Running out of Diesel - Montana Owners Club

Ozz · 07-17-2008, 01:39 AM

What do you have to do to get fuel back into the engine if you do run out?
Stiles' post made me think of this question.
Thanks.

H. John Kohl · 07-17-2008, 01:49 AM

Gee OZZ, now you are going to make me read the manual.

SlickWillie · 07-17-2008, 02:06 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

What do you have to do to get fuel back into the engine if you do run out?
Stiles' post made me think of this question.
Thanks.

OZZ, I don't know about the Fords, but the GM trucks have a primer pump on the filter head. My DIL ran their Duramax out of diesel, and they merely loosened the bleed screw, pumped the plunger until the air bled out, and started it back up. I would suspect it would help to have good strong batteries in this scenario. I would think with the type injectors we have in these engines, they will bled the air themselves, unlike the old mechanical injectors. I have a Ford tractor back at the stick house, and it is a b!tch to bled and restart after running out of fuel.

mgdg · 07-17-2008, 02:06 AM

Ozz if you run out of fuel put more in!! Then turn key on but do not start engine. You will hear a little noise which is the fuel pump priming the system and fuel filter. it will stop making noise but don`t start it yet. Shut off key and repeat until you don`t hear it priming anymore(usually 3 times does it)Then start vehicle as usual.

JimF · 07-17-2008, 05:32 AM

Great ideas, all those above, but it didn't work on ours when we found out we had a lying fuel guage. We put fuel in, ran the primer pump over and over and over, no dice. Had a mechanic take the fuel filters out, fill with fuel, reinstall, run the primer, bleed the injector pump, bleed the injectors, still no deal. Finally out of desperation and an hour and a half later we injected fuel into the air intake and it started for about 5 seconds then shut down. Then started and has ran fine. No telling what the deal was, but it was a mess. The mechanice only charged me $115.00 for the time and the 15 gallons of fuel he put in. I was happy to pay it and be down the road. I do have a nice picture of our truck, with 3400 in tow behind his wrecker. Made for a nice Friday afternoon in DC.

Joe-n-Doe · 07-17-2008, 05:53 AM

Good question.

Per our owner's manual for our '07 Dodge all that is required is 3 to 5 gallons of fuel, turn the ignition on but do not start, leave it in that position for 20 seconds, and then start. Continue process until engine turns over.

When we ran out it only took one attempt.

bigmurf · 07-17-2008, 07:58 AM

My Dodge has a device in the instrument panel which tells me how much fuel I have left in the tank. If it gets low I stop and get more fuel. This system has worked for over 45 years now. g

bsmeaton · 07-17-2008, 08:34 AM

Mine self primed when I ran out in Cody.

In fact, mine will prime up anything you put in the tank, even if its wrong

JIMF, right after a grapped for my wallet I grabbed for my camera.

Ozz · 07-17-2008, 02:24 PM

Brad, you are a hoot! Did you come out OK on that? I assume you put gas in? Was it one of those green pump handles? I almost did that in Lawrence Kansas.
I guess it makes sense that the electric fuel pump would prime, but as noted, sometimes even that won't work.
Bigmurf, I was checking out 20/20, John Stossel drove his van 35 or more miles on empty, he stated that most American fuel gages are skewed to the full side of the spectrum, but Stiles filling his tank dis-proved that on the new Ford.

ole dude · 07-17-2008, 02:45 PM

You can loosen up the jam nut on a couple of the injectors, crank the engine until you see fuel. Tighten things back up, the engine should start, will probably run rough for a bit, after it smooths out, head on down the road. Have had to do this a time or three, no questions about why please.

hookman · 07-17-2008, 03:24 PM

It is best to fill up before you run out of fuel or you could damage the pump and injectors.

noneck · 07-17-2008, 03:31 PM

Right...been there done it once...hopefully NEVER again! Had made a long trip with no services available when I hit the ol 1/4 mark. Thought I was Ok as I made it to the campground, setup for the week, next morning off to town of Watkins Glen...low fuel warning light/buzzer at bottom of hill entering town. As I pulled into gas station...she rumbled and grumbled then quit! Pushed it to the pump, filled er up, did the old key on, wait, off...repeated many times, cranked over, nuttin!!! After about 30 minutes of this she finally stuttered, sputtered, and we were off. I'm now paranoid to let her get to the 1/4 mark w/o a gas station in my sights.

