Low fuel = Difficult starting?
 

Do you ever notice when your fuel level is near empty the car needs to crank more to start up? I was close to E this morning and found that I had to hold the key longer to start it. Maybe it's me? I dunno...

simple solution dont run your tank to e

it's cuz you're not giving the fuel pump enough time to build up enough pressure....

turn the key to the II (on) position (don't start it) and then put your seat belt on etc wait a few sec THEN start - you'll notice it doesn't lag like when you don't wait..

Ya, that's happened to me before as well. I have a 97 EK, and according to my manual my gas tank is 45L's. When my gas light comes on, and after I've done a fill up I've typically put in about 35L's.

So when my gas light does come on, assuming about 10L's of gas or so in my car, it can be a real b***h to get her started sometimes. I agree, running your gas down to E is not a great idea, but sometimes you in a rush, blah blah......... With roughly a 1/4 tank you would think that it wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the tip SilverSiG. Not doubting you, but the few times it's happen to me, at least once I had to put in a few bucks worth of gas in from the lawnmower gas tank in the garage to get her started and drive to the nearest gas station. Maybe my car has got other issues, LOL.

Silver is right. I always run mine down to below empty and when I have little gas just wait 5 seconds with the key in ON to let it get fuel, so that it doesnt have to crank a lot and put wear on the starter.

Is it bad to drive your car to empty every time ?

It is bad to drive it to empty as there is a possibility that you will pickup sludge/debris from the tank bottom. You could end up clogging a filter and end up with a bigger problem than just having a hard time starting.

people say there is sludge, but does anyone have pics of this "sludge" at teh bottom of the tank?

well, sludge can be form from gas and water mixed together. Also, running the fuel pump low on gas means premature wear on the pump itself. Fuel acts as a coolant to cool down the pump from over heating.

prime that **** like a honda lawnmower

:dito:...I myself follow this rule and have never had a problem starting, even on reserve.

Isn't mine already a lawnmower? That's what I hear the Dodge guys saying after I take them off the line!
"Look at that lawnmower go!"

i would worry more about running the tank at 1/2 on a regular basis, you should fill it right up every so often, leaving it at half will create moisture in the tank and this can also contribute to harder start ups. But like everyone says, let the injectors prime a before starting, if it still doesn't start or you still have difficulty prime it twice as 1sykcoupe said.

those are people who have never dropped a tank or even replaced a fuel pump. it's clean in there, there is no sludge. on a super old car, there may be a couple of chips of rust or something that got knocked in, but besides that... all clean.