.kerr wrote: »

Do you have AA cover?

No

juan.kerr

arleitiss wrote: »

Because my fuel gauge seems to be ****ed up, it keeps showing red warning light when I have driven only like 200 miles since last full tank fuel up. For 1.2L car, that should be way more than 200 miles on 45 litres of fuel.

What does your mechanic say?

ARGINITE

Could you not just check how much petrol is left in the tank when the warning light comes on according to the owners manual or Google and then use the relevant MPG figure to calculate how many miles you can drive once the warning light comes on?

Gary ITR

Fuel shouldn't be transported in a plastic container. Why not have a mechanic check it out?

Kenny Logins

arleitiss wrote: »

Because my fuel gauge seems to be ****ed up, it keeps showing red warning light when I have driven only like 200 miles since last full tank fuel up. For 1.2L car, that should be way more than 200 miles on 45 litres of fuel.

When the light comes on, fill it up again (seriously), that will tell you how many litres you have/have left.

Gurgle

The oil bottle is fine for fuel, and 5L is more than a gallon so plenty to get going again.
There is a risk involved in running the tank dry, sludge or grit from the bottom of the tank may make its way to somewhere you don't want it.

Are you just trying to measure fuel economy?
Fill to the brim, zero the odometer, drive a couple of hundred km, fill to the brim again and note how much it takes.

arleitiss

Gurgle wrote: »

The oil bottle is fine for fuel, and 5L is more than a gallon so plenty to get going again.
There is a risk involved in running the tank dry, sludge or grit from the bottom of the tank may make its way to somewhere you don't want it.

Are you just trying to measure fuel economy?
Fill to the brim, zero the odometer, drive a couple of hundred km, fill to the brim again and note how much it takes.

Alright that sounds way simpler and logical, don't want to be stuck in traffic in middle of road with car not moving. Thanks

dmc17

arleitiss wrote: »

Because my fuel gauge seems to be ****ed up, it keeps showing red warning light when I have driven only like 200 miles since last full tank fuel up. For 1.2L car, that should be way more than 200 miles on 45 litres of fuel.

Fill it up. Reset your trip clock. Drive for a while. Fill it up again. Divide the no. of miles on trip clock by the amount it took to fill it again. There's a good idea of your consumption. No point driving around waiting for it to cut out!

Mr Benevolent

arleitiss wrote: »

Because my fuel gauge seems to be ****ed up, it keeps showing red warning light when I have driven only like 200 miles since last full tank fuel up. For 1.2L car, that should be way more than 200 miles on 45 litres of fuel.

It's a Corsa, isn't it? If it's a Corsa C 1.2 I get 320 miles to a tank, 10% more if I do any long distance stuff. The flashing red light is telling you that there's roughly 20 miles left in the tank.

wonski

arleitiss wrote: »

What if it stops in traffic? will there be some kind of signs that fuel is extremely low other than fuel warning light?

Save yourself embarassment of topping up fuel in the middle of the junction man. I still can't see what difference to your mpg will it make. Whether you put it in container, tank or redbull can, makes no difference really.
If your car uses lot of fuel have it checked (I assume you serviced it in the past?).

arleitiss

wonski wrote: »

Save yourself embarassment of topping up fuel in the middle of the junction man. I still can't see what difference to your mpg will it make. Whether you put it in container, tank or redbull can, makes no difference really.
If your car uses lot of fuel have it checked (I assume you serviced it in the past?).

It was completely serviced 5000 miles ago.
I am selling car though soon, so I would definetely want to know how much can it drive, so I can state it in sale.
I will also buy spark plugs, oil, filters etc.. and change them so that it rises bit of price for sale hopefully.

Mycroft H

Gary ITR wrote: »

Fuel shouldn't be transported in a plastic container.

What do you think most fuel tanks are made of?

joujoujou

As been said, plastic ex-oil bottle is not the best solution to store petrol.

As been also said, there are many better ways to check what mpg car does.

Bear in mind fuel pump is lubricated by petrol flowing through it, so once you run out of fuel you can damage it.

But if you really, really want to, it's no problem, just use proper (safe) plastic can.

Just one example - 5l fuel can from woodies:

http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/5lt-Petrol-Can/5255/4.1.6

9 euro. :P

goz83

BX 19 wrote: »

What do you think most fuel tanks are made of?

Metal I thought.

Mine looks metal anyway....and a wheeler dealer episode I seen recently had a metal fuel tank restored (but that was a very old car).

MugMugs

BX 19 wrote: »

What do you think most fuel tanks are made of?

Does an old oil tub qualify for adequate storage under the relevant regulations?

Supergurrier

Yum Yum the dirt in the bottom of your fuel tank getting sucked up by a hungry hungry fuel line

Stheno

Op you've been told about a gazillion times on here how to calculate your fuel usage, to the point of being to told to check if your odometer is in miles or kilometres.

Plus you are driving a car loaded with extra electronics, subwoofers that take a 500kw draw from the battery etc.

Just fill it up, set the odo to zero note the usage versus litres and there you are with your mpg.

Or as I previously suggested switch off all the mods, drive for a week, and calculate that.

Bpmull

Most of the opels Astras and corsa have a very basic extra warning. The fuel light comes on as normal if you continue to drive then the light will eventually start to flash when it flashes red it means you have next to no fuel and you go straight to the fuel station. I would assume your corsa has this I'm sure you could check. If it does just drive till the light flashes and then fill it up. Personally I wouldn't drive around with next to no fuel in the car but that's your decision. I know my astra has this flashing light the only time it has ever flashed was when I took it for a test drive typical car garage no fuel in the cars. I never drive around on the light so have never seen it flash again but at least I know the car has it.

