You might not like to admit it, but chances are you are like every other driver on the road. You’ve had a long day and the thought of stopping for gas is almost unbearable. So rather than stop when you should, you put it off and drive on empty. Sure, you risk running out of gas, but did you know that when you drive on empty, it can actually be bad for your car? The pros at LP & Sons Auto Care in DeLand, FL, explain why.
You Could Run Out Of Gas
This one is pretty obvious. If you don’t fill up your vehicle with gas, eventually you are going to run out. At that point, you will either be calling AAA, a tow truck, or strapping on your walking shoes. When compared with just stopping for gas (even when you don’t feel like it), none of these eventualities sound all that appealing.
It’s Not Great For Your Engine
So your engine really needs three things to run properly – fuel, air, and electricity. When your spark plugs fire, they ignite the fuel in your engine. If that fuel is absent, the spark plugs are essentially firing at nothing. In the short term, this can cause engine misfires or stutters, but over time, this can cause extensive and major engine damage.
Your Fuel Filter Works Overtime
Your car’s fuel filter serves to keep the sediment and debris in your gas tank from traveling with the fuel into your engine. When you drive on empty, that sediment gets stirred up and can overload the fuel filter. Without the fuel filter doing its job, debris can enter your fuel line and engine, causing major damage.
The Fuel Pump Can Overheat
Normally your fuel pump is submerged in gasoline, so when you drive on empty, your fuel pump keeps working but doesn’t have the gasoline to keep it cool. So it can overheat and eventually fail. When that happens, it won’t make any difference how much gas your car has; it won’t be going very far.
At LP & Sons Auto Care in DeLand, FL, we get that sometimes, you just don’t want to stop for gas. Putting it off every once in a while isn’t going to do any longterm damage to your vehicle, but if you always drive around with low fuel, you might have some issues that need to be repaired. We can check your whole fuel line and engine for problems, and suggest any needed fixes. Make an appointment today.