Well yeaterday I did it. Knew I was low on fuel and drove anyway.... Began to look for diesel at 45 miles and guess what???? No station with diesel within sight. Finally found a pump and ran out 6 feet from hose length....
.... Pushed her to the pump, filled up all 36.12 gallons, cranked away and NADA.... Broke number 1, 3, 4 & 5 loose and cranked away..... After 15 minutes she coughed and finally started grumpily running on her own.......

Needless to say, NEVER EVER AM I GONNA BE THIS STUUUUUUUUPID AGAIN.

Thanks to this site was I able to get her back up without having to call a wrecker or repair shop to get rolling!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good nite.

Gary

 

Whooo hoo!! I drove mine down to like half a gallon once....Once. I had a check engine light for like the next 60 miles...it had to do with low fuel for too long but after that I decided never to push it again. I'm happy to hear you got it runnin again though. Happy Holidays!

 

I have been close before.... I understand that it is a really big concern with the VP44 as it is cooled by fuel instead of engine oil, as the P7100 is. Good idea to keep the 24 valvers at 1/4 tank to keep the VP44 cool.... At least you were close to the pump....

 

Don't feel bad -- I ran mine out showing 1/4 tank -- sender was messed up - got towed - raised the wrecker front end off the ground getting it loaded - weighs 11200 empty. I also owe thanks to this site for keeping my truck running. Put in a FP gauge and more right after that.

 

Pray forgiveness from yer VP44 with gifts of Power Service and Marvel Mystery Oil while promising eternal devotion to it's proper care including a lift pump fuel pressure gauge.
You might aughta take the VooDoo Lady a chicken for a charm to try to protect you from a mean, vengeful VP44, 'jes waitin for the right time to take a big dump on you.
Boy, I'm glad I haven't done that.

 

my good friend who has been a Cummins guy for years, currently owns 3 CTD's between him and his dad... the guy who would sit and crack jokes on powerstrokes with me went out and bought a brand new 6.0 King Ranch Powerhoax! THAT's a cardinal sin!

 

Just in case I make the same mistake or worse, have the 1/4 tank empty issue, aren't the 3rd gens self priming? My understanding is I just need to cycle the key a few times (turn on but don't hit the starter so the pump runs) to get it going again. Goodness knows I don't carry enough tools anymore to be breaking injectors loose. (maybe I should start again?)

Merry Christmas

 

Running a diesel on empty is not a good idea for many reasons. Just say no!

 

I found that when I installed the vent mod, have usable 36g tank. Dropping the tank and seeing how much was in there and siphoning off ~2 gallons, I figured i had about 5-7 gallons to spare...this was with the gauge and the overhead screaming "LOW FUEL". So, the 5-7 gallons left is when I'm at 1/8 tank remaining.

So, in town i'll run it down to 1/8; on the road, i'll go down to 1/4...just to be sure I have enough fuel to find a truck stop or gas station with D2.

HTH

Tony

 

All ya need to bleed is a 19MM open end wrench and a 5 gallon bucket... (bucket is to stand on). I had EVERYTHING but a 19MM open end wrench in my toolbag......

Gary

 

I too have had the sender mess up and I ran my '02 out of fuel. I filled it back up and did it again. Then I figured out the stupid sender was telling my gauge that I had 3/8 tank when it was actually empty. You gotta hate that!

 

I did this driving into Seattle once. Actually, the old lady was driving and I was sleeping. I woke up and saw the low fuel light on. I asked the wife how long it had been on. "Oh, a while" she says. Service stations are few and far between on those Interstates. I pushed it the last 10' uphill until the hose would reach. Filled her up, undid the vent on the fuel filter and started pumping the primer button. It was night, I'm vertically challenged, and I couldn't see what I was doing, couldn't see anything coming out of the vent so I kept on pumping. Thought to myself, well that should be enough. Did up the vent and fired her up. Pulled away from the pump and there was a good gallon of diesel fuel on the ground. Yeah, we're still married.....

 

There are many reasons not to do what you are doing. Some of them are;

1. Sloshing diesel holds air bubbles longer than gas. Allowing air into a closed, high pressure, fuel injected diesel engine is not a good thing. Maybe be why so many 3rd gen injectors are failing?

2. Excess diesel fuel is pumped though the injection pump cooling it and lubricating it. The less fuel in the tank the hotter the fuel gets, the less cooling it does. In AZ you are really hurting your truck.

3. Drop everything you are doing right now. You have 5 mins to begin evacuating your family and loved ones from your location right now. Fire, flood, power failure, terrorist attack, dirty bomb, earth quake, family emergency, heart attack, your tank is on empty and you have to stop and get fuel (like every other moron) and you have created one more vehicle in a long line to get fuel, and added to the shortage in that area, and added to the panic by being in line.
Can't happen? Houston had 5 days warning and ran out of fuel trying to get everyone out. New Orleans ran out in 24 hours after the storm hit. Right now Colorado & western Nebraska is littered with vehicles that are stuck and out of fuel creating unnecessary emergency rescues of people freezing to death.

4. There is absolutely no GOOD reason not to keep your at least 1/2 full, unless you are on the road. It is your emergency reserve.

5. More work for your lift pump. The lower the fuel level the harder the LP has to work. However slight it is, it still has to work harder. This alone is reason enough.

6. An empty tank in the winter months = more air in the tank = condensation = water in your fuel. Also, less weight (200+ pounds) on the rear wheels during slippery / winter roads. Why buy sand bags when you can just add fuel?

7. Without electricity you can't pump fuel out of the storage tank. In Phoenix you may have a rolling blackout (cause by CA) at anytime stranding you at the pump waiting for power, along with 1,000's of others.

Not trying to beat you up TonyB, just trying to get you to think. Fuel is good as gold if you have to move now. Don't think it can't happen to you.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

 

You are correct. 3rd gens are self priming. 1st and 2nd gens aren't. 3rd gens came in at 2003 and later.

 

Very good point from Geico266. I was looking at the pictures on the web of the Denver CO. area and the vehicles stopped (stranded) on the interstate and my very first thought was "how many of these people left the house knowing they needed gas?" and now must sit and hope they don't run out while trying to stay warm before help arrives.

I try to always fill up around half tank. Doesn't ALWAYS happen but I try my best.