Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: D on 29 January 2012, 22:29:40
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So I get into the car with OBC claiming I have 50 odd miles till empty. Drive rather spiritedly (as much as you can in an Elite) and reach destination (about 16 miles away). Spend a few hours shopping and get back in, drive off and as I canter down the narrow spiral path from the car park my engine cuts out. Takes me a while to realise it was actually dead till I realise that the steering has no power assitance. At this point I am sweating a bit as getting stuck in the narrow track means obstructing the hundreds of Sunday shoppers trying to get home. Thankfully I reacted in time to nudge the gearbox into neutral and coast all the way to the bottom and mount the kerb so as to not obstruct other drivers. At this point I am wondering whats going on as OBC still reads 10 miles to empty, needle in red but not at the very bottom. So I am about to call recovery when I try restarting and the engine fires to life. Excellent, drive off to the nearest petrol station and on route the engine tries to die on me again (twice). Somehow make it to the pump and fill her up (£90 :'(). Restart and no problems ever since. I can only presume the OBC was wrong and I had very little fuel in the tank.
I used to always fill up at the quarter mark, but have been lazy since I changed to the Omega. Lesson learnt. And hopefully no damage done to car. And never believe what the OBC tells you.
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The range assumes that your fuel consumption remains constant over the remainder of the tank. Put your clog down and, as you have found, it can look a bit optimistic. The orange light is more trustworthy. ;)
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
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swmbo has a terrible habit of 'pushing her luck' why o why drive with so little fuel in the car, even if driving to a filling station, it only takes a jam or a diversion and you are up the creek....... ::) ::) ::)
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
He's got all technical with his new job...... :D :D :D
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....
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
Wouldn't the diced carrots & tomato skins block the filter ............ ::) ::) ::) ::) ;D ;D
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
Nicely put H21 - hope Webby understands ok ???
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
Nicely put H21 - hope Webby understands ok ???
I presume you're talking about the shite that's been allowed to slosh round the engine due to the fuel going so low. If not, I aint got a fckuing clue what you're talking about :)
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Ime they dont tend to start up and drive to the nearest petrol station after they run out (although "slosh" could expllain why it did - maybe) but I would be doing a paperclip test just in case. ;)
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Ime they dont tend to start up and drive to the nearest petrol station after they run out (although "slosh" could expllain why it did - maybe) but I would be doing a paperclip test just in case. ;)
Agreed. On the occasions my Omegas have been "out of juice" - they aren't going anywhere fast until you get a petrol can... ;D
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Perhaps the incline of the road? Or maybe slosh. No codes at all.
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
Nicely put H21 - hope Webby understands ok ???
I presume you're talking about the shite that's been allowed to slosh round the engine due to the fuel going so low. If not, I aint got a fckuing clue what you're talking about :)
Imagine the fuel tank is the large bowl, and the fuel is the puke.. as you drive around the fuel will move around the tank - since the 'pickup' of the pump is only in one place, all it takes is a hard corner et viola, you're sucking air (or, in the analogy, have puke down your shirt)..
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So I get into the car with OBC claiming I have 50 odd miles till empty. Drive rather spiritedly (as much as you can in an Elite) and reach destination (about 16 miles away). Spend a few hours shopping and get back in, drive off and as I canter down the narrow spiral path from the car park my engine cuts out. Takes me a while to realise it was actually dead till I realise that the steering has no power assitance. At this point I am sweating a bit as getting stuck in the narrow track means obstructing the hundreds of Sunday shoppers trying to get home. Thankfully I reacted in time to nudge the gearbox into neutral and coast all the way to the bottom and mount the kerb so as to not obstruct other drivers. At this point I am wondering whats going on as OBC still reads 10 miles to empty, needle in red but not at the very bottom. So I am about to call recovery when I try restarting and the engine fires to life. Excellent, drive off to the nearest petrol station and on route the engine tries to die on me again (twice). Somehow make it to the pump and fill her up (£90 :'(). Restart and no problems ever since. I can only presume the OBC was wrong and I had very little fuel in the tank.
I used to always fill up at the quarter mark, but have been lazy since I changed to the Omega. Lesson learnt. And hopefully no damage done to car. And never believe what the OBC tells you.
