Out of fuel but not?

Zypper · 3rd September 2013, 12:11 PM

G/day all, wanted to share a situation I found myself in a few days ago, started to write a thread but realised it was going to turn into a novel so I have summarised. Vehicle '02 TD5 Auto, stock standard.
Fuel light flashed on 4 k's from home, continued home.
Next morning headed off 2 k's to Servo, no sign of fuel light as Disco parked slightly nose up.
Engine stops at lights near Servo, needle still above empty and still no fuel light.
Put 5 litres diesel in, but have forgotten purge sequence!
From memory turn key "on" wait 30 sec then crank, repeated this 3 times.
On 4th attempt the battery dies! literally within 5 cranking seconds went from normal crank speed to.......just.
Push off road, lock and walk home to research the purge sequence.
1 Rave states: key off for 15 secs, key "on" wait 3 mins, bury right foot and crank. 2 Owners handbook says : key off for 15 sec, key "on" wait 30 sec, repeat 5 more times, bury right foot and crank. 3 Found another method mentioned on here: key "on" bury right foot 5 or 6 times till "MIL" light comes on, leave for 3 min, bury right foot and crank. ( but it came with a disclaimer saying no responsibility for any damage that may but should not occur !!)
When S.O. (Significant Other) returns from work we tow the Disco home with her Renault Megane (that got some looks!!)
Carefully hooked up jump leads and went for purge method 1 (Rave) above but of course the pump stopped after 30 sec so revert to method 2 (Handbook)
Pump makes all the right "expelling air" noises and engine starts in a cloud of smoke.
Drove the 2 k's to servo and filled tank, including the 5 litres I had put in that morning it took a total of just under 85 lt.......tank capacity is 95, still 10 lt in tank? (That would explain the needle position and lack of light when engine stopped.
Question 1: Anyone had this issue? If so did you find the reason? (Im suspecting maybe an issue with the pump pick-up, crack etc. Not sure what things look like in there will wait till level gets down and have a peep)
Question 2: Obviously the handbook purge method works but is there an instruction line missing from the Rave method that would make it similar to method 3 mentioned above??
If you're still with me thanks for taking the time to read this and thankyou in advance for any help/suggestions/corrections.
Zypper.

**Disco Muppet** · 3rd September 2013, 12:55 PM

That's the out of fuel procedure, the purge sequence is to hit the throttle 10 times quickly until the engine light starts flashing.
I ran out of fuel, put more than 40L in and did the out of fuel procedure about 8 times to no result.
Purge sequence, left it for 5 mins, started first turn of the key.
As for why you "ran out of fuel" no idea tbh.
Do you fill it to the first click? Because if not there's still plenty of room in the tank, just have to wait a bit.

schuy1 · 3rd September 2013, 05:21 PM

Couple of possible scenarios there. 1 your tank sender unit is getting worn or sticking in the lower level. 2 As DM says you only filled to 1st click off? 3 the fuel pump is on the way out. The pump does not like to be have the tank run below 1/4 constantly it seems. There are quite a few posts on it here. I suspect low fuel level sloshes about and the pump cavitates it self to an early grave.
The starting problems may have been a combo of a weak battery and the wrong start sequence.

Cheers Scott

Zypper · 3rd September 2013, 05:22 PM

Thanks for your input Muppet, out of fuel procedure.....purge sequence....I'm confused? If you run out of fuel wouldn't you need a purge sequence or have I missed something?
Hopefully I have attached a screenshot from the Rave CD showing the workshop procedure and the owners handbook procedure as outlined in my OP. Where did you find your "purge sequence"? as it sounds the same as the procedure No. 3 from my OP.
Re filling tank, yes a slow fill till fuel cold be seen in filler neck so confident not much more could be squeezed in.
Zypper.

P.S. forgot to mention earlier the 85 litres was in line with the 850 km showing on the odometer since last fill, avg fuel usage figs kept for last 8000 km.

**Disco Muppet** · 3rd September 2013, 05:36 PM

I understood that there was the "out of fuel" sequence as listed in the book and the "purge" sequence. All I know is that one worked and the other didn't

I found it on here, just occurred to me to try it and it worked like a charm.
Having re-read your OP I'd agree, sounds like you did something similar.
Perhaps as Schuy says fuel sender or pump.

**simonmelb** · 5th September 2013, 02:58 AM

I have run out of fuel on level ground and put just 5 litres in the tank, followed the out of fuel procedure as per the 2003 owners handbook. Started right up.

My fuel pump has done 255k and am about to replace it before the next long trip.

Cheers
Simon

Zypper · 6th September 2013, 08:09 AM

Thanks for replies so far, no comments on the Rave listed purge method?
How about some comparative tank fill quantities from "light just on" or ___k's after fuel light came on?
Any info could be handy to get to the bottom of this odd problem (or is it?)

Many thanks.

Zypper.

**biggin** · 6th September 2013, 12:42 PM

Early on in the piece I ran out of fuel about 32k's after the light came on. I had no idea about any special priming sequence and it took me 4 hours to get it started again.
Needless to say, I never let the fuel get that low again.

**Disco Muppet** · 6th September 2013, 01:37 PM

How does your fuel gauge behave?
I.e how many kms at half, etc.
I run the gauntlet every now and then, I've gotten 70k+ with the light on, but my light comes on early.

schuy1 · 6th September 2013, 05:29 PM

Im not sure that is early DM. I have run 60 kms with the light on and it took (from memory) 80l? But I was testing so had a 20l jerry in the back!

As stated earlier, it appears frequently running the tank low shortens the pump life span.

Cheers Scott

Thread: Out of fuel but not?

Thread Tools

Out of fuel but not?

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions