Engine died while driving

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

On the way in to work today my truck died on the road. I was coming up to a red light at about 45mph, I looked down and my low oil pressure light was on. I turned off the radio and realized that this was because the engine wasnt running.



I coasted over to the side of the road and put it in park. I turned the key to fire it up again, and my battery cable was loose... which is normal, I have to wiggle it down onto the terminal on cold or damp days or the truck won't start. So I pop the hood and fix the cable... . look around a little bit under the hood, everything looks normal... and get back in the cab.



Turn the key and crank it over a few times, it wouldn't start. So I put my foot in it a little and crank it and it fires right up. I slam the hood, get in, and when I put it in gear it dies again.



So I put my foot in it again, turn the key, fires up, rev it a little bit in neutral, then when I shift into gear I give it a little. It keeps going this time. My low fuel light came on on the way home last night, so I go put 10 gallons in, thinking that might be the cause, and drive the rest of the way to work without an issue... . truck's running great.



Does that seem like it could be the low fuel? I used to go 100 miles after my light came on... but maybe my float is acting up. The gauge doesn't quite read as accurate as it used to. Or does this sound like the start of a bigger problem? Just wanna make sure that I don't have some major issue coming up... . I don't have another set of wheels right now, and another car really isn't in the budget right now.

 

[Greenleaf]

Please allow me to say this much. My wife does this. This is normal for her. She will not refuel her car untill the low-fuel-lamp is illuminated.



I, on the other hand will consider my trucks fuel tank empty when it is at 1/2.



The run it dry method poses two problems. One, is the amount of air (Moisture) inside said tank. The other is the fact that if you get cought in traffic with that little yellow (yes, amber) light buring, you just may use them new shoes you bought.



If all is working, you should be able to run the tank dry w/out pulling in air. However, you likely will pull in more water with what fuel remains.



And I don't know what is wrong with yours. Be interesting what others conjur up.

 

[JLEONARD]

I, on the other hand will consider my trucks fuel tank empty when it is at 1/2.

Me three.



It is possible that because you were so low on fuel you were sucking yuck off the tank bottom and clogging up the pickup screen.

It is possible that the pickup tube has a small slit/crack starting and you are sucking air.

It is possible that your fuel float isn't rerading as accurately as before or the wire resistance or ground has changed your gage reading.

Etc.

If you get PAST the low fuel level being the problem I can suggest other possibilities and the first will be lift pump.

I hope this helps some.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

I have used this method of refueling for the 4 years I have owned the truck and have never run out of fuel. I have it down to a science. If I know I'm going to be in traffic, or somewhere in the boonies where I can't readily obtain diesel, I will make sure it's topped off beforehand, but otherwise, I like getting 500 miles between fill ups. I have more than enough going on all the time to not have to fill up 4 times a week. Honestly, I'd love a 100 gallon, in-bed tank, and fill up once or twice a month.



Anyway, more to the point... My truck does have around 300k on it. How do I test the lift pump? I'm in the process of getting my other truck running, moving to a new apartment, and dealing with some other unforseen issues that have left the old wallet pretty dry...

 

[JLEONARD]

 How do I test the lift pump

With a pressure gage. I don't recall the exact specs other than something like 3 to 7 psi. The key is to have pressure at WOT.



I think lift pump failures are sometime difficult to pinpoint. Mine acted up sporadically for 3 months and after I repalced it I cut the old one apart and found a dammaged check valve diaphram (or whatever it's called). And the pump was only a couple of years old.

Funny thing is it NEVER cut out when I was tromping on it or running it fast, only in situations as you described. So I think it would have still recorded pressure on a test gage until it's ultimate final demise.



To address your comments about always doing it that way for 4 years all I can say is things wear out, etc. , and situation can change. You asked us for some ideas and your description of the problem led to our replies. So perhaps you need to go one less day between fillups (is that a real word?) until you nail the solution.



