Learned a Few Things about the KJ Today

One= That my low fuel light works...
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And Two= Once you are completely out, hitchhiking :favorites68:***** to go get this...
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Has this ever happened to you?

Luckily no, but I have had a few experiences of the engine starting to sputter as I pulled into the gas station. The most hair raising I have had with the low fuel light was when I had to leave work, though I put fuel in the Jeep and was at nearly half a tank, I burned that half a tank in less than 40 miles due to extreme wind gusts despite trying to keep my speed at 50mph. Leaving town to head home thinking I had enough fuel to make it about five miles out DING! I drove nearly 15 miles on that low fuel light coasting with the clutch in as much as I could.

This all brings up a good question. What is the reserve capacity or volume after the light yells at you?

I think there's a gallon or two left. I've never been able to put more than 19 into my 20.5 gallon tank...I've had the range down to 0 once or twice.

In the LR3 I ran out of gas once pulling into my neighborhood, the fuel level sensor quit working and I had miscalculated my range by like 20 miles. Good times. $700 fix.

i've normally driven about 25-30 km in town with the fuel light on. then filled it with 72 litres ... i think its a 4 litre reserver ... 1 ish gallons?

I usually don't get low enough for the light to come on and never went far once it did, but I think I could only get about 15.5 to 16 gallons in it last time and mine is allegedly an 18.5 gallon capacity. So maybe 2 ish gallons for my 02. Don't remember seeing any specs for this in the owners manual.

I had rented a KJ for Christmas '07 - my aunt lived at the top of a winding, dirt driveway in the mountains and my AWD vehicle had an engine issue.

On the way home through PA, I learned that even gas stations on an I-81 in PA shut down early on Sun nights. Finally found an open station in Pottsville and put 20.2 gals in. I was sweating bullets, let me tell you. I thought we were stranded at a Walmart for the night.

Leeann said:

I had rented a KJ for Christmas '07 - my aunt lived at the top of a winding, dirt driveway in the mountains and my AWD vehicle had an engine issue.

On the way home through PA, I learned that even gas stations on an I-81 in PA shut down early on Sun nights. Finally found an open station in Pottsville and put 20.2 gals in. I was sweating bullets, let me tell you. I thought we were stranded at a Walmart for the night.

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That's pretty impressive. Could've tried to fill it up with Yeungling. arty52:

ltd02 said:

That's pretty impressive. Could've tried to fill it up with Yeungling. arty52:

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I would have, but the brewery was closed

My great-aunt and uncle lived in Allentown at the time, but even that was too far on the gas I had left.

I had put off stopping for gas until we got to PA because it was raining absolute buckets and wind gusts to 50 mph in NY and I wasn't excited about getting absolutely drenched in December cold.

Leeann said:

I would have, but the brewery was closed

My great-aunt and uncle lived in Allentown at the time, but even that was too far on the gas I had left.

I had put off stopping for gas until we got to PA because it was raining absolute buckets and wind gusts to 50 mph in NY and I wasn't excited about getting absolutely drenched in December cold.

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How'd you wind up in Pottsville? Not much else around there. That stretch of 81 from Wilkes-Barre or Hazleton to Pine Grove is like the tundra in the winter. That's my former neck of the woods. Lived in Bethlehem for a bit too.

The previous exit claimed 2 gas stations, neither of which were open. The 2 exits prior had nothing. That exit claimed 2, neither of which were open, but the gas light had been on too long. A nice person at McDonald's directed us further down the road into town for a BP that was open late...and I just made it. Creepy road to get there, at least at night in winter, through the curves and shale.

Leeann said:

I had rented a KJ for Christmas '07 - my aunt lived at the top of a winding, dirt driveway in the mountains and my AWD vehicle had an engine issue.

On the way home through PA, I learned that even gas stations on an I-81 in PA shut down early on Sun nights. Finally found an open station in Pottsville and put 20.2 gals in. I was sweating bullets, let me tell you. I thought we were stranded at a Walmart for the night.

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That's how I was driving that night, I called my wife to head to the house and get a Gas Can ready in case I didn't make it to Indianola where I could refuel. I made it by the skin of my teeth. Thankfully there is a Gas Station at almost every corner in that small town.

Leeann said:

The previous exit claimed 2 gas stations, neither of which were open. The 2 exits prior had nothing. That exit claimed 2, neither of which were open, but the gas light had been on too long. A nice person at McDonald's directed us further down the road into town for a BP that was open late...and I just made it. Creepy road to get there, at least at night in winter, through the curves and shale.

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Route 61 from Frackville down the mountain in the rain in December. Yikes! True though, there really isn't much as far as gas stations along that stretch other than the mall off that exit. Pretty sure there will be a Sheetz or Wawa at every exit in the US very soon. :gr_grin:

Believe me, I was hoping for one that night.

What's really bad is when you travel out west and once you get through Nebraska into Wyoming over. Distances between stops can get long and then you get to the point you may have half tank of fuel but its smarter to just stop and gas up now then regret it later when you realize that you can't make it to the next gas station.

ltd02 said:

This all brings up a good question. What is the reserve capacity or volume after the light yells at you?

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With a CRD diesel such as I have you cannot afford to take chances running out of fuel as it is not as straight forward to get going again as by merely adding a Jerry Can of diesel!

That said through I have also sweated buckets when the low fuel light has come on!

ltd02 said:

How'd you wind up in Pottsville? Not much else around there. That stretch of 81 from Wilkes-Barre or Hazleton to Pine Grove is like the tundra in the winter. That's my former neck of the woods. Lived in Bethlehem for a bit too.

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Yeah, that stretch of highway can be sparce for fuel stops and I always stopped in Scranton Wilkes-Barre area to top off. Once 81 turns into 88 in NY there is nothing but trees and deer for a long way. That stretch of 88 in NY is spooky at night with no traffic and no lights anywhere and just trees and deer for many miles.


One time I sweat bullets with the low fuel chime and when I finally stopped it took 19 gallons and my KJ is an 05 with the bigger 20.5 gal. tank. I never did that again....LOL


Dave

LibertyTC said:

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Thanks! Just went back and re-searched my manual (PDF) and there it was on page 157 near the end of the "understanding your instrument cluster" section. 2.7 gallons is a pretty good buffer! With my 18+mpg that'll give me about 50 miles.

Dave said:

Yeah, that stretch of highway can be sparce for fuel stops and I always stopped in Scranton Wilkes-Barre area to top off. Once 81 turns into 88 in NY there is nothing but trees and deer for a long way. That stretch of 88 in NY is spooky at night with no traffic and no lights anywhere and just trees and deer for many miles.


One time I sweat bullets with the low fuel chime and when I finally stopped it took 19 gallons and my KJ is an 05 with the bigger 20.5 gal. tank. I never did that again....LOL

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Oh yeah, 88 out of Binghamton is pretty desolate all the way to Schenectady. Always love having light traffic until it starts to feel post-apocalyptic.

I wish I had the 20.5 gallon. Not sure it was even available in the 02.