Running out of fuel

[ramtacular]

I wanted to share my experience of apparently running out of fuel on my 21' ecodiesel. A few days ago, my fuel warning light came on when the instrument cluster displayed a range of 50-miles. Yesterday I left my office for home and planned to run an errand and get fuel on my way. As I parked for the errand, the instrument cluster displayed a range of 20-miles. I parked the truck and turned it off. I may have been on a slight incline. When I returned the truck didn't immediately start. The starter turned over but the motor didn't 'catch'. On the second attempt it did start. I drove to the fuel station which was about 2-miles away. At a stop light on the way, the truck quit. Not sputtered - quit - like somebody threw a switch. I again started the truck and was able to make it to the fuel station. After filling, the truck started, though it took maybe 10-seconds of cranking. Then it quit as I started to pull out of the gas station parking lot. It was at this point I vaguely recalled there's a special procedure to re-prime the fuel system. I found the procedure in the manual and followed the instructions. The truck started immediately and I've had no further issues since. The check engine light is on, but the manual says that is normal and it should turn off after running the truck a while. The check engine light went out the next day.

Lesson 1 - remember there is a procedure to prime the engine.

Lesson 2 - Do not let the fuel get so low that the range is below say 30-miles. (my old truck, a 2015 ford ecoboost, I never ran out of fuel even though on two occasions I let the range get to 0-miles. )

 

[AMS Guru]

I never got quite that low with my fuel level (I think-31.5 gallons to fill to the neck), but I have noticed the gauge seems to trend to the "bottom". Even topped off to the neck with the 33 gallon tank after about 75 miles the gauge starts to come off "full". I've driven vehicles with half the size of tank or less go 150 miles before dropping down. Nature of the beast I guess. Good to know about the re-priming procedure!

 

[tom318]

Good to know! I'm one to usually push that sort of stuff for no real reason. Haven't done it yet with this truck but wanted to on our family trip to Colorado lol. My wife was quick to remind me that I'm an idiot and we have 2 kids on the car. Id push it on my VW TDI all the time. Most I did was 25miles after range was at 0.....no issue but extremely careful driving and coasting any chance i got. (Intention was to push it maybe 5 over 0 but got carried away on a call and then next diesel station was far.)

 

[AMS Guru]

Good to know! I'm one to usually push that sort of stuff for no real reason. Haven't done it yet with this truck but wanted to on our family trip to Colorado lol. My wife was quick to remind me that I'm an idiot and we have 2 kids on the car. Id push it on my VW TDI all the time. Most I did was 25miles after range was at 0.....no issue but extremely careful driving and coasting any chance i got. (Intention was to push it maybe 5 over 0 but got carried away on a call and then next diesel station was far.)

Sounds like my wife, LOL. I've been known to push my luck more than once!!

 

[Trooper4]

I wanted to share my experience of apparently running out of fuel on my 21' ecodiesel. A few days ago, my fuel warning light came on when the instrument cluster displayed a range of 50-miles. Yesterday I left my office for home and planned to run an errand and get fuel on my way. As I parked for the errand, the instrument cluster displayed a range of 20-miles. I parked the truck and turned it off. I may have been on a slight incline. When I returned the truck didn't immediately start. The starter turned over but the motor didn't 'catch'. On the second attempt it did start. I drove to the fuel station which was about 2-miles away. At a stop light on the way, the truck quit. Not sputtered - quit - like somebody threw a switch. I again started the truck and was able to make it to the fuel station. After filling, the truck started, though it took maybe 10-seconds of cranking. Then it quit as I started to pull out of the gas station parking lot. It was at this point I vaguely recalled there's a special procedure to re-prime the fuel system. I found the procedure in the manual and followed the instructions. The truck started immediately and I've had no further issues since. The check engine light is on, but the manual says that is normal and it should turn off after running the truck a while. The check engine light went out the next day.

Lesson 1 - remember there is a procedure to prime the engine.

Lesson 2 - Do not let the fuel get so low that the range is below say 30-miles. (my old truck, a 2015 ford ecoboost, I never ran out of fuel even though on two occasions I let the range get to 0-miles. )

Just remember, the truck runs just as good on the top half of the tank as the bottom half. Just longer.
On another point, running on the lower 1/4 of a tang often will overheat the fuel pump and shorten it's life.

 

[Aseras]

Its not the lift pump in the tank you need to worry about. Its the High Pressure Fuel Pump that's part of the engine. It runs over 5000PSI ( min 5000 PSI rail pressure required to start ignition ) and without fuel it grenades. Contaminated Fuel, it grenades. Even more so with the low lubricity Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel sold now. If it goes, it sends metal shavings throughout the entire fuel system and due to the pressures you need to replace it all. Over $10k in costs now.

