hobson Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 We've just had an experience that's renewed our faith in humanity, and posed a question... we borrowed a Hilux from a friend to go shopping while the doors are off our 110, when we got the vehicle i questioned the fuel guage as it was off the bottom! the friend told me the guage sometimes didn't work due to the 'micro fuses' blowing on a regular basis and that he was 'sure' the other guy who used it had recently filled up. so we set off to the filling station to be on the safe side, into the heavy rain only for three miles up the road, on a dark, unlit bend in the road, the dash lights all to come on and the vehicle grinds to a halt. oh dear. obviousley we'd run out of fuel, but the road we were on is not a busy one, and the local people generally not the type to stop, so we tried to push the vehicle, that didn't work due to the slight incline we were on, tried to restart it thinking it may be a blockage, but no fuel = no starting. so, there we are, hazards on, peeing down rain, dark road, not happy. until the first lucky thing happened; a great guy called Nick stopped, asked if we were ok, and was nice enough to take us to the local filling station and back to get a can of diesel. this was great but the problem then is; with a diesel engine you have to fill it, then pump the diesel through, which we had no idea of how to do. now this is the really lucky part; just after putting in the diesel another couple stopped by, asking again if we were ok, and it turned out the guy used to own a Hilux and knew exactly were the pump was and what to do, within minutes we were on our (slightly wet) way. by this point the overwhelming urge to travel to my friends and kick firstly his door in, then shortly after his head! had gone away as we realised just how lucky we'd been. and this got us thinking: how many people would know what to do should that happen on a defender? i bet same as on a Hilux, not many, so here's the question: IF for whatever reason you ran out of diesel, what would be the correct course of action? And to end on a high note, we are now back from Tesco and enjoying a well deserved bacon sarnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 The specifics of what is where depends on the engine, but on most the general course of action is to bleed it up to the filter housing bleed screw with the lift pump, then to the injector pump and finally if it still won't go, crack off the injector pipes to let fuel through. On a Td5, ignition on, pump the pedal five times and it will start the auto bleed cycle, then foot to the floor and crank it till it starts. If you have a 2.5 petrol engine all you need to do is turn the key on for a little while and it will self-bleed, much easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 IF for whatever reason you ran out of diesel, what would be the correct course of action? I'd have to put something else in the parts washer... (I'll get me coat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 My dad used to drive around with his transit on fumes all the time. When it runs out the system manages to self prime as far as the injectors simply by cranking the engine, but requires the injector unions cracked off to get it to actaully fire up. After a few phone calls to me at stupid times, i left the suitable sized spanners in the glove box, and told him what to do if it happened again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101sean Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 As Clarkson once said, real men know exactly how far you can drive with the needle wrapped round the stop! Only been caught out one (in a company car, never run my own that low ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 My 200tdi is pretty good at bleeding itself, the few times it's run out, I've not cranked it over without fuel. Once it's got fuel in it's happily self primed and started within a short while of holding the ignition key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 moved to international, as it's not Defender specific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calle-fas Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 It's great to read stories like this. They really make you inspired to do the same to other people. I've had lot's of help from random folks, and try to help other people, in return, when they are in trouble. The best thing is that you get to meet so many interesting people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 When driving a Series Land Rover or an MGB I was always stopping and helping or being helped. It seemed like everyone was a friend and wanted to help out. Driving other cars didn't get the same friendliness. Quite a few times I sold the contents of my jerry can at cost to drivers who had run out. The most recent bit of generosity I experienced though was when I borrowed a chain saw to cut a bit of wood and it ran out of petrol. Not having a petrol can at the time I decided to take the chain saw to the local petrol station. I asked a chap who was about to fill his car if he could fill the chainsaw and I'll pay him the cost on the pump. He did and then refused to take any money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumping jack Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 You did add 2 stroke didn't you? once ran out in a pug 205 about 2 miles from home, pushed it a little way then managed to free wheel it to the yard, found a few litres of cherry then drove off to the nearest petrol station to fill it up (and dilute the red), where I bumping into a couple who's also run out but had had to walk 3 miles. Seemed only fair to give them a lift back to their car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 You did add 2 stroke didn't you? Yep, I took the oil with me and did a mix in the chainsaw tank. I since 'inherited' the saw so any problems would be mine now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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