Devildog · 07-17-2008, 03:50 PM

I read all of this and think back to my diesel. And it all goes back to the fuel filter prior to the injectors and having fuel present.
On my 2001 duramax, if you run out of fuel or change the fuel filter, once you have fuel back into the tank, it must be primed back into the fuel filter to eliminate the air.
Above my fuel filter, there is a bleed valve and a prime pump. 13mm small socket to open the bleed valve, pump slowly until fuel present at the bleed valve (it will weep a little fuel), then tighten down the bleed valve and continue with the prime pump bulb until it gets too hard to pump.

You can literally hear the fuel pumping or siphoning into the fuel filter, eliminating the air bubble and pressurizing the the fuel injectors. Once pumped up, starts within two seconds of turning the key over.

works every time, and pretty sure it has not changed on the new Duramaxes. Most diesels cannot pump the kind of pressure needed for the injectors (sometimes above 30,000 psi) without an electric and a mechanical fuel pump.

bsmeaton · 07-17-2008, 03:52 PM

Ozz, A $600 campingspot on the Ford lot with no hookups got me through it, but what a pain. It was a green arrow pointed down at the gas nozzle.

I did run out of fuel at Cody (different time) and had to coast. It restarted OK, but might have just been lucky. I didn't know there could be problems.

Delaine and Lindy · 07-18-2008, 07:50 AM

Ozz don't know about other brands, but if you put gas in a GM Duramax it will shut the engine down. However I had 27 gals of gas

in the Duramax before it shut its self off. On a Sunday and my younger brother was thought to be passing, and in a hurry and a green handle pump nozzle. Didn't cause any other damage except it was expensive $534.00 (Ouch). It can happen, I was raised around Diesel engines, and have owned 5 Duramax's. Another trick with the GM is to have the wife turn the key to the on position while you open the bleed valve it will reprime in seconds (you must have a lift pump installed) . GBY......

SlickWillie · 07-18-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Delaine and Lindy

Another trick with the GM is to have the wife turn the key to the on position while you open the bleed valve it will reprime in seconds. GBY......

OK, I've got to question that. It is my understanding that there is no fuel pump in the Duramax's fuel tank. So, unless you have added a lift pump how is that going to work?

Now I have read of someone taking a tennis ball, poking a couple holes in it, sticking it on an regulated air nozzle, holding the ball in the filler neck, and forcing fuel through the filter when the hand pump failed. I hope I don't ever have to try that.

Waynem · 07-18-2008, 10:45 AM

If you are low on fuel, let the DW take it for a spin. Remind her to get fuel. (Sound familiar?)

Delaine and Lindy · 07-18-2008, 12:07 PM

Slick, that is correct you have to have a lift pump to use the key trick. However I don't think lift pumps are worth the time or effort. I have changed the fuel filter on the 2008 yet. When I get more miles I will have it changed. I carry a new filter and will order another when I change. I furnish the filter and pay $10.00 to get it changed, most dealerships will charge $100.00 dollars for filter and the change. Will edit the post above. GBY...

mail2us · 07-18-2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Delaine and Lindy

Slick, that is correct you have to have a lift pump to use the key trick. However I don't think lift pumps are worth the time or effort. I have changed the fuel filter on the 2008 yet. When I get more miles I will have it changed. I carry a new filter and will order another when I change. I furnish the filter and pay $10.00 to get it changed, most dealerships will charge $100.00 dollars for filter and the change. Will edit the post above. GBY...

Where are you purchasing the fuel filter for your Duramax? Dennis

skypilot · 07-18-2008, 01:03 PM

As an aside -- quoted on CNN a few days ago was that AAA and another major road service company (I want to say Coachnet but that doesn't quite sound right) -- regardless, they were reporting a major increase in the number of service calls for people running out of gas / diesel on the roads and highways. Of course caused by people wanting to go as far as possible without having to buy fuel -- the major item they brought up was that they were seeing a trend with the same people calling for fuel -- it seems that some of the auto clubs don't make the customer pay for the fuel so these were getting 'free' fuel; I just checked my paperwork and it doesn't mention whether 'up to 5 gallons' is free or not.

On topic -- my Dodge's manual states to prime the system without starting it, do this twice, then try to start. If engine starts, run it slowly as it will be rough, white smoke, etc., until all the air is flushed from the fuel system.

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