Gas tank.... do you run a full tank or half tank and why?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Nov 08, 2004 2:43 pm

Michael Westerfield wrote:

The integra has a light that comes on that tells you when your at the appropriate level for autocrossing...

Ah, but my Miata has two wheel drive when I need it most.

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:26 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Michael Westerfield wrote:

The integra has a light that comes on that tells you when your at the appropriate level for autocrossing...

Ah, but my Miata has two wheel drive when I need it most.

and soon, so will mine... :twisted:

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:11 pm

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try even less gas next year to see where the limits are. Anyone running a bimmer had any luck at finding the "sweet spot" in respect to gas?

Keith and any other bimmer folks out there. Since the car is now oversteering, what advice to you have to make it more neutral? The car felt great with the front end planted, just un-nerving to have to fight the rear end from coming around on you. Any advice?

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:22 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try even less gas next year to see where the limits are. Anyone running a bimmer had any luck at finding the "sweet spot" in respect to gas?

Empty + enough fumes to finish on :lol:

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Wes Eargle wrote:

I run < 1/4 tank. 1/2 tank means that you can get into a NASCAR type "tankslapper" as the fuel sloshes around. Either a full or near empty tank eliminates that. Fuel starvation issues dictate which of those two philosophies you should follow.

Agreed. I fill up before I leave home and run almost full. Over 3/4 for sure. I tried running 1/4 tank once at the RBC. It was ugly...

Graham

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 11:48 am

RodneyWright wrote:

I'm going to try even less gas next year to see where the limits are. Anyone running a bimmer had any luck at finding the "sweet spot" in respect to gas?

Rodney - since you have an E36 BMW, it's unlikely you'll be able to drop much below 1/4 tank without running into fuel starvation problems while autocrossing. The problem w/E36's is BMW chose to put the fuel pick-up on one side of the transmission tunnel and return on the other. There are expensive fixes out there (typically involving adding a second fuel pump), but none that are easy, cheap, or Stock class legal. My M3 used to require at least 1/4 tank when autocrossing (on R compound tires), I've gone as low as 1/8 tank in my 328 (on Falken Azenis tires) without having a problem.

RodneyWright wrote:

Keith and any other bimmer folks out there. Since the car is now oversteering, what advice to you have to make it more neutral? The car felt great with the front end planted, just un-nerving to have to fight the rear end from coming around on you. Any advice?

Definitely try running less fuel load, 1/2 tank is probably the worst case scenario due to the slosh problems others described above. If you can't run around 1/4 tank or less due to fuel starvation, you're probably better off running a full tank and taking the weight hit, assuming it fixes the oversteer issue.

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Thu Nov 11, 2004 6:52 pm

My take is to run as little gas a spossible for a couple reasons.
1. weight is weight, and I carry around enough for two tanks of gas as it is.
2. most AXs are won or lost in transitions. The fuel slosh of 14 or 15 gal of gas is a lot of energy working against the car.

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Gas tank.... do you run a full tank or half tank and why?

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