From: "Eric Linnhoff" <eric10mm@qni.com>
>Howdy from the warm midwest!!!
Howdy, yourself, from the hot, humid MidSouth!
>So, I was reading the latest SportsCar magazine from the SCCA and
> there's a small article regarding how to determine the absolute
> minimum amount of gasoline that must be in any car in order to
> not suffer from fuel starvation during a race.
>
>The author says that he uses the stock electric fuel pump to empty
> the gas tank. Any idea if this is applicable to Neons?
I'm sure it can be.
>Pardon my lack of electron understanding but if the ignition key
> is in the "on" position the in-tank fuel pump in my Neon is
> pumping, right?
I can't be positive on the Neon, but it's not a good idea for the
fuel pump to just run continuously with the ignition in the "on"
position. If you were in a wreck and the fuel line was severed,
would you want the fuel pump to keep running? I think the fuel pump
shuts off after about two seconds if the engine is not running. If
you were to turn the ignition "on," you would probably hear a
humming sound for a couple of seconds and then quiet. That would be
the fuel pump running to build up fuel pressure and get the engine
started and shutting off when there is no ignition signal.
>Can I simply unfasten some portion of the stock fuel line from
> under the car's chassis and let the electric pump squirt the
> gas into a gas can? I know there's no return line to the tank in
> the Neon's fuel injection system so that narrows down the choices
> of under body hoses to play with.
Probably, but what makes me uncomfortable about this is most fuel
injection high-pressure, high-volume fuel pumps are cooled and
lubricated by the gasoline. Best case scenario: nothing happens and
everybody is happy; worse case: the fuel pump burns up and has to
be replaced. Even if everything seems ok, you could shorten the
life of the fuel pump. This happens sometimes when people run out
of gas; they try to start the car for a few minutes before they
realize they're out of gas. But later it still won't start because
the fuel pump is burnt up and has to be replaced. I don't even
think it's a good idea to run a car low on fuel because of the
possibility of sucking air while cornering and damaging the pump.
YMMV.
>Thanks in advance.
Sure, just want you to know all the possibilities.
Memphis Mumbles
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