Fuel gauge accuracy?

[Colin]

My fuel gauge has gone through the red and into the white. There is no warning light on and the computer tells me I can run for another 30 miles. I could carry a spare can and wait until I run out but am afraid that could damage my fuel pump. The bulb might have blown on the warning lamp so I donÔš't know what to believe. Does anyone know how accurate the computer or fuel gauge is?

[Brianmoooore]

On every E30 I've come across the fuel gauge and warning light have been accurate.
The warning light will not come on untill the needle has reached the join between the red painted bit and the light itself.
You won't hurt the pump by running out of fuel. It'll just start sucking a bit of air at first and fail to develop pressure. It'll still have plenty of fuel to lubricate it.

[Andy_magic]

You'd be amazed how far these cars will go with the light on too.

I ran my car pretty low on a trip upto cambridge the other day, left my mates house at about 12:30, the light had been on for about 8 miles, I drove to Bar Hill Tesco's to fill up SHUT, I then drove to Milton Tescos SHUT I then drove to the BP station on the A14 between Cambridge & Newmarket SHUT (24 hour garage - weird) I then drove into Newmarket, didn't bother going to Tescos, went up to another BP - no one in there ARGGHH I then drove accross newmarket to another station SHUT I then asked a cabbie and got directions to a station about 8 miles away, went past the second BP station and someone was there, filled up - job done.

[stevo]

ive been wondering how far they go when the light comes on, i regulary have to drive home from work with it on, which is about 25 miles

[Andy_magic]

I'm glad I didn't find out exactly how far it goes, middle of the night about 80 miles from home - not good.

[Brianmoooore]

Light is supposed to come on with six litres left, so about 40 miles before you're pushing your luck in a 325.

[Andy_magic]

Cheers Brian, you are a font of knowledge

[Brianmoooore]

No, I looked it up in an E30 handbook that I keep beside my computer.

[Andy_magic]

That must be some hell of a handbook judging by some of the excellent answers I've seen of yours.

[Brianmoooore]

They don't all come from the handbook, but quite a few questions I see posted can be answered by the standard E30 handbook 5that comes with the car.

[astondg]

I have had the needle on my fuel gauge go well past the red bit (and off the end of the guage) and not have the light come on. It seems like the light on my car works fine and comes on at the right time but the needle can be all over the place. So the light and needle must not work together?

Aston

[Brianmoooore]

The light has it's own independant switch in the fuel tank. It doesn't work by measuring when the o/p from the level sender drops to a certain voltage, like on some makes of cars.