Low Fuel Warning

[CSMITH]

When my Low Fuel sounded today I went and filled up and my truck took about 25 gal. I have a long box so it should have a 35 Gal tank. I was kind of surprised to see it come so soon. Is this normal? I know you don't want to run out of fuel on a Diesel.





2001. 9 QC, LB, Auto, Forest Green, Westin Bars, Leer Cap, and all the goodies.....

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Mine turns on with about 9 gallons left.

 

[illflem]

It's DC's way of protecting us against ourselves. They must feel we are too dumb to add fuel before the tank is really empty. Most all CTDs will have 7-10 gallons left when the light comes on.

 

[jwdeeming]

9 or 10 gallons left is about right for my 2001 quad shortbed 4x4 - and I'm glad. Saved my tail one late Sunday night when I pulled a horse trailer 150 miles back to Cheyenne before I found an open gas station with diesel. I watched that trip computer count down like a man on death row.



There's a pucker mark on my seat cover now...



JimD

 

[Archive]

The most I have ever put in my tank at one time to fill it up is 27 gallons.



If my wife drove it, I bet she could get 34 1/2 gallons!

 

[John]

Originally posted by Rob Hanson

If my wife drove it, I bet she could get 34 1/2 gallons!

Actually, it would probably take 34 1/2 gallons to fill it after your wife drove it however, you'd be the one who'd have to drive to the station to fill it up. Reality check Rob.





Up until several months ago I would have approximately 8 gallons left not long after the low fuel light came on... now its more like 10 (guessing). Not to worry, that OE sender is landfill bait in several weeks... I'm going to replace it when I finally install my 54 gallon Transfer Flow replacement tank.

 

[SLVRBLT]

Safety Factor

I ran mine one time until the needle was on dead empty and the computer showed 5 miles until empty before I switched to the auxilliary tank. There's still a mark in the leather seat from that one.



When I filled the tank it still had 4 gallons in it. I've only done that once to see what it had when showing empty. Now I know how much "emergency mileage" I have left when the light comes on.



Dave

 

[CJ Johansson]

I've run diesels out before (tractors, not the Cummins... yet). *MOST* of the time it's not really a big deal, put some fuel in the tank, open the bleed screw on the fuel filter and pump the prime lever (or "bump" the key for you over-valved folks) until fuel comes out. Then, close the bleed screw and try starting like normal. You usually have to crank it a bit longer, then it runs rough and nasty for a few seconds, then all is OK. Still, kind of a pain in the butt , but basically the same effect as when you change your fuel filter.

In the *BAD* case, where the above doesn't work, you need a wrench to loosen the fitting on an injector. Usually one is enough, but it's not too hard to loosen a couple of 'em. Then, since you've already primed the filter, you just crank some more until fuel runs out from where you've loosened the injector line(s). Then, tighten 'em up and start as before. Runs nasty for a few seconds, then you're good to go. Not the kind of thing you want to get involved with in your "Sunday go-to-meetin' clothes" as you tend to get diesel on you, but not the end of the world.

Everyone seems to make out like running out of fuel in a diesel is some huge disaster, akin to the end of the world. Basically, it's a pain in the butt, but not really a big deal. Unless, of course, you're one of those unfortunate folks who doesn't know what a wrench looks like, let alone which end to use...



-cj

 

[Shovelhead]

[ Unless, of course, you're one of those unfortunate folks who doesn't know what a wrench looks like, let alone which end to use]. .



It's like some of the new "motorcycle enthusiasts" out there... ... .

a "tool kit" is a cell phone, and a gold card



Everyone's gotta start somewhere.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

My worst is putting in 36 gallons in my 35 gallon tank. Inorder to get to the pump, it took the help of a 1500QC and a piece of chain. It aint hard to reprime. Dont bother with the bleed screw. Just push the primer on the lift pump till you hear the overflow falve opening, and then give it another 30 or so pumps to get all the air out. Crack a injector line or 2 and crank on it for a second or 2. Then tighten the injector line, and drive off.

 

[SmokinGator]

CSmith,



I've got a short bed (34 gal tank) and it's the same for me. Warning light/tone at 1/8th tank, usually put around 24-25 gals in when filling up.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

Bomb the fueltank!

