Glee tank capacity

[Mark Shelley]

I know the specs say 20 litres. Has anybody run theirs dry and then filled to see what the actual capacity is?
Had my first good run out with the wife and full luggage and covered 249 miles using 16.88 litres which equates to 67 miles per UK gallon. It would be nice to know how much was actually left in the tank.

[Hondaman]

Most I've put in is 18.5ltr, I'm hoping to do a run with jerry can sometime this year.
A: to check useable tank capacity.
B: to confirm that I can get over 300 miles/tank

[greywolf]

The pump is cooled by sitting in a bath of fuel. Running out or running very low often can lead to premature pump failure. I would advise getting fuel once the pump icon starts to blink whenever practical.

[Mark Shelley]

It is always good to know fuel useage characteristics if you travel to places where petrol stations are few and far between. I like to take very minor routes when on tour which, by nature, have very few chances to fill up. I always carry a couple of litres as well, just in case.

[Hondaman]

The pump is cooled by sitting in a bath of fuel. Running out or running very low often can lead to premature pump failure. I would advise getting fuel once the pump icon starts to blink whenever practical.

Do you actually believe that GW or have any evidence to support it?

I personally find it highly unlikely.

[greywolf]

There have been a number of people reporting fuel pump problems who have also reported running out of fuel more than once. Also, check these links.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fuel+pump+cooled+by+gasoline&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Why do you think electric fuel pumps were moved from outside the tank to inside the tank decades ago?

[Hondaman]

Time for a little research methinks

On investigation my car (2002 mondeo) fuel pump 'failed' due to a corroded earth wire where the connector attaches to the pump itself.
Cleaned up, the pump works fine.

I've rigged up a lead lets see how long it lasts running dry and how hot it gets



I can't see a bike fuel pump being fundamentally different from an automotive design.

[greywolf]

You are basing your position on one old pump designed to work outside the tank. Modern fuel pumps in cars and bikes are designed to work inside the tank in a bath of fuel and there are plenty of sites that show the reason why. Here are more. https://www.google.com/search?q=don%27t+let+your+fuel+run+low&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Hondaman]

It's an in tank pump.



15 or so minutes running in free air and it's barely warm.

[Hondaman]

Trial over.
15 minutes or so dry running and the pump body is just warm agaings my lips - I'm guessing body temp, the air coming out of the fuel outlet is slightly warmer.
Lightly dip it in a touch of water it cools immediately.
After about 30 minutes of dry running it's occasionally  sounding a bit rough, dipping it in water quietens it for a while.

After around 45 minutes it's sounding decidedly rough, soon after it squeeks & expires. But the casing is no more than body temp. It will restart with a tap runs a bit, squeeks & expires.

I can't see the modern automotive world being built on fuel pumps that overheat and go into meltdown as soon as the fuel gets a bit low as you suggest but I'm willing to be proven wrong

BTW GW, the links you posted don't open, not on my phone at least.

[In me shed]

Just a thought, if it's not pumping anything there is no load on the motor so it may well run cool?

[Hondaman]

Perhaps, but it's also running dry & probably faster due to not being under load.
Anyway, to cover that base, I did try with just the inlet dipped into water & a hose with a kink to create pressure which blows fluid out of a tiny bypass hole, a few minutes like this, the pump body was stone cold.

I would have no qualms about running a vehicle low on fuel or running it out once - as long as I have a jerry can with me!

Of course, 'pump' issues from running empty could be from filter problems as we have seen lately rather than a molten pump from a couple of seconds running dry.....

[Hondaman]

The butchered now defunct pump. The plastic impeller broke upon removal from the shaft and looks like it has been 'picking up' on the alloy housing from prolonged dry running.
The motor still runs fine.

[kwackboy]

How often will you test your tank range ..? Not often and I would certainly think that you would only let it get that low only in emergencies .
I'm of the opinion that no matter how low you run your tank as long as you have a little bit of fuel splashing around in there and it's not run dry often you will cause no harm to your pump.

Go for it and see how many miles you can get ..

[Hondaman]

that's my take on it,
1 test with a jerry can, topping up at the first splutter, any other running out out of fuel will be a major inconvenience - and not because of a possible marginally reduced pump life!

[Hondaman]

Back to this.
I smashed the pump up a little more yesterday, after the impeller, fuel flows around the motor itself the whole thing being immersed in petrol within the casing before being ducted to the outlet tube. It seems an odd but interesting design.

Thinking about it, windscreen wiper motors are fully enclosed with no forced cooling from fans etc & they last fine.

Just a few ramblings, like anything, we make your own decision on wether running low on fuel is/isn't good for the pump

Edit: none of this has helped answer the op question!
Sorry for the thread hijack...

[In me shed]

My headlamp washer pump is broken, maybe landrover should put that inside the tank instead
to be honest there are too many variables here and manufacturers don't make things to last these days anyhow.