Ran out of Diesel . . . now what???

[nomadicDJ]

In my retardedness, I ran out of diesel in my '02 Golf TDI, and was able to coast off the freeway into a Park'n'Ride, where my car currently resides. Ironically, I'm A BLOCK AWAY from a diesel station, but I can't get my engine to start. I've heard something about having to "prime my glowplugs" which sounds scary, and being a broke college student, I can't afford to have it towed and serviced. What can I do??? Cam someone get me some instructions on how to make it work again pronto?
Thanks

Sir Stoopid <font color="#666666"> </font>

 

[MITBeta]

Step 1: Put more fuel in.

Step 2: You have to get the fuel into the fuel lines and filter, you can do this in one of two ways: 1. get some kind of vacuum device and take a suck on the line between the fuel filter and the pump (in pump intake line) or 2. crank for 10 seconds, wait 20, repeat, until the car starts.

Step 3: It helps to just crack open one of the lines from the fuel pump to the injectors to bleed air out. Once you get fuel coming out, close up the nut.

The important thing here is not to continuously crank the engine since the fuel pump is dry, or close to it. You want to crank and then let the pump cool a bit before cranking again...

 

[Mike H]

Try priming the fuel filter (not glow plugs) /images/graemlins/smile.gif
On the Passenger side next to the fender there is a can-like thing. Remove the T-fitting and pour some diesel (or diesel additive) into the filter. Shouldn't take very much. Replace the fitting and try to start. Might still take some cranking. But don't overdo it, hard on the injection pump.

Don't feel stoopid. In a car that needs fuel so seldom it's easy to forget you need to fill up once in a while.

-Mike

 

[nomadicDJ]

Thanks . . . I will try the cranking idea first . . . then seek out one of these "mitty vacs". Stay tuned for results . . .

 

[mrGutWrench]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike H said: Try priming the fuel filter (not glow plugs) /images/graemlins/smile.gif On the Passenger side next to the fender there is a can-like thing. Remove the T-fitting and pour some diesel (or diesel additive) into the filter. Shouldn't take very much. (snip) -Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

__. Mike is right -- you'll do yourself a BIG favor if you refill the fuel filter, rather than relying on a dry fuel pump to do it. The "T-fitting" that he's talking about is on top of the filter -- it has the metal clip on it that looks like a "Mickey Mouse outline". It's easy to drop that clip so some people like to tie a string to it. Pull it out and the fitting underneath it (which is the "T-fitting") can be pulled up and out. You'll need a turkey baster or a small filter but you can fill the filter though that little hole. Slide the T-fitting back in and replace the Mickey-Mouse clip. Then your car should start up again with *much* less grinding of the starter.

__. It's _possible_ that you have air in the metal tubes that run from the injector pump to the individual injectors. That's the "injector priming" that some people talk about. If your car doesn't start pretty soon after you fill the filter, take a wrench and loosen the sleeve nut that holds the metal tube to one injector. Crank a little more (until liquid fuel bubbles from under the nut). Retighten the nut and the engine should start. If not, try the same thing on a second nut. But it will probably start OK with just the fuel filter filled up.

__. PS The Mity-Vac (or "drill pump") method just uses suction to draw fuel into the filter from the vehicle tank. Obviously, you don't have one so it doesn't apply to you but it's something to think about in the future.

Good luck.

 

[AlanTDI]

I ran out of fuel a few weeks ago. Also couldnt get restarted. Did the priming of the fuel filter, no luck.
Loosened the injectors, chanked engine until some fuel was visible. Tightened the injectors...started right up.
(I think you will need a 17mm socket to loosen the injectors). Good luck.

 

[FlyTDI Guy]

Just one quick additional note. If you loosen an injector flare nut, tie a sock or rag around it before your crank. If it's too loose, you'll make a mess. Your injector pump develops many thousands of pounds of pressure. A little caution may be prudent.

 

[MITBeta]

Can we get an update on the patient?

 

[kirmet]

I've had AAA insurance 75.00 per year since I've had my Bus and it is well worth it. just for lock out service alone It's paid off. but the towing iption is sweet only needed it once since i bought my TDI aug 2002. I ran out of fuel a half mile away from a station and ended up taking it to a shop to get it started.

 

[cprboyle]

Hi, this happened to me on my 2005 Jetta, 1.9L... I found videos online about bleeding the fuel injectors, but I couldn't find one for this engine. Can someone point me to where the fuel injectors are?

Also, I don't need to get a vacuum out at all on this model, is that correct?

I haven't tried just filling the feul filter with diesel yet, but I do know where that is. I'll try that tomorrow. Maybe that will be enough.

Thanks for your help.

 

[scooperhsd]

Why do people run out of fuel ? That's what you have a fuel guage for !!!!! I have NEVER (in 44 years of driving (yes even as a High school student, never mind college student)) EVER run out of fuel in whatever vehicle I was driving. Including on MOTORCYCLES that didn't have a fuel guage.

 

[1854sailor]

SEVENTEEN + YEARS!! This has to be the record for a necrothread...

 

[Mongler98]

SEVENTEEN + YEARS!! This has to be the record for a necrothread...

Nope. There was one a while back this last fall that was a 21year old thread.

 

[cprboyle]

Yeah, in 25 years of driving, this is the first time. In my case, it's a new-to-me car, analogue fuel gauge with a 1-2 gal margin of error, single parent running around from one barely-keeping-up moment to the next in a pandemic with no childcare, and finally trying to go to a specific fuel pump that isn't open evenings. In my case it was actually a win, because it opened my mind up to what's under the hood and how its probably not all that complicated if one takes one hurdle at a time (made it through all my higher math classes that way). That said, I won't do it again.

Also, my understanding is that it's good form to search the archives for whether a question has been answered before asking it a-fresh. So that's what I did.

 

[csstevej]

Can you hear the fuel pump ( under your rear seat ) come on when you cycle your key?
That may be a place to start from. If the pump is working it should pressurize your fuel to the filter and you shouldn’t need to vacuum anything.

 

[cprboyle]

@csstevej Thanks! Sorry, in the last post I forgot to say that I got it started.

I had been cranking the engine for a few seconds here and there, sometimes a few times in a row, but didn't want to drain the battery and also it just didn't seem right. I checked the fuel filter and it was full.

Finally someone told me to just put the key in the 'on' position and wait several minutes. I did that and waited 3min and tried cranking, no luck. Waited 3 more minutes and tried cranking again and it started up fine - a little bumpy but then got going.

 

[BobnOH]

.............................snip.....................................Also, my understanding is that it's good form to search the archives for whether a question has been answered before asking it a-fresh. So that's what I did.

There are 2 schools of thought on this. I'm with you, if there is a 20 year old thread discussing the same issue, use it. Exceptions would be for one of the many threads lacking resolution, high jacked threads or any confusion.