[texy]

One thing to be aware of. I have a petrol cooper, my previous car was a R56 diesel cooper and both of these have a 40litre tank. I almost always drive until nearly empty. With my dooper I was faliry sure that I still had enough reserves for a good few miles before I needed to get to a station, even when the onboard comp showed zero miles of travel left. Even then I have never put more than 38.5litres into to that tank that I can remember. With my new cooper I just filled up the tank when I had 12 miles distance left - I put exactly 40 litres into it. Maybe the distance left reading is more acurate?

Texy

 

[Hat]

would a diesel leave more in reserve for some reason? havent run mine down that close yet to test it

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxmac500]

There is a possibility that there is more fuel left in a diesel.
When they run out they can be an absolute bitch to start again and sometimes require priming.
I would say however the extra litre of so of fuel that protects this is certainly excess in the filter or some such.

Only my opinion but I hope it helps

 

[Angib]

When they run out they can be an absolute bitch to start again and sometimes require priming.

I was concerned about that on my 2nd Gen SD and asked the knowledgeable service guy in my dealership who said all Mini diesels are self-priming.

 

[Lawnmower3000]

Generally speaking, it's probably not the best idea to try to suck every last drop out of the fuel tank. Couple of reasons: 1) Crud that has accumulated in the bottom of the tank can be stirred up and pumped into your fuel system. Yes, I know that there's a fuel filter, but it's still a bad idea to pull gunk into the pump and filter if you don't absolutely have to, and 2) Some fuel pump/tank designs rely on the presence of a minimum amount of fuel to dissipate heat from the pump motor. I don't know whether the current MC employs something like that (BMW has in the past) but once again, it's tempting fate to run too low.

Besides all that, it's really embarrassing to run out of gas given the presence of both a fuel gauge and a trip computer that can compute distance-to-empty.

 

[AVP]

Hi

So how many miles travelled on a tank in the Cooper?

 

[texy]

Usually over 400

 

[jeremybingham]

I get twitchy when I have 100 milles on the computer. Would hate to run out. Just fill her up!

 

[Blat7Chris]

I love the crud argument, it's always supposed to be there at the bottom of the tank, well where is the pickup for the tank, at the top? It must be at the bottom, so it's always in the crud. Where does the crud come from? Old pressed steel tanks I agree could cause a problem, but not a plastic tanks. If you are putting crud in then maybe you should complain to the supplier, or maybe you have some very old fuel? The tank is sealed at all other times. I have worked on my fair share of classic minis with steel tanks never saw any crud.

 

[rumblestrip]

I get jumpy, too, when I have less than 100 miles. I'm unlikely to go below 75.

BTW, in all 4 of our MINIs, my wife has never done a fuel fill.


Derek

 

[jeremybingham]

Nope mine hate s filling up too though she does on occasion!

 

[jeremybingham]

Nb once went to lunch with a colleague in her mini Cooper r56. As we st off the computer said range 11 mils, after 11 it said zero and shortly after that the display just showed a flat line! I was getting ready to push but it was still running as we arrived at the petrol station 2 miles AFTER THAT!!!!there was some safety net in that r56 but are they all the same and how the f56 compares who knows and I don't really want to!

 

[caveman dave]

I ran my F56 D to showing 12 miles and it took 42litres to brim it, so given that MINI's data does not to take in to account having fuel up the filler pipe I guess there is around 3litres left.

 

[isleaiw]

I get twitchy when I have 100 milles on the computer. Would hate to run out. Just fill her up!

You clearly dont do 700 to 900 miles a week! My wife doesnt in the Mini but I do - and I spend way too much time filling up to do it before I have to.... I try to choose a car with a 700 mile range and fill up to the brim when it gets below 40 miles range left - lower if I have 20p off per litre at Tesco to maximise my savings! I also do alot of driving on motorways and try to avoid the overpriced fuel from services so can get a little lower than I would like if i think i can make it to my chosen junction without filling up....

Used my wife's R56 Cooper Pimlico a couple of days for work - the range was the only real drawback! i couldnt manage 2 days before I had to fill up again....

Ian

 

[uke]

I try to refuel at 50%. Because I'm a semi-reformed survivalist. I want the range in case something unexpected happens.

A few years ago the petrol supply pipeline that provides fuel to AZ sprung a leak and had to be shut down. Within a day or two the gas stations all dried up. The few stations that had gas also had huge queues. Many people ran out of gas and were stuck by the sides of the road.

I was sitting pretty because (a) I don't let my tank get below 50% and (b) I was driving a Civic Hybrid that can go for days on fumes. But it was ugly for the Hummers and other 4 MPG dreadnaughts that people love to drive out here.

But I digress. Doesn't the manual warn against running the tank dry? Claims that engine damage may result?

 

[Thirdraildesignlab]

I've had a few close calls on each of my MINIS, where the range estimate is "000" in each case because I was on a road trip or some other unplanned excursion and I didn't fill up when I had a chance and was trying to blast my way to the next station on fumes. The range is highly variable based on the effort of the engine: hills, start/stop, speed... in a manual in hilly terrain, I've found that filling up at the 60, and at minimum at the 30, mile warning is good policy...

 

[eyraptor]

I personally calculate my mileage each time I fill up and the computer on the car is always off. Sometimes it is off as much as 2 mpg US, so remember that you may not have as much fuel as it says, then again, you may have more.

 

[MCD]

I ran my F56 D to showing 12 miles and it took 42litres to brim it, so given that MINI's data does not to take in to account having fuel up the filler pipe I guess there is around 3litres left.

The F56 Cooper D has a 44 Litre tank

 

[caveman dave]

The F56 Cooper D has a 44 Litre tank

Yes I know, thats why I said that I guessed that I had about 3 litres in before it took 42 litres allowing for around 1 litre in the filler pipe.