Still pretty accurate if you ran out at 10 miles to go.
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Also sounds like you were suffering fuel "slosh" :-\
What the fek is fuel slosh, LD? lol
Ever put a pint of puke in a large basin and slipped it around?
Thats 'fuel slosh'..... :y :-X
Nicely put H21 - hope Webby understands ok ???
I presume you're talking about the shite that's been allowed to slosh round the engine due to the fuel going so low. If not, I aint got a fckuing clue what you're talking about :)
Imagine the fuel tank is the large bowl, and the fuel is the puke.. as you drive around the fuel will move around the tank - since the 'pickup' of the pump is only in one place, all it takes is a hard corner et viola, you're sucking air (or, in the analogy, have puke down your shirt)..
Exactly as above. The main reason I suspect it in this instance is because he was going down a spiral when it cut out ;)
As said though, worth checking the codes just in case :y
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You're all barking up the wrong tree... ...OP has clearly stated the cause ;)
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You're all barking up the wrong tree... ...OP has clearly stated the cause ;)
Well, this is true... He gave it an enthusiastic drive there, but strange that it was re-starting
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You're all barking up the wrong tree... ...OP has clearly stated the cause ;)
Well, this is true... He gave it an enthusiastic drive there, but strange that it was re-starting
I'm talking about the BC Range inaccuracy...
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To help the OP, although I know its not urgent...
...where does the BC get its tank contents signal from... ...instrument ECU for those that don't know.
...OP said the gauge didn't read empty, so clearly the BC will have the same view.
So ultimately, its likely to be the float reading isn't accurate when low on the OP's car. Or the Instrument panel has the wrong programming.
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To help the OP, although I know its not urgent...
...where does the BC get its tank contents signal from... ...instrument ECU for those that don't know.
...OP said the gauge didn't read empty, so clearly the BC will have the same view.
So ultimately, its likely to be the float reading isn't accurate when low on the OP's car. Or the Instrument panel has the wrong programming.
It actually uses the same input signal as the instrument ECU, IIRC, not even an output from the instrument ECU, so likely the float has stuck above the bottom of the tank IMHO.
In this scenario (same situation as with LPG) it appears to guesstimate based on tank contents at each start and consumption until it's almost empty, then start counting down the miles. If the float sicks before it starts counting down it will be a tad optimistic. ;)
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To help the OP, although I know its not urgent...
...where does the BC get its tank contents signal from... ...instrument ECU for those that don't know.
...OP said the gauge didn't read empty, so clearly the BC will have the same view.
So ultimately, its likely to be the float reading isn't accurate when low on the OP's car. Or the Instrument panel has the wrong programming.
It actually uses the same input signal as the instrument ECU, IIRC, not even an output from the instrument ECU, so likely the float has stuck above the bottom of the tank IMHO.
In this scenario (same situation as with LPG) it appears to guesstimate based on tank contents at each start and consumption until it's almost empty, then start counting down the miles. If the float sicks before it starts counting down it will be a tad optimistic. ;)
need to check schems, but if instrument panel missing, I know BC cannot read tank
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To help the OP, although I know its not urgent...
...where does the BC get its tank contents signal from... ...instrument ECU for those that don't know.
...OP said the gauge didn't read empty, so clearly the BC will have the same view.
So ultimately, its likely to be the float reading isn't accurate when low on the OP's car. Or the Instrument panel has the wrong programming.
It actually uses the same input signal as the instrument ECU, IIRC, not even an output from the instrument ECU, so likely the float has stuck above the bottom of the tank IMHO.
In this scenario (same situation as with LPG) it appears to guesstimate based on tank contents at each start and consumption until it's almost empty, then start counting down the miles. If the float sicks before it starts counting down it will be a tad optimistic. ;)
need to check schems, but if instrument panel missing, I know BC cannot read tank
I'm guessing the instrument panel provides a current source, and reads voltage developed across the resistance of the sensor whereas the MID just samples the voltage on the same line (as does the engine ECU, for some reason - purge control, I guess).
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once my obc states there is only 30 miles worth of fuel by flashing the fact i usually fill up pretty soon to be on the safe side!!