How much fuel left once the fuel warning comes on- MK4s?

I've read varying accounts, but nothing really concrete. Some have said that you're pretty much out. Others say you've got 1 1/2 or as much as 2 gallons left

While there are pressures and temperatures to factor in, I'm not really looking for that kind of accuracy.

You should have 7 liters. This is not always true as it can be changed.

As soon as the LFL comes on, how much fuel does it take to fill the tank? (and do you vent the tank?)

Bob, I've vented the tanks (ventectomied both). For my car I got about 14 gallons just after the fuel light came on. On my wife's car I think it went about 9 miles after tripping the light and it filled up just shy of 15 gallons.

I don't think that venting makes a difference in at what point the warming comes on, as the venting affects the full end of the tank: the needles doesn't drop for about 100 miles, which translates to roughly 2 gallons, a figure that folks claim is how much more venting can get you.

You're on to me, though. I'm trying to figure my safety margin of trying to hit an 800 mile tank. I've hit 737 miles before the fuel light came on. Some folks have claimed to have gotten 78 more miles: this, I'm figuring, is about 1 1/2 gallons.

Vented my wagon holds right around 17 gallons. If I fill right when the low fuel light comes on I add 15.5 usually. So that's a 1.5 gallon reserve, maybe 1.6-7. Although there's no data to support this, my wagon seems to hold a bit more fuel than my son's sedan or other son's Golf.

Bob_Fout said:

You should have 7 liters. This is not always true as it can be changed.

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Which is 1.85 gallons...which sounds about right...
And, I assume that's an absolute number, and that there's really only about 1.5 gallons of usable fuel left...before you run out...

If the 7 liters is correct, then that means that a vented fill (from dry) for me would be about 17 gallons, plus or minus a few ounces.

My experience is about the same as Indigo's above. My actual fill-up numbers and assumptions are the same as his (or very close).

Rem

In the 04, I ran maybe 5 miles after the LFL came on and it took 16.4 gallons vented. which would leave maybe .6 gals which is about 25 miles in this car, call it 30 with the 5 I drove after the light came on.
Or am I figuring that right?

I feel "fairly" comfortable stretching to 75 miles after the light comes on. If you're in line to make a goal like 800/900 mile tank, you are getting good enough mileage that should support that 75 miles. If the gauge acts like mine, otherwise your results can/will vary as they say.
Never ran out. Yet.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Vented my wagon holds right around 17 gallons. If I fill right when the low fuel light comes on I add 15.5 usually. So that's a 1.5 gallon reserve, maybe 1.6-7. Although there's no data to support this, my wagon seems to hold a bit more fuel than my son's sedan or other son's Golf.

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From my years reading fill amounts, it always seem the wagons get almost another gallon. I've done half a dozen or so 900 mile Jetta tanks and never filled much over 16 gallons.
Tank the same?? More fill pipe volume??

I drove 80 miles on my low fuel light... A VERY easy 80 miles, And i filled up with ventectomy about 16.5 gallons....so I assume that the light comes on with around 1.5-2 usable gallons remaining. But keep in mind, you an change when the light comes on with VCDS.

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You'll have EXACTLY the amount of fuel you haven't already used!! But it depends on whether you're going uphill, downhill, or on the side of a hill.

I guarantee it!

You must be that guy I see that ruins out of fuel every week.

I go with the 7 liters remaining when the light comes one. Why? Because the procedure for adjusting when the low fuel light comes on with VCDS is to drain the tank, then add back 7 liters of fuel. You then use VCDS to adjust the position of the needle, which affects when the light comes on.

My rule is to go no more than 1 gallon (about 50 miles) after the light comes on. At that point you have about 3/4 gallon left (maybe 30 miles worth) and you must fill up immediately. This is because running an ALH car dry can result in you not being able to re-prime the pump just by cranking.

The manual says we have a 1.9 gallon reserve. Which supports the 7 liter number.

You know, I looked in the manual but I didn't find a number! Either I'm blind (OK, I AM old), or in the 2000 manuals they didn't mention/state. Anyway...

Thanks for all the input. I think that the 1.9 gallon / 7 liter number is the winning answer

If I hit around 750 miles around the time my fuel light comes on I'll go for 800 miles!

I always plan on 80 miles after the light

Light goes on and I go up to 100km without sweating now. Mines a pd automatic (worst on fuel) then takes 53-55litres to fill vented. Not sure how big the tank is vented but if mine goes 100 km I think that is basically the 100% safe zone across that platform.

