Life is pretty laid back here in Lihue, HI, which is why it’s such an amazing place to live. However, there is one thing that you shouldn’t get too laid back about, and that is pushing your gas tank between fill-ups. What we here at Kauai Auto Repair, LLC mean is that you shouldn’t drive on empty a lot. Rather, keep at least one-quarter to one-half of a tank of gasoline in your automobile. Here’s why.
COVID-19 and Your Budget
We do understand that money might be unbelievably tight right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that you have not been affected in these frightening times. If you have lost your job, however, or, heaven forbid, have had to deal with COVID-19 yourself, your budget has likely taken a hit that you fear you may never be able to recover from. Keeping your vehicle’s tank full might be unrealistic, and this places you in a catch-22 that, in some cases, is just unavoidable.
The Dangers of Driving on Fumes
Without pushing the above consideration aside because it is so valid right now, it is still more dangerous to drive on empty, and it will likely cost you more money in the end. It’s better to try to keep gasoline in your household budget because it’s less expensive than the automotive repairs you will incur if you push your vehicle consistently. When you drive on empty, you run the risk of
- Overheating your engine because there isn’t enough gas in the fuel pump to keep it cool
- Drawing sediment from the bottom of the tank into your engine and clogging your fuel filter, fuel injectors, and fuel pump
- Damaging your engine by introducing sediment that passes through the fuel filter into the engine parts
To flesh this out more, gasoline actually prevents your fuel pump’s motor from overheating. When you drive on empty, the fuel pump draws air instead of gas through it. When too much air and not enough gas are pushed into the fuel pump, the motor will overheat. The other two bullet points are self-explanatory; fuel sediment should never make its way into the fuel system and engine.
Located in Lihue, HI, Kauai Auto Repair, LLC would be happy to work with you if you suspect you’ve caused damage by driving on fumes for too long. Contact us today! We’ll inspect your vehicle to make sure everything is okay and work with you if we need to make repairs.