Victor

MugMugs wrote: »

Does an old oil tub qualify for adequate storage under the relevant regulations?

I don't think it will.

I understand filling stations will only only people to top-up proper fuel cans.

SniperSight

As regards filling an oil bottle with petrol, alot of petrol stations won't release the pump as its illegal to fill into anything other than those red/green 5l containers or big metal military style ones.

kneemos

I think you have to be aware of having a crash with a gallon of petrol in the boot in a plastic container,petrol also expands an contracts which can loosen the cap or crack the container.

Cee-Jay-Cee

ARGINITE wrote: »

Could you not just check how much petrol is left in the tank when the warning light comes on according to the owners manual or Google and then use the relevant MPG figure to calculate how many miles you can drive once the warning light comes on?

This

Fill your car to the absolute neck. Drive till the light comes on and fill to the neck again. If you manage to get 35 liters in then find out what your tank size is and subtract and that's what was remaining when the light came on. Them work out your MPG or KM/L and you'll have an idea how far you can travel once the light comes on.

As other shave said petrol should NOT be kept in an oil can. It is not safe, you should only use specific petrol cans which allow for pressure release under heat expansion. Most filling stations won't allow you to put petrol in an oil can in the first place.

colm_mcm

Bear in mind if you're doing all inner city driving your consumption will be heavier.
There's no way I'd drive round Dublin city knowing the engine could die any minute.

joujoujou

MugMugs wrote: »

Does an old oil tub qualify for adequate storage under the relevant regulations?

No.

CJC999 wrote: »

[...]
As other shave said petrol should NOT be kept in an oil can. It is not safe, you should only use specific petrol cans which allow for pressure release under heat expansion. Most filling stations won't allow you to put petrol in an oil can in the first place.

This too, but the most important IMO is, plastic fuel cans are made of special anti-static grade.

---

Plastic does not equal plastic.

OldmanMondeo

Having recently ran out of run the car start to stutter, when it does run out, you get the feeling similar of a car being push started. If you really want to know the feeling, get someone to push your car and with it in gear pop the clutch.

But as stated, petrol should not be carried in a petrol container. It is considered dangerous to be carrying petrol around, apart of course then in the petrol tank.

bop1977

So this the guy who passed his test a few days ago (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=82473662).

You sir clearly have a lot to learn about motoring.

arleitiss

Instead of getting oil can today, just ended up fueling up.
Drove on motorways finally for first time, I got onto them at night time (less people,) to just get used to them.
Well tbh only difference between National Roads and Motorways I can see is:
Entry to motorway is tricky, I mean merging traffic if there is some real asshole driving in 1st lane very slowly. And leaving motorways if you **** up lanes (I didn't) other than that I see not a big difference.

corktina

do you stop pumping the second the pump cuts out? often you will get several more litres in after that point if you persevere especially if you hold the handle at a different angle .

_Kaiser_

arleitiss wrote: »

Instead of getting oil can today, just ended up fueling up.
Drove on motorways finally for first time, I got onto them at night time (less people,) to just get used to them.
Well tbh only difference between National Roads and Motorways I can see is:
Entry to motorway is tricky, I mean merging traffic if there is some real asshole driving in 1st lane very slowly. And leaving motorways if you **** up lanes (I didn't) other than that I see not a big difference.

- When merging, accelerate up to the 100/120 and indicate in plenty of time before you get to the end of the on ramp. MOST drivers will either move over to lane 2 or take the foot off the gas to let you merge.

You will get the occasional ass though that will either speed up to block you, or drive alongside you. In those cases you should drop back and merge in behind him.. unless he's really being a tool about it (seen it happen) in which case you may have to slow down further.


- Exits: A lot of motorways are poorly signed so if possible know what exit you want before you leave and be ready to move to lane 1/0 (0 being the seperate exit lane that exists on some junctions - eg: the N7/J9 exit on the M50). Speaking of J9, if approaching it northbound, bear in mind there's VERY little time to get across from J10 and there will be a queue of cars merging/exiting at the same time.

Main thing is not to panic though. If you miss an exit, drive on and simply take the next one and double back. Do NOT pull into the hard shoulder and start reversing back to it as I've seen some morons do too!


- Generally: Be aware that a lot of drivers (especially in Dublin or areas where there wasn't traditionally a motorway until recently - eg: the M3 to Cavan) aren't familiar with motorway driving or how you should behave when on one.

Keep left (lane 1) unless overtaking (lanes 2 or 3), do not sit in the outside lane at/below the limit. If someone comes up behind you in that lane, move out of their way, even if you think they're "speeding" - it's not up to you to police the roads

Leave plenty of room to the car in front - especially on the M50. The amount of accidents and tailbacks I've seen (again mainly between Blanch and the Red Cow) because of tailgating is ridiculous .. it's almost a daily occurance.

Put your lights on when it's dark/poor weather. It doesn't matter that you think it's fine because there's plenty of streetlights on the M50. Driving around with parking lights on or front (you know whats) is not a substitute!

Henry Ford III

Make a small investment.

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_197103_langId_-1_categoryId_212454

kirving

bop1977 wrote: »

So this the guy who passed his test a few days ago (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=82473662).

You sir clearly have a lot to learn about motoring.

Well how will he find out if he doesn't ask. Attempting to diagnose a potential problem with the car is a good start, and is far more useful in the long run than just sending it to a garage like 90% of people.

OP, acceleration is the absolute killer for fuel consumption, because the engine physically can't stay at it's most efficient point the whole time, and will be under much greater load than when just tipping along.