Ran tank dry, filled halfway but won't start (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 7, 2012
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41
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392
Location
Lower Mainland, British Columbia, Canada
Website
www.bobsethi.com
Stupid mistake. 80 ran dry while driving. Pulled over quick and turned off. Filled halfway with Jerry cans. Truck turns over but won't start. Any tricks to get it going or did I bugger it.
 
Can you hear the fuel pump running with the key on? I’m pretty sure you should. If you do but no start, keep trying, it needs to pull fuel back to the engine. Or your clogged or further issues
 
Strange. Happened to me early on; thought the best way to figure out the mileage was to fill it, empty it, see how much it takes to fill it up again. Anyway--started right up when I put a gallon in it. Any previous issues? Maybe you were floating some sludge that's now been sucked into a blockage.
 
possible you sucked air into the line and vapor locked? I know efi and electric pump shouldn't occur, but maybe let it cool down and keep cranking to get fuel into the motor.
 
The fuel pump will only run when the engine is rotating so no pump sound with key on is normal.

Do you have a check engine light with key turned to ON? Have you had any sort of starting issues at all in the past?
 
I wonder if it's actually a very low tank + fusible link and not actually a dry tank. But could be possible that it's not getting fuel. May be able to crack a line and verify.
 
Common prob in EFI setups.
I’d swap in a new fuel filter esp if you have >150K on yours, then with the key in ‘on’ position, wait to hear the fuel pump prime/pressure up the line & go quiet.
Normally it’s <10sec, but it could easily go 30sec trying to re-prime from a dry line.
Once it does, then crank it - don’t be surprised if it takes 4-5 cycles to get it to fire up.
 
Stupid mistake. 80 ran dry while driving. Pulled over quick and turned off. Filled halfway with Jerry cans. Truck turns over but won't start. Any tricks to get it going or did I bugger it.
What year and engine?

I run my 96 1FZ-FE out of gas much more frequently than most and I do not have an issue.

If this is a diesel, it's a different ball game.

Check if you have the CEL with key in run position.
 
Can you hear the fuel pump running with the key on? I’m pretty sure you should. If you do but no start, keep trying, it needs to pull fuel back to the engine. Or your clogged or further issues

I've never heard the fuel pump in my 80. Definitely not hearing it now.


Strange. Happened to me early on; thought the best way to figure out the mileage was to fill it, empty it, see how much it takes to fill it up again. Anyway--started right up when I put a gallon in it. Any previous issues? Maybe you were floating some sludge that's now been sucked into a blockage.

No previous issues. It's my daily driver so thinking more that I burned the fuel pump out - far as I know, it's the original with over 500,000km.


possible you sucked air into the line and vapor locked? I know efi and electric pump shouldn't occur, but maybe let it cool down and keep cranking to get fuel into the motor.

Tried that but no luck.


The fuel pump will only run when the engine is rotating so no pump sound with key on is normal.

Do you have a check engine light with key turned to ON? Have you had any sort of starting issues at all in the past?

No issues starting in the past.


I wonder if it's actually a very low tank + fusible link and not actually a dry tank. But could be possible that it's not getting fuel. May be able to crack a line and verify.

Dunno but weirdly it's not making any spark now. Batteries are good, all electronics work, starter works but no spark at all. Weirder still since all plugs and rotor were changed three weeks ago.


Common prob in EFI setups.
I’d swap in a new fuel filter esp if you have >150K on yours, then with the key in ‘on’ position, wait to hear the fuel pump prime/pressure up the line & go quiet.
Normally it’s <10sec, but it could easily go 30sec trying to re-prime from a dry line.
Once it does, then crank it - don’t be surprised if it takes 4-5 cycles to get it to fire up.

Yeah, ordering a new fuel filter and the whole fuel pump kit. If I'm going in, may as well have the parts on hand.



No an den.


What year and engine?

I run my 96 1FZ-FE out of gas much more frequently than most and I do not have an issue.

If this is a diesel, it's a different ball game.

Check if you have the CEL with key in run position.

It's a gasser.
 
If you're not getting spark, fuel isn't the problem. Start at the battery and trace the current to the starter and igniter.
 
If you're not getting spark, fuel isn't the problem. Start at the battery and trace the current to the starter and igniter.

Problem's hitting from two directions. First, 80 has power with all electronics working including the starter. Second, batteries are fully charged but no spark even though plugs and distributor rotor changed three weeks ago.
 
Problem's hitting from two directions. First, 80 has power with all electronics working including the starter. Second, batteries are fully charged but no spark even though plugs and distributor rotor changed three weeks ago.
You're sure it died because it ran out of fuel, or is that an assumption? Whole thing could be spark related.
 
Problem's hitting from two directions. First, 80 has power with all electronics working including the starter. Second, batteries are fully charged but no spark even though plugs and distributor rotor changed three weeks ago.
There may be power to the starter, but not to the igniter, regardless of how many new plugs and distributor parts it has. Again, fuel has no relation to spark. They are on separate circuits. And, you definitely have an electrical problem if you don't have spark.
 
Your still not troubleshooting!

You asked on Facebook and I guess you didn’t get the answers you were looking for🤷‍♂️

So you came here asking the same questions and now you say your not getting spark.

Do you have the FSM?
 
I've never heard the fuel pump in my 80. Definitely not hearing it now.

You shouldn't ever hear your fuel pump unless there is a problem with it.

It does NOT 'pre-prime' with the key on. It only primes when the engine is cranking and runs once the engine starts.
 
Problem's hitting from two directions. First, 80 has power with all electronics working including the starter. Second, batteries are fully charged but no spark even though plugs and distributor rotor changed three weeks ago.
What brand of cap, rotor, wires, and plugs did you install?

There was someone else this week that had an OEM cap that the center pin wore off in a short time.

Take apart the cap and rotor to inspect.

These engines are known to spit out cheap aftermarket parts.

The next thing you will tell me is that you've used the same brand for the previous 350k miles.
 
Because the surface viscosity of the fuel line changed when it ran out of fuel it caused a thermodynamic build up of static electricity in the fuel lines. This build up most likely shorted the distributor cap through the principles of electro-conducive phase change coupling thus causing the loss of spark in your fuel sparkers.

Go ahead and swap out the, distributer cap, plugs, wires, injectors, fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump, and fuel filter. You can use cheap aftermarket parts instead of oem parts with no problems. Than make sure to ground the vehicle to true north earth to discharge any excess thermo electro energy in the system.

After that drink more beers than I have had tonight and I most certainly can't guarantee that your gender neutral cruiser will fire right up.
 

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