3 ms·

But after that, there is no more gasoline left for burning.

• withinboredom 5y ago
  A tank full of gas won't explode if punctured, but there might be a fire if it leaks near something hot enough. An empty tank will explode with just the slightest spark. A half tank just depends on where it gets punctured, but with gravity and all, it's likely to be the bottom half that gets punctured.
  • throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    Cars use in-tank pumps turned by brushed electric motors. Why don't they blow up when empty? Even in an empty fuel tank the vapors are way to rich to ignite. You might get a good flash if you introduce air and ignition at the same time but odds are you won't get any sort of sustained fire.
    • mannykannot 5y ago
      On the other hand, TWA 800. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_800 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_800