Run out of fuel............

[ME]

I got wrong footed yesterday, and lied to by the dash display with "Miles left tile empty"

I knew where the garage was and according to the didplay would have had 20 miles in hand

Oh no i did n't It dropped from 25 to 5 to 0 in seconds then three blank lines. It miss fired for a minute or so then cut out 100 yards from the gagrage forcourt I tried to restart it nothing so i ended up pushing it to the pump and put 80 ltrs of fuel in. By this time it must (or so i thought)have had a emty filter and gulped plenty of fresh air in the fuel system and was not going to start without the AA coming out and bleeding the system, so my thoughts were to get it off the pump with the starter motor and go and have a Mixed Grill in the Little Chef whilst waiting.


I put the key in and it started

No mixed grill for me


I can't for ther life of me work out why it started

[Dementinator]

I think a lot of these modern Diesels are self Priming these days.

I actually managed to start my old Mk5 once as well, without priming, just took a few good winds with the starter and away it eventually went.

Had a 30ft american motorhome once, with a 6.5 GMC V8 Diesel in it, that got air into the system and was a right arse to start, turned out costing £800 in recovery fees (It weighed about 8 tons) and was an injector pump off job in the end it was so bad to do.

[Dementinator]

I think a lot of these modern Diesels are self Priming these days.

I actually managed to start my old Mk5 once as well, without priming, just took a few good winds with the starter and away it eventually went.

Had a 30ft american motorhome once, with a 6.5 GMC V8 Diesel in it, that got air into the system and was a right arse to start, turned out costing £800 in recovery fees (It weighed about 8 tons) and was an injector pump off job in the end it was so bad to do.

[Vee4]

I can't for the life of me work out why it started

From Haynes:

"The fuel system has a built-in strategy to to prevent it from drawing in air should the vehicle run low on fuel. The PCM monitors the level of fuel in the tank via the gauge sender unit. After switching on the the low fuel level warning light, it will eventually induce a misfire as a further warning to the driver, and lower the engine's maximum speed until the engine stops."

In other words, it simulates running out of fuel before you actually do! Sounds like the stick shaker stall warning on a modern aircraft, where you don't know you're in danger of stalling until it's too late.

Mine's a Vegetarian Breakfast ...

[ME]

Seems like they are getting far to clever theses days


Still thinking about that Mixed Grill ...............................................................

[vandaft1980]

I did the same thing with mine (200ps) but mine would not restart after i refilled it.And i had too call out the AA and i took them 4 hours to start it.they phoned there techincal help line then fords techincal help line ad they did not no they had a 200ps 3.2l 5 cylinder engine

[ake]

I did the same, ran my Mk7 out of fuel , in sight of the fore court, pushed it to the fore court, filled up, lots of cawing on the starter and she fired up

[Terry]

Being a boring old fart I carry a gallon of diesel & the few times its dropped into 'not running right mode' I stop & pour in my gallon. It would appear the 'not running right' continues until you put a sufficient quantity of diesel in (the 1 gallon doesn't do the trick).
Incidently on a similar vein I have managed 3 times to get 74 + litres into my 72 litre tank !
Generally as soon as the low fuel light comes on I fill up at the next available filling station.

[Dan T]

Being a boring old fart I carry a gallon of diesel & the few times its dropped into 'not running right mode' I stop & pour in my gallon. It would appear the 'not running right' continues until you put a sufficient quantity of diesel in (the 1 gallon doesn't do the trick).
Incidently on a similar vein I have managed 3 times to get 74 + litres into my 72 litre tank !
Generally as soon as the low fuel light comes on I fill up at the next available filling station.

A mk6 tank is 80ltr

[Terry]

Thanks Dan ,
That's a lot more plausible than the 72 the book says.
I knew there would be a 'reserve', had no idea what it might be .
Years ago in the South of France went 70 miles on an empty tank in my old Sierra we were way out in the sticks.
Don't know if everybody knows (or cares ) but on the French autoroutes the service areas (not the aires) are all about 25kms apart. (personal observation when preparing, for the Beaujolais Run)
Terry

[v8rick]

without being tooooo sarcastic, would it not be a better idea to fill up BEFORE the light comes on???? i put more in mine when it gets to about half way between quarter and empty,,,, i have only been caught out once when late for a motocross meeting and drove about 60 miles after the light came on, but still made the meeting and got to the garage after too.

[Vee4]

would it not be a better idea to fill up BEFORE the light comes on???? i put more in mine when it gets to about half way between quarter and empty

You are right, of course. I still remember the dark (almost literally) days of the Great Fuel Shortages in the seventies and I've been careful to stay 'topped up' since then. Fortunately, I have never had to test the 'dry' starting characteristics of the Mk5.

But then we can all be in a hurry or have a lapse of concentration ...

[v8rick]

i must also say that i never put more fuel in mine than i have to, i normally keep it between half and 1/4 of a tank, i only fill it if i am going on a journey that means i will use it all,, for two reasons,,,, 1 - Fuel economy,, think how much 80 litres of fuel weighs!!, and 2 - If you only have about £25 of fuel in your van , then thats the only ammount some thieving b*stard can nick if they stick your tank, i would rather loose £25 than £80 of course i would rather loose none, but you cant predict everything.

[v8rick]

turns out 80 litres of fuel weighs about 70kg,,,, ish,,,, thats like having a pasenger in your van all day and them not doing anything to help, lol

[jizm]

The same as taking the kids with you then!