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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: C5Allroad on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:21:25

Title: Will I die...
Post by: C5Allroad on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:21:25
If I fill my tank tomorrow while the car is running?

Starter is dying and can't miss school tomorrow. It barely started today after practice, already ordered new one...
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: hwood34 on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:22:24
I feel like that's a thing you are definitely not supposed to do
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: fknraiden on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:28:49
Friend did it once without realizing. Almost had a heart attack. I'm alive
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: C5Allroad on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:30:59
I feel like that's a thing you are definitely not supposed to do

Supposedly, nothing will happen. But really don't wanna be stuck there when I'm trying to change my schedule tomorrow, that'd suck if I was stuck there... It'd be interesting to see a tow truck maneuvering there to pick it up and tow it to the shop so I can put the new one in, I think oil is leaking on to it from the filter. Not too sure.

Friend did it once without realizing. Almost had a heart attack. I'm alive

Mother did it once too... I ran out of that car as if I was gonna die. She told me to turn it off if I felt like it, felt like I was defusing a bomb.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: inanis on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:33:23
I see people do this all the time, and it drives me crazy. I know that the car isn't going to blow up, but all I can think is that if it does, we are all going to die, not just the person that is doing it.

So, you aren't going to die, but on the off chance you do, you are going to take everyone else with you.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: njbair on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:46:02
It's not going to blow anything up. Worst case scenario, your check engine light will come on due to minor air bubbles in the fuel lines.

If you're really worried about it, pump the gas slowly to avoid too much splashing around in the tank.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: SpAmRaY on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:49:06
You mean your supposed to shut your car off? I fill up all the time with the vehicle running while talking on my cell phone. Gas must not be as flammable as they say.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: beehatch on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:51:38
I'm confused. You're going to have to start it in the morning anyway right?

Well... why can't someone just fill up a gas can for you right now, you fill-up your car, and that way you don't have to start it twice?

edit:
I mean, if it's such a ***** to get it to run... Or you can do the fill-up while the car is on.

**** if I know, I don't even have a car
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: hwood34 on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:52:54
TIL you dont even have to turn your car off
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: demik on Tue, 01 September 2015, 20:58:15
you're the reason we have warning signs
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: C5Allroad on Tue, 01 September 2015, 21:42:45
I choose to blame gm for the warning signs. The starter is dying. My allroads starter was still good after 123k miles
njbair, I guess I'll slowly pump...
I just want to get to school tomorrow.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: invisuu on Wed, 02 September 2015, 02:35:51
 Why would anything blow up? Gas (as in the liquid that runs your car) doesn't even explode in liquid form, it just burns.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: C5Allroad on Wed, 02 September 2015, 19:56:49
I have survived!
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: jdcarpe on Wed, 02 September 2015, 20:07:45
Haha, yeah I don't know what the big deal is. I mean, the gas in the tank isn't exploding, so why would the gas you're pumping into the tank explode? I guess if you created a spark while you were filling the tank it could blow, but it could do that with the engine off.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: njbair on Wed, 02 September 2015, 21:28:01
Haha, yeah I don't know what the big deal is. I mean, the gas in the tank isn't exploding, so why would the gas you're pumping into the tank explode? I guess if you created a spark while you were filling the tank it could blow, but it could do that with the engine off.

The concern is that the sloshing of fuel into the tank will introduce air bubbles into the fuel system, which is only an issue if the fuel lines are pumping in new fuel while the new fuel is splashing down into the tank and making bubbles. The extra air throws off the air-fuel ratio, which could cause larger explosions than the engine was designed to handle. But modern cars have so many sensors and safeguards that it's not really a big deal if you do it once in a situation like this one.
Title: Re: Will I die...
Post by: mattbox on Wed, 02 September 2015, 21:37:45
You'll be fine, but maybe don't add too much gas