Originally posted by CSMITH

I don't want to run out of fuel on a Diesel... ...

An auxiliary tank will give you peace of mind and allow you take advantage of good diesel prices. If space in the bed is a priority, there are other "under the bed" options, which won't compromise your loading capacity. Check my sigfile below for Aerotanks and search the P&A forum for related stuff - there's a wealth of it!!



BTW, over here in Europe, every filling station has both diesel and gas, unfortunately not at stateside prices

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by CJ Johansson



Everyone seems to make out like running out of fuel in a diesel is some huge disaster, akin to the end of the world. Basically, it's a pain in the butt, but not really a big deal. Unless, of course, you're one of those unfortunate folks who doesn't know what a wrench looks like, let alone which end to use...



-cj

CJ... I see you have a 12 valve... some of us have a 24 valve, where the injection pump is cooled and lubricated by the diesel going thru it! No cooling and lubrication could cost us a lot of money!

 

[RottnDogue]

Originally posted by Rob Hanson





CJ... I see you have a 12 valve... some of us have a 24 valve, where the injection pump is cooled and lubricated by the diesel going thru it! No cooling and lubrication could cost us a lot of money!

Another reason why the 12v is better!



Oh sorry wrong thread.....



Darren

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by RottnDogue

Another reason why the 12v is better!

Darren

LOL!

Darren... not going there! I have owned both. Both are great. If I had to choose one, it would be the 24 valve, but I will see if I still feel that way in another 70,000 miles... which would equal what I had on the 12 valver! At 110,000 miles, it still drove nice and pulled great.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

Replaced my fuel gauge sending unit a while back, and bent the float wire, so it would lay near the bottom of the tank when empty. Last two fills took 36. 4 & 36. 6 gal, but it was pegged on "E". The warning light was on for about 40-50 miles. Not bad for a "35" gal tank.

 

[KCJackson]

A few months back, I tested fate to the ultimate...



Light came on, I figured, "ah, I can make it til tomorrow. " Drove to my usual truck stop at lunch the next day, and almost made a stop along the way too. Just as I pull in the driveway behind a semi, it goes dead. Ran it dry. The truckers were actually pretty cool about it (the Been There Done That brotherhood), and helped push me up to the pump. Took almost 34 gallons (with me up under the hood priming the fuel pump until it restarted).



This happened to be after the second fuel gauge sender replacement last September. Needless to say, I checked a few tanks after the above episode, and my low-fuel light means business now. When it comes on, I have at MOST 6 gallons left, and I better get my butt to a diesel pump SOON.

 

[Briar Hopper]

My most recent fillup took 34 3/4 gallons, that was scary... only decent place to fill up is a truck stop about 12 miles round trip from my house, there's nothing good between my house and where I work, so if I don't have at least half a tank at the start of a 3 day work weekend, I'm in trouble... trouble as in trying to stay awake after a 12 hour shift to drive miles out of the way to fill up. Got me thinking about auxiliary tanks... .

 

[CJ Johansson]

Originally posted by Rob Hanson





CJ... I see you have a 12 valve... some of us have a 24 valve, where the injection pump is cooled and lubricated by the diesel going thru it! No cooling and lubrication could cost us a lot of money!

Yeah, but my JD4050 has a Stanadyne rotary pump, also lubed and cooled by fuel. It's got 7200 hours on it so far, which is kinda like 360K miles figuring 50MPH average. I make it a point NOT to run out, but I have



In reality, when you run out, you know it in a hurry. The few seconds that the pump is running while the engine sputters out is very unlikely to do any damage. After all, there's still a fair amount of fuel in the pump, along with some air. The fuel clinging to the pump piston walls will lubricate it effectively long enough. It won't run long enough for cooling to be an issue



-cj

 

[Dennis Garrett]

The thing that would worry me the most, is running out of fuel in a hard pull out on the Pike. A red hot turbo has to have oil circulating through it to keep the bearings cooled off, and when the engine quits running, so does the oil. A quick shut down, like running out of fuel under load wouldn't give you much of a cool down period, & the oil in the turbo bearings fries to an ash.