Running dry of diesel

My little pug 205d ran out of diesel the other day. First warning was the
revs climbing - opposite from running out of petrol. What is that? is it
sucking oil from the engine or something? Anyway I filled up with a gallon
in a container from the petrol station which was 300 yards away :-( It took
a couple of turns on the starter but it seems to be Ok now. Any warnings on
running out of diesel? I've heard it's a big no-no on some engines.
Reason I ran out? I thought the tank held 55 litres. It doesn't, it's 50
litres. I put 48 litres in it to fill it up and got 505 miles out of the
tank for my trouble. I know know to fill up at 450 miles !!

Stuart

 

Stuart Gray wrote in message

The problem used to be that the fuel lines could get air in them if the tank
ran dry. When extra fuel was added the fuel pump would not self prime and
the fuel stayed put. Those vehicles usually had a hand pump to prime the
mechanical one.Virtually all diesel vehicles now have self priming pumps and
the problem does not occur.

Generally speaking it is not a good idea to run tanks dry or even low as it
increases the probability of crud from the tank blocking filters.

Bob

 

And, as in the case of a 106 we had in last week, the pumps are
lubricated by the diesel. Run out of diesel, engine stops. Owner
doesn't realise that it has no fuel and keeps cranking the engine to
try to start it. Pump is now dry and breaks up internally. New pump
fitted ata cost of £800.

 

Usually an orange light on the dashboard!

Only kidding, couldn't resist!

Cheers,
M
--
1991 Peugeot 205 Roland Garros Cabriolet
TU3S 1.4 Carb
http://www.205rolandgarros.co.uk
2003 - Happy 20th Birthday Peugeot 205
SETI Team "Peugeot 205" Founder (and only!) Member
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/stats/team/team_152225.html
==

 

*Usually*

The one time I ran out of juice in my 205 Dturbo I didn't get an
orange light. It worked fine every time before and since. To make
matters worse I had been using the loud pedal a lot on a journey from
London to Scotland. I was about 15 miles short of my usual fill-up
point :-(

 

LOL - talking about orange lights, I was hoping one would come on. Does
anyone know if a warning light is standard on the 205D? mine is a N reg
probably the base model ( I don't know the different flavours of 205 yet).
Iwas going to pull the dash this weekend to have a look at wiring bulbs etc.

Stuart

 

Must have done some cranking to do that surely? Or are some pump makes less
robust than others?
Stuart

 

Hello,

This plus injectors (same problem). Not a big problems on old Diesels if you

 

Hi,

Yes, 44l "main tank" +6 l reserve tank (light on).

 

Hi,

Of course it is standard ! See the "pump" symbol above the gauge ? It is
fully illuminated when on low fuel. You can't miss it

 

GT, do you know if I should have a light on when low on fuel? Because one
never came on. When I ran out of fuel I thought I had another 50 miles in
reserve LOL, but I was doing it off the tachometer, not the fuel guage. and
calculating the tank at 55l.

 

It wouldn't take much cranking to destroy the pump if no diesel were
present to lubricate it. How long would an engine last on tickover
with no oil??? Not quite the same, but you get my drift.

 

I get the idea. Thankfully I knew I was at the end of the tank. BTW, any
ideas why, when you are running out of diesel the revs climb and dip to
normal, but in a petrol you usually dip revs and come back up to normal with
fuel starvation? I understand the petrol engine, but the diesel one is still
a bit of a mystery to me. It appears to be a gigantic fuel metering system
with the engine tacked on, as opposed the the petrol engine where the
fueling system is incidental to running it as long as something drips petrol
and something sparks it..
Stuart

 

You should get an orange light just next to the R on the fuel gauge.

My handbook (1990) says 11 litres if the lamp is intermittent and 3
litres when it is on steady.

 

Depends on version G.T. If your dash is old style with the slot of
lights above it then it's as you describe. If it is the modern all in
one, then there is a small light next to the R on the gauge.

 

Thanks guys - mine has the slot of lights. Looks like half a frisbee above
the instrument panel. I see the petrol pump symbol, or is it a diesel pump?
It definately did not light. I guess I'll be looking at bulb, wiring,
etc. once I get my car back from the garage it came from. I broke a front
coil spring, and I'm not ready for the lowered look yet. I do have the
perrerpot alloys on it tho.

Stuart.

 

Hi,

True, but I was assuming it was the "basic" dash, not the DTurbo, (late
SRD's ?) one. Although it could be different at export.

 

I don't know, or rather I can't remember, the ins and outs, but it is
to do with air getting to the pump and injectors. If you get bad
starting and you eliminate the glowplugs side of it, you can fit a
clear pipe between, say, the filter and the pump, and watch the air
bubbles go through. You should only get small bubbles, or none,
normally. If a big bubble goes through, the revs will rise
momentarily. Too many big bubbles, it will cut out. Move the clear
pipe to different parts of the fuel circuit, you can usually work out
where the air is getting in.