Anybody try to run their TDI out of Diesel to see exactly how many miles they can get

[Sosin]

So I was on the way to the diesel station yesterday as I had been on "0" for about 25 miles. I started thinking this thing always says "0" when I go to fill it up but I can only get about 12.2 to 12.5 gallons of diesel in there. I'm thinking I could drive another 40-50 miles before it completely runs dry. My question is.........Is this bad to do with a diesel engine? My curiosity wants to find out how far this thing will actually go but I don't want to have it towed to the dealership for them to be able to put diesel back into it. Just curious if it's harmful to the engine and components to run it bone dry.

Ronnie

 

[manyVAGs]

You could seriously damage the high pressure fuel pump if you run out of Diesel. That is the reason they have the warning come on with a couple of gallons left in the tank.

 

[Vince Waldon]

The entire system is lubricated by diesel fuel... run out and you're running without lubrication.

 

[Sosin]

Holy?! I had no idea that the entire system is lubricated by Diesel? Or that I could burn up the high pressure fuel pump? Okay so I wont be trying to run out of diesel on purpose then. As a matter of fact right when that thing hits "0" I'll be filling up right away. Thank for the input everyone!

Ronnie

 

[TDI smile]

Ronnie, fill-up when the LOW FUEL light comes on....

 

[Sosin]

Ronnie, fill-up when the LOW FUEL light comes on....

Ok will do!

 

[79jasper]

Not only that, but having to purge the air on one of these would be a pita I imagine.

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[StevesTDI]

I fill up all my diesel rigs at a 1/4 tank.

 

[Shife]

Holy?! I had no idea that the entire system is lubricated by Diesel? Or that I could burn up the high pressure fuel pump? Okay so I wont be trying to run out of diesel on purpose then. As a matter of fact right when that thing hits "0" I'll be filling up right away. Thank for the input everyone!

Ronnie

Are you seriously in Pinckney? I'm in Pinckney. I'm on Rush Lake.

 

[Sosin]

Are you seriously in Pinckney? I'm in Pinckney. I'm on Rush Lake.

LOL! Yep! Over by McGregor & M-36. Work in Ann Arbor too.

 

[Shife]

LOL! Yep! Over by McGregor & M-36. Work in Ann Arbor too.

I commute to Commerce Twp. Small world.

 

[South Coast Guy]

The entire system is lubricated by diesel fuel... run out and you're running without lubrication.

I wonder how many HPFP failures are due to the driver running the car nearly out of fuel?

 

[meerschm]

last time I checked, the owners manual includes a hint to not let it get below 1/4 tank.

(to reduce the risk of running out)


stuff happens.

 

[Sosin]

I wonder how many HPFP failures are due to the driver running the car nearly out of fuel?

Not sure but I now know that I wont be one of them!

 

[roadlust]

There was a thread a while back where folks told how far they have driven after distance showed 0. Seems like 70mi was the farthest.

 

[RacerTodd]

Holy?! I had no idea that the entire system is lubricated by Diesel?

Diesel fuel is quite slippery so it makes a good lubricant. An engineer would say it has high lubricity. So diesel high pressure pumps use the diesel fuel itself to lubricate the pump.
Not so with a gasoline high pressure pumps. Gasoline has no lubricity so it must be kept away from moving parts.

 

[adjat84th]

I've had mine down to 10 miles till empty only a few times trying to make it back home to VA where fuel is a bit cheaper than NC. Those times I've been able to fill with 12.5 gallons till I have fuel showing at the filler neck. I would imagine the amount sitting in the filler neck was not used to compute the 13.2 gallon tank, and that I easily had a gallon left in the tank which could get me ~45+ miles more. Not that I want to push it to that extreme!

 

[rc74racer]

I've gone 50 miles after 0 with fuel still in the tank. I don't think I would try go any further. I just wanted to get back home from DC where diesel is about .50 a gallon cheaper.

There is a youtube video out there of a jetta tdi and cruze diesel both being run until they were out. I believe the jetta went close to 70 miles after 0 and the cruze even further. They were testing the range of both vehicles.

 

[Sosin]

I've gone 50 miles after 0 with fuel still in the tank. I don't think I would try go any further. I just wanted to get back home from DC where diesel is about .50 a gallon cheaper.

There is a youtube video out there of a jetta tdi and cruze diesel both being run until they were out. I believe the jetta went close to 70 miles after 0 and the cruze even further. They were testing the range of both vehicles.

Wow! Craftiness?! Did they say if there was any damage to anything. High pressure fuel pump damage?

Ronnie

 

[Matt927]

I don't think the bozos in that video had any idea they were doing potential damage to the cars.

 

[FreezingInSask]

In all likelihood, your engine is going to shut off before any damage is done.

 

[No More Buffalo]

In all likelihood, your engine is going to shut off before any damage is done.

Feel free to be the guinea pig on that one.

 

[ezshift5]

I don't think the bozos in that video had any idea they were doing potential damage to the cars.

Now that is a word I may just start using.

It certainly fits entirely too often in these times.


Thanks,



ez

 

[C C]

Sufficient lubrication and cool operation keep the system operating for a long, long time. Since the fuel load acts as a heat sink, a full tank delivers cooler diesel than the low tank.

I fill up when there's still plenty of fuel to spare rather than run the tank down to nothing, but that's my preference. To each his own.

 

[Shife]

Sufficient lubrication and cool operation keep the system operating for a long, long time. Since the fuel load acts as a heat sink, a full tank delivers cooler diesel than the low tank.

I fill up when there's still plenty of fuel to spare rather than run the tank down to nothing, but that's my preference. To each his own.

I agree with this. I usually fill up when near 1/4 tank.

 

[Aztraveler]

This was an article done by Car and Driver . They didn't own the cars, so they didn't worry about damaging the HPFP'S by running them out of fuel.

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[charley654]

Lots of speculation on here about damage to the HPFP.
I am sure the car is smarter than the driver, when a critical threshold is reached the car will shut off before things can get damaged. You would think the engineers thought of people driving it out of fuel by accident or on purpose, and have put in safety measures to protect the car.
Perhaps a pressure sensor at the low pressure or lift pump and shuts off the engine, when that pressure drops at the low pressure pump, there is plenty diesel fuel at the HPFP to lubricate.
You would have to ask the engineers, your dealer or a mechanic will simply say "oh no.... never let it run out of fuel, it will cause an instant death or your entire car"

Think of it like your car's engine, there is no oil pressure when you start it in the morning until it fires up and the oil pump start circulating the oil after pressure is built up.

I am not advocating of letting it run out of fuel, but i have driven it pass "0 mile left" indicated n the DIC.

 

[79jasper]

Haha. You're funny.
Actually there's a Auxiliary fuel pump. If pressures get Low, it kicks in to bring them back up.

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[charley654]

Ye there is a low pressure or lift pump that pumps fuel to the fuel filter and to the HPFP -High Pressure Fuel Pump.

Also do not forget, If the low pressure or aux pump can not bring fuel to the highpressure pump, there is still diesel fuel inside the HPFP to lubricate parts (diesel fuel is considered and oil a lubricant) , it will not going to go bone-dry in a second.

 

[79jasper]

But only temporarily.
It doesn't have to be "empty" for damage to be done. Lack of fuel is a lack of fuel.
Most hpfp can actually pull fuel on their own. Not enough to run great, but will run none the less. Look at the lb7 duramax. They didn't have a lift pump, look at all the injector problems they had.
Of course once or twice may not hurt anything. But also running the tank dry can lead to other problems.

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