RESTART AFTER OUT OF FUEL????

I just changed the fuel pump in my Mondial 3.2. Of necessity, the car had VERY low fuel when I started this job. After the repair, the car started and ran fine for 1 1/2 mile. As I turned into the gas station, the car coughed and coasted up to the pump. After putting in 4 gallons, now it will not start, pop, fire, etc. (It turns over fine, however.)
Is there a restart procedure I should follow?Any ideas?
Thanks!!!

 

You may have burned out your new fuel pump. Happened to me in a 308 about 9 years ago. Put the old one back in and see what happens.

 

running it without fuel can cause damage. The fuel actually serves as a coolant for the pump.
I used to to suck air with heavy cornering with my old k-jetronic-ed rallycar and the pumprevs than would go very high for a moment. I never actually burned it however. How long had you running it without fuel?

 

As likely as burning the pump and WAY better news is that you sucked 'bottom of tank' debris into the filter, reducing the flow rate to the pop-sputter-cough stage.

Did this with my car once, changed the filter (which LOOKED fine) and that was the end of that. Here's hoping that's your issue. Best wishes, let us know.

 

Can't disagree with the "bad" possible events that the guys have described from running dry, but you can do some diagnosis work even without any (or minimal) tools:

1. Unplug the safety switch on the airflow meter and put the key in the "on" position -- if you don't hear the fuel pump run that would be bad. (Although it could be a fuse-relay panel problem as a new/tight pump will draw more current that a well-used one and might have further frazzled an already marginal connection. You have checked the fuse right?)

2. If the fuel pump does run in that state, try pushing down on the airflow metering plate briefly (after removing the ducting) -- and only briefly as this will spray fuel into the cylinders. If you have fuel pressure, there should be significant physical resistance (and you should hear the injectors "squeal" when they spray). Not a gaurentee that the fuel pressure is up to spec if there is some physical resistance present, but having no physical resistance at all would definitely confirm no fuel pressure.

 

The car just coughed and died, literally as I drove up to the pump. I coasted in.
I guess I'll retry starting it and, if unsuccessful, employ the ideas outlined here.
Thanks for the help.

 

Steve I plan to change my fuel filter soon, should I do the same procedure to prime the filter before starting the engine or just crank her up until it start? Thanks.

 

I would -- there's no downside, and it lets you check for fuel leaks (at the disturbed filter connections) without having the engine actually running.

 

Thanks Steve

 

Full throttle and crank until it starts.

 

Ding, Ding, Ding... we have a winner here. when you run out of gas, you have to basically prime the system to get it running. try to run the fuel pump with just the key on... let is buzz for a while ... it is building pressure ... tap the metering plate - push down.. while trying to start it.

doubt you did any real damage... just a pain to get running again.

 

Not true. I start them almost every week after servicing or repairs. Bleeding is not required. The factory never did it I can assure you.

 

Brian, but it probably takes some cranking on a CIS car though, right? In other words, the CIS fuel distributor has to work for a while to re-fill the (presumably empty) fuel lines to each of the cylinders? Or, does the basic pressure of the fuel pump (as managed by the WUR) re-fill the lines as soon as the fuel pump is energized?

Thanks.

 

Mine Did that...It was a Bad Fuel pump Relay......replaced Relay.....unplugged the safety swithch and DID NOT hear Fuel pump......Uh OH!!!!!.......I jumped the Fuel pump relay......Fuel pump worked..........The Relay I replaced it with, was also BAD!!!!....How often does that happen...

It only took me a hour to figure out I had replaced one relay with another bad one

Cranked right up after that.

 

I fixed my problem! A wire on the white plug-in harness (the passenger side one) was burned. I spliced in a new wire with a new female connector. This required cutting away some white plastic, but it eventually fit. Then, a new relay did the trick.
Thank you for all of your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Where does this white wire go? can you show pic?

 

Well, contrary to some warnings here the fuel pump is gravity fed so as soon as fuel is dumped in the tank it is no longer dry. Cranking as I stated is not the fastest way but it is the least hazardous way of getting the car to fire up after the system has been filled with air. It will take about 15 seconds or so of cranking to get it to start in the manner I described and is fool proof. For those that choose to prime in some fashion and are not familiar with how to do it I have seen a range of outcomes from fouled plugs, hydraulic locked motors and serious fires. It is for that reason I only recommend the fool proof method. It will work and it does work every time.

 

It's not a white wire, it's a white plastic harness (I would call it) with 7 or 8 wires side-by-side. The white part insulates the wire endings from each other and keeps the 7 or 8 wires aligned so that they can plug right into the terminals on the fuse box board.

The wire ends have some clips on them that are like a metal alligator mouth. These ends are pretty feeble, at least on my car. One of them burned and melted the plastic which was surrounding it. So, I put on a far superior female wire plug. One of my clients is an electrician, and he said when a wire end burns it is almost always because it is loose.

When I get time, I will replace all of those crappy alligator clips. But there are about 80 of them in total, so it won't be very soon.

 

Ther are many threads and some very good information with some good ideas for repair in the TR section. While it is true the cause is usually a poor connection it is a good idea to check the current draw of the pump. They do go bad and cause high current draw.