Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

'Low Fuel' light?


Recommended Posts

Mi 1985 GL Weberized EA82 has a Small Light Square aside the Gasoline gauge that becomes On when the Fuel needle is Touchin' the Low Fuel Red Mark.

 

Maybe your subie has a Burnt Bulb there...

Edit: I Forgot to say that Mine has Analog Dash.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
analog Dash
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 87 GL had one, its a small square about 1/4 inch in size.

 

I suppose its possible its burned out, I usually used my odometer for fuel range anyway as I had so much crud in my tank. The gas light in my Baja rarely comes on as I try to gas up around the 300 mile mark so that I am never left unprepared should I ever need to drop what I am doing and drive across town or something.

 

If you really want to find out if it works, take a gas can with you and keep driving til it comes on or it runs out of gas. Just be aware that you may need to change your fuel filter after doing so if you end up out of gas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

If you really want to find out if it works, take a gas can with you and keep driving til it comes on or it runs out of gas. Just be aware that you may need to change your fuel filter after doing so if you end up out of gas.

 

I suppose that's one way to test it, lol. I had to give in yesterday morning and fuel up as I was supposed to make a trip across town. Didn't fancy running out along the way, and the needle had just lined up perfectly with the E mark... still no light.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My '92 Loyale has it. The fuel gauge needle will actually hit the E mark and then dip slightly below it when the yellow square lights up, so you might not have run it down far enough yet.

 

For what it is worth, on mine, the car has at least 3/4 gallon left in it when the yellow light comes on. That's as close as I've been willing to risk it! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My '92 Loyale has it. The fuel gauge needle will actually hit the E mark and then dip slightly below it when the yellow square lights up, so you might not have run it down far enough yet.

 

For what it is worth, on mine, the car has at least 3/4 gallon left in it when the yellow light comes on. That's as close as I've been willing to risk it! :)

 

Thanks for the info Red. I'll try that next time and just carry some spare fuel in a Jerrycan around the time I hit E.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an '86 GL wagon (bought when brand new) and mine has never had one. Even when I've filled the 12-gallon tank with 11.5 gallons (give or take a few cups) there was no fuel light on the dash. And where else would it make sense to be located?

 

Almost forgot, it's all analog.

Edited by Subarule
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info Red. I'll try that next time and just carry some spare fuel in a Jerrycan around the time I hit E.

 

No problem. If you do this, let us know how it goes. I'm curious to know just how much gas the "reserve" actually is. :)

 

Just be ready for this:

Just be aware that you may need to change your fuel filter after doing so if you end up out of gas.

... have your AAA card handy or a friend on call in case you get stuck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an '86 GL wagon (bought when brand new) and mine has never had one. Even when I've filled the 12-gallon tank with 11.5 gallons (give or take a few cups) there was no fuel light on the dash. And where else would it make sense to be located?

 

On my Loyale, right underneath the analog fuel gauge, there is a little symbol of a gas pump. The light that comes on is a yellow square just to the left of that. So it's not on the dash (like the check engine light), it's actually in the gauge cluster right underneath the fuel gauge.

 

That's just for my Loyale... no idea if the GL has the same setup...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my 1986 GL hasnt ever had the gas light come on.

 

and its been run pretty low just by sheer "next paycheck" status..

 

I wouldnt let it run out of fuel... IIRC fuel is what lubricates the fuel pump... If you let it run out of fuel, that stops the lubrication and you may lose a fuel pump. Thats an expensive repair if you go OEM ($230) and you might have some pieces of fuel pump in the fuel lines that will mess stuff up... Just my .02

 

nogas.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in the owners manual for my 86 wag and my 91 loyale wag it says you have 2.4 gallons left when the light comes on. my light (both of them) come on around 1/8 of a tank (2.4ish gallons). it sounds like either you dont have a light(unlikely but possible) or its malfunctioning. HTH

 

 

RV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in the owners manual for my 86 wag and my 91 loyale wag it says you have 2.4 gallons left when the light comes on. my light (both of them) come on around 1/8 of a tank (2.4ish gallons)

 

2.4 gallons!! So what, 60 miles or so of driving left?

 

Mine for sure comes on when the needle dips below "E", it looks just like the photo 92_rugby_subie posted but the light will come on. Does your yellow light come on when the needle is still above E then?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine wont come on and its been run very low... while it was sitting for a few weeks... It was started and moved (bad tie-rods/tires/wheel bearings) and the gas needle was ALL the way below the E and still it didnt come on... so if I still had 2.4 gallons in it after the E mark, thats awesome, but I doubt it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem. If you do this, let us know how it goes. I'm curious to know just how much gas the "reserve" actually is. :)

 

Just be ready for this:

 

... have your AAA card handy or a friend on call in case you get stuck.

 

Lol, I have a card for a free tow from a local company they handed out to me during this years Pikes Peak Hill Climb Festival downtown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Fuel Light is only one and it Trend to come On when the Fuel Gauge Reaches the Red Mark; is a very Small Square Light Aside the Gauge.

...and I Measured the Fuel Tank Long time ago, So I can Tell you that there's no 2.4 Gals left on the Tank at Red Mark; I believe that it Barely Reaches 1.2 Gals left.

 

Kind Regards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was playing basketball in high school (and gas was cheaper) I used to have to drive to school every day (30 miles over a mountain pass). I would work every Sunday and make $25, put it in my tank on Monday and go from fuel light on to full tank of gas. By Friday my fuel light would be on and I'd start the process over. One weekend I had to go into town so I grabbed a gas can and started off with the fuel light already on. I made it about 30 miles on fairly level road before it ran totally out of gas. Dumped in the 2 gallons I had with me and it started right back up and kept going. It didn't seem to plug the filter or hurt the pump.

 

Oh I almost forgot: car was an 88 DL Wagon EA82 SPFI, analogue dash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I live by the light. When it comes on I know I have 3 or 4 days of going to work before I run out of gas. (only 10 miles round trip) I have felt worried once or twice when it didn't come on when I thought it should but being a subaru, it's never let me down and eventually did light up.

 

1991 Loyale 4WD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live by the light. When it comes on I know I have 3 or 4 days of going to work before I run out of gas. (only 10 miles round trip) I have felt worried once or twice when it didn't come on when I thought it should but being a subaru, it's never let me down and eventually did light up.

 

1991 Loyale 4WD

 

Be careful living by that light. If it goes out, you may run out of gas and destroy your fuel pump.

 

Not to mention running it that low can cause you to pick up the crud on the bottom of the tank and make your motor run like crap and clog the fuel pump.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I have an '86 GL wagon (bought when brand new) and mine has never had one. Even when I've filled the 12-gallon tank with 11.5 gallons (give or take a few cups) there was no fuel light on the dash. And where else would it make sense to be located?

 

Almost forgot, it's all analog.

 

 

I misspoke, I do have one of those little light gizmos. It must have never come on in all the time I've owned the car. Or it's been non-functional, which I doubt, because I don't let the gas tank get real low.

 

Living where I do (SW Washington) I always keep in the back of my mind that it is possible that some day I might have to evacuate quickly. We live by an active vocano, the Pacific ocean and some serious earthquake fault lines. So I always keep plenty of gas in Sube-girl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...