Hate getting gas? Lots of car owners do, actually. But that can lead to one really bad habit. Driving around on fumes is terrible for your car and it’s not great for you, either. Here’s what West Omaha Auto Service wants you to keep in mind.
You Can Damage the Fuel System
Did you know that gasoline, and your gas tank, have sediment in them? They do. And that sediment is more likely to get sucked into the fuel pump when gas levels are lower in your tank. If that happens, the stuff that is in the gas can harm the fuel pump, clog up the fuel filter, and eventually even clog the fuel injectors. That’s not even to start tackling what happens if sediment gets into the engine itself. Something else to consider is that the fuel pump needs gas around it to keep itself cool while it runs.
You Can Also Damage the Engine
If that happens, you can end up with even more damage. The combustion process requires a certain amount of fuel to mix with air and spark. If that doesn’t happen, your car’s engine experiences something called a misfire. At first, misfires are just obnoxious. They’re the source of engine knocks, after all. But over time, misfires cause damage. Your fuel mileage suffers significantly and the engine eventually doesn’t work as well. It might even fail sooner than it should.
You Might End up Stuck Somewhere
From a safety standpoint, there’s no guarantee when exactly you’ll run out of gas. Your gas gauge might show you that you’ve got a certain amount of fuel left, but honestly that’s more an estimate than a solid calculation. Plus, it’s easy to forget and find yourself caught very short, either at a bad time of day or far away from an easy source of help. If you’re in the habit of driving around low on gas, eventually you’re going to lose the bet and find that you’re on your own longer than you want to be.
Need help with any service or repair issues for your car? West Omaha Auto Service in Omaha, NE is here for you. Contact us today and we’ll set up an appointment to address whatever issues you’re experiencing. And if you’re not sure what’s wrong at all, we’ll perform diagnostic testing to get to the bottom of any issues your car is experiencing.