Out of Fuel-Won't Fire Up

Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

1999 Jetta Tdi. 62xxx miles. It has run out of fuel twice in the past two years. Both times (including right NOW) it will not start. Engine cranks no fire. First time was towed to dealer and they said they primed the pump. Second time is NOW and it is in the street and will not start.

Service writer at another dealer says priming should not be necessary. He says it should start. I dont believe it.

Does the fuel system need to be primed? Is this normal?

Can anyone tell me exactly what to do so I can drive to work without having to pay a $100.00 tow bill and service repair?

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

Normal minor leaks that cause air bubbles in the return line will keep the pump from priming. Years ago I read somewhere that our Bosch diesel pumps were never intended to suck the fuel all the way from the tank but VW found they would so here we are. The 77 model year rabbit diesels had a hand pump for prining the system on the filter mounting. You can prime your car by getting a small electric fuel pump (for a gasoline car, about $40US) at your local flaps with a short piece of hose. Remove the intake line from the filter, attatch that to the input of the pump and a piece of fuel line from the pump to the filter. Hook it to your battery and let it run. With a full tank it can take as long as 5 mineuts to prime. I was once given a 85 golf diesel because the PO could not get it primed after a filter change. Others may have other methods but this works for me.

Joe

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

Unhook the "T" fitting from the top of the fuel filter, and fill the filter up with "PowerService" and/or diesel fuel. Then try again.

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

Make sure that the fuel filter is full of fuel.

Put on some eye protection and loosen all four of the nuts capping the injector bodies in the head (not the ones on the end of the pump itself), crank for 15 seconds, then tighten the nuts, start engine and drive away.

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

Or use a hand vacuum pump ($30 or so from an auto parts store).

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

Originally posted by VelvetFoot:
Or use a hand vacuum pump ($30 or so from an auto parts store).

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">A hand vacuum pump can be used to prime the fuel filter, but it will do nothing to prime the injectors.

Allowing any TDI engine to run out of fuel is bad for the pump and bad for the injectors. This is NOT good for long term component life.

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

I think it depends where you put the vacuum at. I'm not sure if I remember correctly, but I think I primed mine from the return line from the injectors to the pump.

Re: Out of Fuel-Won\'t Fire Up

When I install new pumps I have to use a vacuum pump to draw air out of the pump and then I need to crack open the #3 injector. Since its the only one with a sensor this gets the car running without needing to loosen the rest of them.

Like everybody said, fill the filter with some Power service. Crack open the #3 injector cap. Crank the engine (max of 30 seconds) or until you see fuel spray out the top of the injector, stop cranking. Tighten the fitting and crank the car till it runs smoothly.

If this does not work on the first try you need to get a vacuum pump and suck the fuel from the pump outlet hose (top of the pump) that goes back to the fuel filter. Once you get fruel out of the vacuum pump the engine will start. This sucks all the air out of the pump and fills it with power service that is/was in the fuel filter. This prevents a "dry start" and even Bosch says that a dry start can damage a fuel pump when starting one totally dry. Although the pump has some fuel in it from when the tank had fuel you still have increased the likelyhood of damage to the pumps high pressure plunger and cam plate.

YOU NEED TO STOP RUNNING THIS CAR OUT OF FUEL!!!!!

This can really kill your pump! A pump is gonna set you back WITHOUT labor $1500! When your tank gets to 1/4, FILL IT UP!

There is no excuse to run a TDI out of fuel given the fact it has a low fuel warning beep, light and an operable fuel gauge!

DB

[ May 02, 2002, 05:49: Message edited by: Drivbiwire ]