Fuel gage not working for two years finally got me. Luckily ran out while in the driveway. Put about 4.5 gallons in now will not start. What should I check?
Ran out of gas
- Thread starter Brenner
- Start date
christo829
Member
When you turn the key to the run position (not start) do you hear the fuel pump whine for about 2-3 seconds? If not,
check the fuel pump circuit for power. If it's got power, it's possible that your pump has died. The pumps are cooled by immersion
in the fuel, so if it's been getting run low, the pump may have gradually overheated and failed.
If you *do* hear the pump whine, how many times have you tried starting it? You may have air blocking
the fuel flow. When this happened to me on my old Lumina, I had to cycle the pump six or seven times
before it finally re-primed the line enough to get fuel flowing again.
Good Luck!
Chris
check the fuel pump circuit for power. If it's got power, it's possible that your pump has died. The pumps are cooled by immersion
in the fuel, so if it's been getting run low, the pump may have gradually overheated and failed.
If you *do* hear the pump whine, how many times have you tried starting it? You may have air blocking
the fuel flow. When this happened to me on my old Lumina, I had to cycle the pump six or seven times
before it finally re-primed the line enough to get fuel flowing again.
Good Luck!
Chris
christo829 said:
Actually this is a common misconception. If you've seen the "How It's Made" video on the History Channel about how Airtex fuel pumps are made they explain that they are cooled and lubricated by the fuel running though them, not around them. Repetitive cranking with an empty tank will kill it in time if it's been done enough. The owners manual warns about running a tank dry, although they don't give the reason why it shouldn't be done. If I remember correctly it says "Don't crank the engine" or "expensive damage may result".
christo829
Member
CaptainXL said:
True enough, but they fail to mention the fact that the fluid around the pump still acts as a sink, so it's not entirely incorrect, and generally easier to explain that way.
Since the OP already noted that he'd put fuel in after the run dry, the repetitive cranking isn't going to do any more damage than has perhaps already been done, and still has to be done in order to get the fuel lines refilled, unless you have a vacuum pump that will connect to the fuel rail so you can draw fuel from the tank without running the pump. I haven't looked at the procedure for the truck recently, but my Lumina's service manual had me disable the ignition and just do a series of key turns using the 2-3 second priming cycle to prime the lines.
All of that does assume that the pump is still working, which still looks like it remains to be tested.
Cheers-
Chris
christo829 said:
The inside of the pump is the sink. The outside contributes a fractional amount. Not even enough cooling to overcome the internal cooling. The fuel running through the pump cools it the most where the majority of any heat would be produced.
If a majority of the heat was meant to be removed from sink action on the outside body of the pump then we shouldn't be driving as the fuel level routinely drops below the level of the fuel pump but not the sock. There is no problem routinely doing this.
What you are advocating is that fuel pumps are incorrectly designed and we as drivers need to do something to make it better or live longer.
You want to do something to make it live longer?...don't run out of fuel. As the engineers designed and warned us about.
christo829 said:
Not entirely incorrect I suppose. But it's definitely not easier to explain. All that explanation does is cause confusion. I made it clear for everyone.
christo829
Member
CaptainXL said:
Perhaps, but so far, outside of telling the OP to not run out of fuel, which is moot at this point, you've not actually contributed to his original question,
which was what to check? I respect your degree of knowledge, so how about giving some more ideas about what to check instead of making sure I
know I'm wrong. when I'm not the one with the possibly dead fuel pump?
Cheers-
Chris
christo829 said:
Perhaps what? There is no perhaps here. What I said was factual. I didn't just pull this out of my ass.
christo829 said:
I am not aiming this at the OP. It is for future reference. Is there some law that says I need to contribute an answer? Your contribution seemed pretty good. Just a little off. I was just correcting a common misconception.
newfie6719
Member
- Sep 27, 2012
- 50
Brenner said:
if the tb is point downhill not in a level driveway thinking 4.5 gal not enough for the pump to pickup the fuel
RayVoy
Member
- Nov 20, 2011
- 939
Just for the record, I agree with Andrew, how do we know the truck ran out of fuel and not some other problem.
But, just to continue the debate about fuel acting as a heat sink, consider this: The assembly consists of a pump, float level, and a pickup.
The pickup is the part that is in the fuel the longest (when the pickup is no longer in the fuel, you are going to stall).
The pump is higher in the assemble, I'm going to say, the tank needs to be 1/2 full for the pump to be covered in fuel.
Most pumps overheat, and fail, when they are run dry. I don't believe it is a heat sink problem, more of a lack of lubrication. The internal parts of the pump are lubricated from the fluid being pumped.
But, just to continue the debate about fuel acting as a heat sink, consider this: The assembly consists of a pump, float level, and a pickup.
The pickup is the part that is in the fuel the longest (when the pickup is no longer in the fuel, you are going to stall).
The pump is higher in the assemble, I'm going to say, the tank needs to be 1/2 full for the pump to be covered in fuel.
Most pumps overheat, and fail, when they are run dry. I don't believe it is a heat sink problem, more of a lack of lubrication. The internal parts of the pump are lubricated from the fluid being pumped.
C-ya
Member
- Aug 24, 2012
- 1,098
If the fuel pump is not whining/priming when you turn the key to "On" (not "Start"), I have had some success getting a vehicle to start by thumping the bottom of the gas tank when the pump should be priming. This may get you along for a day or 3 until you get another pump or make other arrangements.
Running it dry is the classic way to kill a fuel pump. Put a fuel pressure gauge on it and turn on the key. It's either good or bad. c good.