The worst pd, automatic mark 4 with heavy wheels and a lot of **** in the trunk can go 100km and counting if you dare.

I've done 60 miles with the light on, driving hard because it feels so much quicker without the weight of a full tank.

^^^

bmali98 said:

Light goes on and I go up to 100km without sweating now. Mines a pd automatic (worst on fuel) then takes 53-55litres to fill vented.

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Is that filled right to the top of the filler neck?

UhOh said:

You know, I looked in the manual but I didn't find a number! Either I'm blind (OK, I AM old), or in the 2000 manuals they didn't mention/state. Anyway...

Thanks for all the input. I think that the 1.9 gallon / 7 liter number is the winning answer

If I hit around 750 miles around the time my fuel light comes on I'll go for 800 miles!

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Try Booklet 3.1, Page 10.

I ran out at 1089 miles, going for an 1100 mile tank It took 17.375 gallons to fill. A few times I've filled right when the light comes on, and it seems to be right around 15.5 gallons. So it looks like about 1.8 gallons after the light comes on.

Well... I have the wife's car for filling up and I figured I could see whether I could hit the 800 mile mark. Had about 720 miles when the fuel light came on. Sitting on about 750 miles now. Car is averaging at lest 48mpg (UG is a bit conservative, am pretty sure that actual is closer to 50mpg). REALLY don't want to run out of fuel!

Yes, you really don't want to run out. IMO you're a bit too close for comfort; 80 miles with the light on requires all kinds of bravery. When I ran out, it was on a highway, but luckily I coasted to an off ramp. I just called a tow and had it hauled to my house. Since the fuel system was empty, I changed the fuel filter, and used my oil vac to suck fuel up through the system. I got it started without that much trouble, but still I decided I'd never do that again.

Yup, I chickened out! Only went 42 miles after the light lit. Having that glaring fuel warning light on AND seeing the needle on the gauge resting on the last line- and if I ran out I'd have to admit that I was amply warned!

Some of my apprehensiveness was due to getting stuck in stop-and-go traffic on the freeway (after 11pm!). I also didn't think that I could drive 17 miles home and then 17 miles back to where the fueling station is: it's on my commuting route. 34 + 42 = too close for comfort!

I filled up with 15.153 gallons. Hand-calc'd mileage at 50.28 mpg. I didn't run it up to the neck (sight-wise; I AM, however, vented); next time I will, and that'll probably get me there.

Thought about carrying my Mity-Vac and injector wrench (and a can of fuel), but I just didn't want to risk it even with these unless I had no real time constraints (I am working/commuting, so that's not a good time to come up on the short end of the stick).

^^ started carrying those so I'm prepared when traveling over the road! Just in case I get my chance at my first 900 mile tank

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70 mile for me after the light comes on. BTW, I'm vented and have never gotten more than almost 14 gallons in. And that was flat on the fuel gauge and a solid vacuum opening the cap--almost hard to purge air from the injectors too...

brian_e said:

70 mile for me after the light comes on. BTW, I'm vented and have never gotten more than almost 14 gallons in. And that was flat on the fuel gauge and a solid vacuum opening the cap--almost hard to purge air from the injectors too...

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Should be room another couple gallons in there...

brian_e said:

70 mile for me after the light comes on. BTW, I'm vented and have never gotten more than almost 14 gallons in. And that was flat on the fuel gauge and a solid vacuum opening the cap--almost hard to purge air from the injectors too...

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How are you filling up?

After performing the ventectomy on my cars I'm running the nozzle full speed until it clicks off, then I run it half-speed until it clicks off. That second run gets me 1.5+ gallons more. I almost exclusively use the same pump, so things are pretty consistent; however, I'm contemplating doing what most folks do, and that's to fill until you see the fuel in the filler neck (that would likely ensure I'd be able to hit 800 miles).

Do exactly what you do, but then I go pop my hood and check my oil... Then I run it half speed again until it stops, then I check tire pressures, then I top it off until I see fuel! This procedure allows plenty of time for the foam to settle

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mxracer291 said:

Do exactly what you do, but then I go pop my hood and check my oil... Then I run it half speed again until it stops, then I check tire pressures, then I top it off until I see fuel! This procedure allows plenty of time for the foam to settle

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How much more are you getting in after you check your tire pressure? rolleyes: - sorry, no, really, I'm trying to understand how much more fuel I can expect to pump after that point)

From the time that it first shuts off I think I get about another 2.5 gal just off the top of my head. I haven't paid much attention to that lately, I just do it the same every time.