Archived 91.5 no start / out of fuel

[RitterD]

Phoenix AZ 5:00pm Good Friday (yea right)

Running down the freeway today and ran out of fuel.

I know, no excuse, but life happens.



1. Filled up with 7 gallons of fuel,

bled the system till fuel ran down the side of the block. Engine cranks over strong but no fire.

Cracked line again and got no resistance on the hand pump.



2. Put 10 more gallons of fuel in thinking some how the pickup was not completely submerged. see number 1 above.



3. Thinking the truck is not level (sitting in the gore zone of the on ramp)

we repeat number 2.



4. Got dark, got frustrated, got tired, Stripped truck of all valuables and will address again in the AM. #@$%!



If I add 10 more gallons I will be at the tanks max 35 gal capacity.

What am I missing here? Using a chiltons manual so I may be missing a step? Second truck is still broke down so I cannot tow this one home.

I have to get it running and off the freeway. :{



Thank you for your advice in advance



Don

 

[RitterD]

About to fall asleep, will read you advice in the AM. Thanks again

Don

 

[Missouri Mule]

I take it you are getting fuel to the fuel filter ("bled the system till fuel ran down the side of the block. ")



I would crack open the no. 1 injector line (at injector)until fuel comes out. You mite have to crack three before it fires. Also you mite try cracking the fuel supply line to your ve pump first but I think that cracking the injector lines will get you going.

 

[RitterD]

I'll give that a try. Does it take a 19 like on the topside? It looks pretty tight in there - do I need a crows foot?



Why do I keep loosing resistance on the hand pump after I try to start the truck? I crack the fitting and get no air or fuel. And the lever pump feels like it's just flapping in the breeze.



Don



PS - As I'm looking in from the drivers side fender. Which one do I open?



Thanks again



Don

 

[SethA]

the lift pump is ran off the cam shaft so if it is on a certian position on the cam the lever doesn't work, but i think your problem is now you have air between the injector pump and injectors, crack a couple of the injector lines (i usually do the easiest ones to get to) the crank it over til you get fuel out of those lines tighten them up and start it it will run a little rough until it gets the air out of the system

 

[RitterD]

Thanks all. I am headed out the door to tackle the problem.
If any one happens to be passing by I'm in Phoenix.
Hwy. 202 east bound shoulder of the Red Mountain Freeway
Just past Exit #2, 44th st.

Thanks again for the info, wish me luck... ... ... .

Don

 

[RitterD]

Thanks to those that responded. The truck is now home, the advice was correct. Oo.



If anyone lurking on the boards feels the price of membership is too much, what you need to know is it just saved me from a very expen$ive tow on a holiday weekend!!



Another word to the wise - Chiltons S#%ks! #@$%!



What I cant wrap my head around is this:



Why is the pump on a medium duty truck engine not strong enough to pull fuel up from the tank, when all my 4,5,and 6 cylinder Mercedes

car engines have? (either when changing the filters or when I have run each one of them out of fuel)



Sooo..... I went straight to the junkyard and stripped a Ramcharger

of its tanks and mounts, and scored a fuel switch valve from a 97 Poorstroke. I don’t want to go thru this again... ... .



Again thanks to all who replied,



Don

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Don,

Glad you got it going!

It could be that the pump is getting weak. How many miles on it? Is this the pump that can have new o-rings put in or am I thinking of the 2nd gen 12v?

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[Missouri Mule]

RitterD, glad you were able to get it started and make it home.

If you tried to crank after it ran out fuel with no fuel in your tank it will let air in the system.

I did this to my FreightLiner ( Couldn't believe it ran out of fuel) I was 50 yards from my business so I had access to a 5 gal gas can and fuel.

It wouldn't fire up, I looked in my Cummins maintenance manual to find a solution. The Cummins manual suggested cracking open the No. 1 injector line. We did that while cranking and it started right up. My Dodge has ran out fuel twice, both times (with 5 gal in tank) priming with the primer button it fired right up.

Cranking before priming also mite let air into system.