I wish I could down-vote this by 1x10^9. What, you think the gas is taken from the top of the tank by a floating tube? The pickup is already on the bottom of the tank, which is pretty dang clean. More FUD spread by mechanics.
When reading the sentence about debris at the bottom my face went into an unnatural position.
The pump is usually located inside the fuel tank on modern vehicles and submerged in the fuel. The fuel is used to cool the pump during operation. When running low, the pump is exposed to air, runs hotter and may possibly overheat and be damaged.
> The good news is that the "low fuel" light comes on when there's anywhere from 1 to 2 gallons left, which is plenty to keep the pump safe.
Yeah, but you pretty much have to be under 1 gallon for it to be an issue.
Similarly, for what the OP mentioned:
> But modern fuel pumps have a protective screen or porous sock-like cover that catches any contaminants before they enter the fuel system. And those small bits that might get through would normally be caught by a second filter closer to the engine.
The location requires a filter to avoid that problem, regardless of fuel level. xD
> Even the simple act of driving with a low amount of fuel in your tank can damage your fuel pump...
I agree, driving up to fuel reserve shouldn't be a problem but I wouldn't use the reserve all that often.
Most gas tanks are pretty wide and flat and fuel pumps tend to be built "vertically", so 1 gallon fuel left of 14-16 gal will not cover/cool all that much surface area of the fuel pump.
> Most gas tanks are pretty wide and flat and fuel pumps tend to be built "vertically", so 1 gallon fuel left of 14-16 gal will not cover/cool all that much surface area of the fuel pump.
Its intended to operate safely and efficiently at a level equal to or above the fuel reserve.
If it didn't, they would fail frequently in many cars as most people drive it pretty close to E regularly and you'd have in warranty repairs.
The stated reason may be wrong but it's not advisable to often drive below reserve (on hot days, in many modern cars).
As I stated before, I agree with you that driving up to fuel reserve is usually fine but I would not routinely drive on reserve.
The article disclaimer we are discussing:
> That said, driving on empty can also do damage to your vehicle. If you do run out of gas, you can do damage to your catalytic converter, which may then need to be repaired or replaced. Even the simple act of driving with a low amount of fuel in your tank can damage your fuel pump...
However, it had nothing to do at all with gas contamination (the pump couldn't care less), and everything to do with cooling (or lack of, due to the extended low fuel condition). I used to live in a hot climate (30oC every day). The pump self-destructed and part of the casing melted.
It takes quite a few days of constant driving with the gas light on for it to be an issue. At the time, I was filling up just enough to get me from A to B and didn't think it would be a problem.
My distance record was 798 miles. I was going for 800, but my nerve gave out after the low-fuel warning had been on for 50 miles.