INSTRUCTOR AND SPI RUN OUT OF FUEL ON XCOUNTRY FLT.

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BEFORE DEP; A VISUAL CHK OF THE QUANTITY OF FUEL WAS MADE. A JUDGEMENT WAS MADE AS TO HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE TANKS. NO MEASURING DEVICES WERE USED. COMPUTATIONS WERE MADE TO DETERMINE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE TAXI AND RUNUP; CLBOUT; AND ENRTE SEGMENTS OF THE FLT. AN ADDITIONAL FUDGE FACTOR WAS ADDED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. AFTER CALCULATING; THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE THAT THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT PLUS A 30 MIN RESERVE. ON THE RETURN LEG; THE FUEL INDICATED 1/2 FULL WHICH AGREED WITH OUR PREVIOUS CALCULATIONS. AS THE FLT PROGRESSED THE FUEL INDICATORS DROPPED CONSIDERABLY FAST AND AS THEY APCHED BTWN 1/4 AND EMPTY A DECISION WAS MADE TO DEVIATE TO HEMET RYAN ARPT FOR FUEL. UPON REACHING THE DOWNWIND LEG; THE ENG SPUTTERED AND AN EMER LNDG WAS SUCCESSFULLY MADE WITH LITTLE OR NO PWR ON THE RECIPROCAL END OF THE ACTIVE RWY. REFLECTING BACK; POOR JUDGEMENT WAS MADE WHEN CHKING THE FUEL QUANTITY. ESTIMATING FUEL LEVEL BASED ON AN EXPERIENCED GUESS WAS UNWISE AND UNSAFE. MEASURING DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE AND WILL BE USED WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY IS OTHER THAN FULL. I AM A SAFETY CONSCIENTIOUS PERSON AND PRIDE MYSELF IN BEING VERY THOROUGH WHEN TEACHING MY STUDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND I HOPE THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE CAN BE AVOIDED.