yakrat

I was at a racing track last weekend when my empty light came on. I thought, "Just one more lap." Well, on the way to the gas station I ran out of gas. BTW, if you are on an incline it might take as much as 3 gallons to get started. I was given a one gallon gas can. Anyway, I ended up taking three trips to the gas station. I even tried to jack the rear of the car up to get two gallons to start it.

Take home lesson: Take atleast a three gallon gas can to the gas station if you only want to make one trip.

S2KANDRE

wtf?
should 1 gallon be more than enough? and if not, how come?

xviper

It depends on where the fuel pump pickup is located. Most fuel pumps sit in a bit of a "well" that allows it to suck up the most fuel as possible (ie, before you suck air). If the car is on a severe enough an incline (in any direction as the pickup is generally central), it can take more fuel to reach the pickup. In such a case, if you can safely do it, try to roll the car to a more level position.
Also, if you have run out of fuel, you have to prime the system (ie, pump all the air out that might have gotten in). In this case, it may be necessary to cycle the key to the ON position several times (without using the starter). One gallon may have been enough and you simply didn't run the fuel pump long enough to prime the system. The first few seconds after the key is ON, the fuel pump runs at max to pressurize the system more quickly. A few seconds may not be enough if the line between the gas tank and the fuel rail was emptied.

S2KANDRE

thx X

S2kracka

[QUOTE=xviper,Oct 26 2004, 12:37 AM] The first few seconds after the key is ON, the fuel pump runs at max to pressurize the system more quickly.

xviper

How come it "cranks up" for the first few seconds after you key ON and then stops?
You can hear it whine and then it quiets down.

xviper

Let me add to my previous information:
As per the Helm manual ............. when the ignition is keyed ON, the fuel pump will run for 2 seconds and then shut off. 2 seconds may not be enough to purge the fuel lines to the fuel rail. If there is no fuel at the rail, the engine will not start. If the engine will not start the fuel pump will not start again. Therefore, you need to cycle the key several times to make the fuel pump run at "max" to prime the system. I did not say that the fuel pump has a "min" output or anything in between. I simply used the term "max" to describe that it is on. When it's ON, it runs at max, doesn't it?

lukep6470

The fuel pump only runs for a couple of seconds when the engine is not running to prevent any leaky injectors filling up a cylinder.

xviper

Regardless of the reasons why, the fact that the pump only runs for 2 seconds before start up makes it necessary to cycle the key ON severals times to prime an empty fuel system. The act of having to go back for more fuel and trying again meant that you keyed the pump on more than just once. This alone "may" have been all you needed. At least the 2 extra gallons you put in gave you a bit more "buffer zone" to get the car to the gas station.

S2kracka

It quiets down because the fuel pump shuts off until you start cranking the engine over, the 2-second prime is just enough to build fuel preasure for a quick start.