Archived Truck Stopped Running

[lindseyr]

On my way home last night after turning into my driveway the truck suddenly stopped running . Now it will not start . If I bump the starter I am getting 0 psi on the fuel pressure gauge although I can still hear the lift pump run . I hooked up an external pressure gauge at the injection pump and it confirms the 0 psi I am reading inside the cab . The fuel gauge is reading about an 1/8 full .

I just replaced the lift pump a month or 2 ago so that may or not be the problem but , I did not think the truck would just stop running if the lift pump suddenly quit . At any rate there are no codes showing . After reading some stuff on here about fuel gauge sending units and their problems is it possible that I just ran out of fuel . I bought another lift pump as a backup and will put that one on but , first I think I am going to put 5 gals of fuel in the tank and see if I get any pressure on the gauge . What do you all think ?



Also if I did run out of fuel what is the best / easiest way to get the truck restarted ?



Thanks in advance for any insight ...



I also posted this in the 2nd generation forum . I hope that is ok ...

 

[Harlacher]

I was planning on dropping my fuel tank so I let the fuel level go way down. I sucked up some air and the truck would not start until I bleed off the fuel lines. I would try that first, just break the first line and crank it until you get a good supply of fuel, tighten it and try to start it. Has to be worth a try. Did you get any codes?

 

[Chief USA]

Please see my reply to your other post on this issue:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...discussions/226626-truck-stopped-running.html

 

[lindseyr]

Harlacher - Nope , no codes ...

Chief USA - Thanks , I will give that a try ...

 

[Chief USA]

My truck did that to me a few years ago. No codes..... no nothing... ... . it just died in the middle of nowhere. A quick look at the overhead trip mileage showed over 680 miles driven on that tank of fuel. I was not paying attention to the trip mileage and made the mistake of watching the fuel gauge. They are notorious for going bad and giving erroneous readings.

 

[Sticks]

My truck did that to me a few years ago. No codes..... no nothing... ... . it just died in the middle of nowhere. A quick look at the overhead trip mileage showed over 680 miles driven on that tank of fuel. I was not paying attention to the trip mileage and made the mistake of watching the fuel gauge. They are notorious for going bad and giving erroneous readings.

DING DING DING DING... We have a winner Oo.

If you don't drive by known calculated mileage (hand calculated, not the MPG computer in the deluxe models)and fill up no later than 100 miles before end of fuel, I'd be filling that tank up before it even reached 1/4 tank. I've seen bone dry tanks and the gauge shows 1/2.

 

[lindseyr]

Truck is running once again ...

Put in 10 gallons and followed Chief USA's method and it worked fine .

Now the sending unit will need to be dealt with at some point .

Thanks to all who responded !

 

[Missouri Mule]

Fuel sending unit fix

Fuel sender repair

2nd fuel sending unit right up

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...ns/211404-fuel-sender-repair.html#post2041695

 

[Chief USA]

Truck is running once again ...

Put in 10 gallons and followed Chief USA's method and it worked fine .

Now the sending unit will need to be dealt with at some point .

Thanks to all who responded !

Glad to hear things worked out on the cheap. I think you are going to find that these fuel senders are of such sufficient CRAPPY quality that even replacing the old one with a new sender will not be a lasting fix. I just keep a close eye on the mileage and never allow my fuel gauge to drop below 1/2 tank. My guage reads pretty accurate to just below a 1/2 tanks but all bets are off after that.



Another things is that the fuel lift pump has to work a LOT harder to draw fuel when the fuel level drops much below a 1/2 tank. I have the Air Dog 150 and even it will drop off about 3 to 4 psi when I am down to a 1/4 tank. It is a steady pressure drop off once below 1/2 tank.