Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:16:37 PST From: mojavegnospamveg.lsan.mdsg-pacwest.com (Everett M. Greene) Subject: Re: problem starting Saab diesel after running out of fuel
"kingdoodlesquat" <neggerscheggersnospamtseacatspam.com> writes: > "Trespassers W" <trespassers_wnospamshack.com> wrote > > I foolishly ran out of fuel in Saab 9-5 3.0TiD yesterday 10 miles from > home > > (the display showed I still had enough fuel for 30 miles). An insurance > > company man brought me 10 liters of fuel and it took me 1.5 hrs to start > the > > engine. At times I turned the starter for as long as 30 secs. I > > unsuccessfully tried to locate a fuel filter or a fuel pump somewhere > under > > the hood. Finally, when the battery was half-dead, the engine started. My > > questions are as follows: > > What is one supposed to do in such situations (other than make sure they > do > > not happen)? > > Whenever a diesel system on any engine runs out of fuel, it is always > difficult to get going again because the air drawn into the fuel system > creates loads of airlocks & are always hard to shift. The best way I know of > to get rid of the air in the system is to crack the pipe at the most > convenient point by loosening off a union as close to the fuel injectors as > you can get. When you switch the key on I think the fuel pump pressurises > the fuel system without having to turn the engine over, so hopefully it will > continually try to pressurise the system & push the air out of the cracked > point. When fuel comes out, switch off the ignition & tighten up the union. > Hopefully your car should then start within 2 or 3 times. War story: Caterpillar tractors are all but impossible to start again even with a starting engine if the main engine is run out of fuel. Did you ever try towing a D8 Cat to get it started?
