Fuel gauge/ empty when full

juzin30 · Jul 13, 2020

Nodge68 said:
Not a genius at all. I just know the Freelander pretty well.
Just to check.
You are having fuel pressure problems, not fuel level problems?

Hi Nodge68, thanks a lot once again.
Well, both...though you've helped me figure out the fuel pressure issue. What i want to understand is why the gauge works normally all the way down, then when there's 10 liters fuel remaining in the tank it riches red line, indicating that the tank is empty, and the car can't start. should that be reserved fuel and is there a way the pump should access it to keep the car going?

Nodge68 · Jul 13, 2020

juzin30 said:
Hi Nodge68, thanks a lot once again.
Well, both...though you've helped me figure out the fuel pressure issue. What i want to understand is why the gauge works normally all the way down, then when there's 10 liters fuel remaining in the tank it riches red line, indicating that the tank is empty, and the car can't start. should that be reserved fuel and is there a way the pump should access it to keep the car going?

Has it got the correct pump assembly fitted? If the pump assembly is too short, then it won't reach the bottom of the tank. However the pump will never totally empty the tank, so as to prevent sediment from entering the pump.

juzin30 · Jul 13, 2020

Nodge68 said:
Has it got the correct pump assembly fitted? If the pump assembly is too short, then it won't reach the bottom of the tank. However the pump will never totally empty the tank, so as to prevent sediment from entering the pump.

Yes it is, in fact it's the original pump, never been changed. When I opened the tank to clean the strainer I checked just to be sure it does reach the bottom.
If the pump ensures prevention of sediment isn't 10 liters of fuel that keeps remaining undetected way too much for that?

Nodge68 · Jul 14, 2020

juzin30 said:
Yes it is, in fact it's the original pump, never been changed. When I opened the tank to clean the strainer I checked just to be sure it does reach the bottom.
If the pump ensures prevention of sediment isn't 10 liters of fuel that keeps remaining undetected way too much for that?

I've never actually measured how much fuel remained in the tank, once the pump stops drawing, but it is quite a lot, well over a gallon, possibly two.

GrumpyGel · Jul 14, 2020

Nodge68 said:
I've never actually measured how much fuel remained in the tank, once the pump stops drawing, but it is quite a lot, well over a gallon, possibly two.

Not sure if the fuel tanks are the same on all (diesel?) Freelanders, but I'm sure my L Series tank is supposed to hold 60 liters.

When I have been crossing my fingers and hoping I get to a petrol station quickly because the needle is below empty, the most I've ever been able to fill it up with is 50 liters. So I presume I've never gone below 10 liters remaining in the tank.

juzin30 · Jul 14, 2020

You guys sound so right because that's my observation too. So should I be right in thinking that's just how freelander has been designed? If so then I ask again...If the pump ignores that much to ensure prevention of sediment isn't 10 liters of fuel that keeps remaining undetected way too much for that?

paul99 · Jul 14, 2020

10 litres spread across the bottom of the fuel tank would only be probably about 3 or 4 centimetres deep. I don't think it would be much more depth than that.

Nodge68 · Jul 14, 2020

juzin30 said:
If the pump ignores that much to ensure prevention of sediment isn't 10 liters of fuel that keeps remaining undetected way too much for that?

Not necessarily. Don't forget that the Freelander was designed as a go to most places, used in any country type vehicle, some of which I'm sure will have poor quality fuel, containing all sorts of contaminants. So it was designed to allow for crap fuel, which means a good reservoir of unused fuel/dirt/water remains in the tank.

Its actually not good practice to run any vehicle so low on fuel, that all the muck in the bottom of the tank is drawn up to block the filters and injectors anyway. How much fuel that remains unused in the tank is irrelevant after the first filling anyway, so I don't see what the issue is.

GrumpyGel · Jul 14, 2020

paul99 said:
10 litres spread across the bottom of the fuel tank would only be probably about 3 or 4 centimetres deep. I don't think it would be much more depth than that.

Plus, if the car is not level, that 10L will accumulate in 1 end/corner of the tank.

Hippo · Jul 15, 2020

A FL1 fool tank is 63L according to LR. They say 59L of that is useable. The warning lamp for low fool illuminates at 13L. I once ran my FL1 low and filled up with 59L according to the petrol station pump. This was done as a test to see if the warning did activate at 13L, while watching the miles driven at current mpg as it dropped so I knew how close I was. When I changed the fool filter the tank was clean inside despite the amount of fool gone into it over the years. I dropped a screwdriver in mine. Got it out. When the pump was removed the filter had fine black dust in it. It would settle in the bottom of the bucket of fool emptied out of the filter but if shaken it would stir up and blacken the fool, then settle again at the bottom of the bucket after a bit.

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GrumpyGel · Jul 15, 2020

Hippo said:
A FL1 fool tank is 63L according to LR. They say 59L of that is useable. The warning lamp for low fool illuminates at 13L. I once ran my FL1 low and filled up with 59L according to the petrol station pump. This was done as a test to see if the warning did activate at 13L, while watching the miles driven at current mpg as it dropped so I knew how close I was. When I changed the fool filter the tank was clean inside despite the amount of fool gone into it over the years. I dropped a screwdriver in mine. Got it out. When the pump was removed the filter had fine black dust in it. It would settle in the bottom of the bucket of fool emptied out of the filter but if shaken it would stir up and blacken the fool, then settle again at the bottom of the bucket after a bit. I will add some pic's to this post later.

You had/have a low fuel lamp on yours, wow.

Lots of idiot aids on yours.

Nodge68 · Jul 15, 2020

GrumpyGel said:
You had/have a low fuel lamp on yours, wow.

Lots of idiot aids on yours.

Low fuel warning become standard after the 2000 redesign GG. There were loads if differences, some small and others not so small, like vehicle body strength improvements.

juzin30 · Jul 15, 2020

Nodge68 said:
Not necessarily. Don't forget that the Freelander was designed as a go to most places, used in any country type vehicle, some of which I'm sure will have poor quality fuel, containing all sorts of contaminants. So it was designed to allow for crap fuel, which means a good reservoir of unused fuel/dirt/water remains in the tank.

Its actually not good practice to run any vehicle so low on fuel, that all the muck in the bottom of the tank is drawn up to block the filters and injectors anyway. How much fuel that remains unused in the tank is irrelevant after the first filling anyway, so I don't see what the issue is.

Well this sounds so comprehensive hence gives me much more clearer picture. thanks a lot

Hippo · Jul 16, 2020

GrumpyGel said:
You had/have a low fuel lamp on yours, wow.

Lots of idiot aids on yours.

My guess is they left it oft initially to reduce complexity as potential tratter owners don't like electrics.

Fuel gauge/ empty when full

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