EDIT. . additional comment:

Another possibility that "time" may bring on is rusting/rotting of the steel feed line above the fuel tank. Mine went on me once. It manifested itsdelf as "hard starting due to long cranking time" but it may raise it's ugly head in a different mode, maybe that's what you are seeing.

 

[sdstriper]

Do you have a spare fuel solenoid and if not get one. The VW Bosch ones are only $10. 00ish. I would lean more towards that than running out of fuel, epecially since it (the truck) has been consistant in your fueling habits in the past. Same with a fuel lift pump, on ebay you can buy a regular ole diaphragm lift pump for $20-30. 00 bucks, new old stock ones, can't hurt to have it as a spare.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

I've already removed the guts from my solenoid. It didn't shut my truck down for me anyway. The motor can run electricity free...

 

[DVolk]

Engine died whille driving

What about lack of 12 Volts going to the injector pump ?



On my burb , though i have not confirmed this 100 %



when i was returning from a HWY test run it started "cutting out "

when i got home and ratteled a few wires the missing or "cutting out "

quit , but i didnt drive it yet .

 

[Greenleaf]

DV;



If you remove the plunger and spring, then the solenoid serves as a bung plug and nothing more.

 

[JLEONARD]

Yes "Tippin" is suffering from fuelus interruptus.



His truck I mean. :-laf

 

[Greenleaf]

Jay, that all you got? I mean, come on man! You could do better in your sleep. Must be a busy day at the office... .....



Fuelus Interruptus... ..... What a kick. Sounds like he needs to schedual a therapist.

 

[JLEONARD]

Sounds like he needs to schedual a therapist.

Present company included

 

[Greenleaf]

Only time a VE pump quit on me was in aschool bus when the power wire fell off to the pump solenoid. It is really rare to have such a pump stop. I'd be puling the parts out of the solenoid or replacing it along with the fuel filter and the spade connection to said solenoid.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

Greenleaf... . as mentioned above... I've pulled the guts out of the solenoid... so that wire doesn't matter, nor the solenoid.

 

[flatlander]

Maybe this is similar, you tell me, I just replaced my lift pump - I suspected it because of hard starting and lowered mileage - but the truck still ran. When I inspected the old pump the pin had sheared, the lever wasn't connected to the diaphragm at all. Can the injector pump really pull fuel from the tank?

 

[JLEONARD]

Can the injector pump really pull fuel from the tank

The old VWs used the same VE pump (except a 4 cyl version) and they did not have a lift pump. They would start hard when the front shaft seal started to degrade (would allow drainback) but they would still run fine.

So yes I think the VE pump "can" pull some fuel on it's own but it probably depends on tank level, etc.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

I believe it can, yes. That's two votes for the lift pump.



I had another thought, also. Lets say the battery cable came loose while driving. Shouldn't do anything to the motor due to the fact that I pulled the guts out of my solenoid. But I have an auto transmission... . which is controlled by the ECM. No power... no ECM. No ECM... transmission????? I'm not sure what the transmission would do, but I'm guessing with no power it would get stuck in whatever the last gear it was in was... which at 45-50 like I was doing, would be 3rd (o/d doesnt work). The the truck slowed down, cuz I was braking, and eventually the engine just stalled. Could this happen?



I think that it probably wouldn't have been as smooth if the motor and transmission were fighting the actual speed of the truck until the motor died though... .

 

[Jgolden]

Does a 1stgen pickup have a fuelpump in the tank or is the engine liftpump the only one?

 

[PToombs]

Engine pump is the only one. Unless somebody upgraded to an electric one.

 

[boatpuller]

But I have an auto transmission... . which is controlled by the ECM. No power... no ECM. No ECM... transmission????? I'm not sure what the transmission would do, but I'm guessing with no power it would get stuck in whatever the last gear it was in was... which at 45-50 like I was doing, would be 3rd (o/d doesnt work). The the truck slowed down, cuz I was braking, and eventually the engine just stalled. Could this happen?

QUOTE]



The only thing that the ECM controls on a first gen auto is the overdrive, 1st-3rd are all controlled by pressure in the transmission, so no that wouldn't be the problem.