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running on empty

1.3K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  Mike Mac  
#1 ·
My mom doesnt understand that she can put fuel in a truck and the last two times i have gotten in it and couldnt get to the gas station. I had to prime it once the first time and the second time took two times. How bad is it run these motors out of fuel? I know it isnt good, but does it do any damage to them?
 
#3 ·
thanks, just put a new fuel filter in after the first time, i like your icon by the way
 
#4 ·
I work with a bunch of diesel mechanics and asked the same question to them. I was told that the injector pump will sustain damage every time that the truck is run out of fuel. It may be a little damage at a time and you may not notice until farther down the road but the diesel fuel is a lubricant for the pump. running it dry means running out of lubrication.
cwh

'02 duramax, sold the edge...pos
 
#6 ·
running out of fuel in a common rail injection engine is bad. The high pressure fuel pump that keeps the fuel at the huge pressures needed to make the injection systems on these engines work is the weak link in the fuel system already and running it dry with no lubrication which the fuel provides is even worse. Tell your mom to put DIESEL in the truck or dont let her drive it anymore.
 
#9 ·
A quick story; Many yrs. ago I was at work and got a call,(I've fallen and I can't get up) kind of call. I jumped in my truck, and ended up on the side of the freeway out of gas. this was before cell phones, so I wasn't able to respond to the problem, and had to run a mile to a gas station, to call other help to that situation, then try to get gas back to my truck with no gas can, needless to say, it was a B-tch of a day. Now I don't let it go under a quarter tank!!!