 

[Sascwatch]

Its not the lift pump in the tank you need to worry about. Its the High Pressure Fuel Pump that's part of the engine. It runs over 5000PSI ( min 5000 PSI rail pressure required to start ignition ) and without fuel it grenades. Contaminated Fuel, it grenades. Even more so with the low lubricity Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel sold now. If it goes, it sends metal shavings throughout the entire fuel system and due to the pressures you need to replace it all. Over $10k in costs now.

Running a diesel out of fuel is bad because of the way the high pressure pump is lubricated. ULSD doesn’t provide much lubrication, but it’s just enough to keep the pump from shredding itself.

Ive had my low fuel light come on once while I was on the way to get fuel, but I usually try to stay over 1/4-1/2 tank.

 

[NorthStar]

I’m sorry to hear about this…the Ram advertising of getting 700 (or 750 miles with the Gen 2) on a tank of fuel is just bait for folks to screw up a diesel engine.

I know two coworkers who took that as a challenge and one was fortunate with his Gen 2 to have made it sucking fumes with no damage…until it grenaded a year later as many of that generation did. The other was sucking more than fumes with his Gen 3 last December and cost him a new engine as Ram denied his claim for “negligence” to maintain his engine.

I understand in this instance it appears to be a mis-calibrated gauge or tank sending unit which is the pits for any owner. I hope all works out well for you.

But for everyone else, don’t give Ram the opportunity to deny a warranty claim over something as simple at fuel starvation and a resulting fuel pump disintegration.

 

[Aseras]

From what I know if the fuel sending unit loses pressure it kills the engine to prevent the HPFP from being run dry.

The miles remaining guessometer drops to 0/low at 40 mpg for a reason.

That said in my older 2010 TDI I drove well over 50 miles on 0 range to get fuel once that was out of my control. The truck is 4 times as expensive, thirstier and has a 33 gallon tank. running it out is insanity.

That said life happens and a product should be able to handle running out of fuel and being refueled from 0 without a costly repair or process. People accepting nannyware BS "engine wont restart" because reasons until someone dies in a wildfire or something and lawsuits forcing a change is even more insanity.

 

[Sascwatch]

The low fuel light comes on in my truck around 80km (50miles) to empty. I’ve done just shy of 1300km(800miles) before the light came on once trying to push my limits and immediately stopped at the next fuel station.

 

[Chris3058]

Yep. Mine comes on at 80 km to empty....which has happened once.

 

[StringNH]

My 2021 ecodiesel is six weeks old and already has 7500 miles on it. I bought it for the 900+ mile range. I think the gauge is very accurate, twice I have gone past 0 miles to empty. Ran right about 900 miles on that tank. Just every bit of 34 gallons to fill it, it was bone dry but didn't have a problem. I never want to get that low but I will push it to keep from buying overpriced diesel. I hate to pay the going rate when I know I can get 50 cents per gallon cheaper closer to home. I was always running my 2012 cummins near or past zero to empty but only went dry once in 327k miles. If you drive it enough, you can really get a feel for how much fuel is really left in the tank. It's a game for me to alway guess how many gallons to fill at the pump. I can usually guess to within a couple tenths of a gallon.

But, you should be very careful. Like others have stated. The injector pump and injectors really hate air in the lines.

 

[NorthStar]

My 2021 ecodiesel is six weeks old and already has 7500 miles on it. I bought it for the 900+ mile range. I think the gauge is very accurate, twice I have gone past 0 miles to empty. Ran right about 900 miles on that tank. Just every bit of 34 gallons to fill it, it was bone dry but didn't have a problem. I never want to get that low but I will push it to keep from buying overpriced diesel. I hate to pay the going rate when I know I can get 50 cents per gallon cheaper closer to home. I was always running my 2012 cummins near or past zero to empty but only went dry once in 327k miles. If you drive it enough, you can really get a feel for how much fuel is really left in the tank. It's a game for me to alway guess how many gallons to fill at the pump. I can usually guess to within a couple tenths of a gallon.

But, you should be very careful. Like others have stated. The injector pump and injectors really hate air in the lines.

Obviously, you own stock in Bosch. Or have a brother-in-law who works for them and has a "Friends & Family" discount. Even with my three previous Cummins and one uneventful Duramax, I don't play games with my equipment as I've found it can be too costly. Plus, if I'm stranded it's one thing...if the Misses is with me, it's hell on earth.

 

[c3k]

Auto-priming Diesels is a new thing (to me). Back in the day, running a diesel tractor, the biggest pita was having to prime it after running out of fuel. Similarly with the earlier diesel cars.

Now? It's almost as simple as just filling it up and starting. (Go to Run (not start) for 30 seconds, 3 times total, then Start.) But I'd still never do it. That lubrication thing and dry seals and all the other reasons. The engine won't grenade right then, but if/when it does 100,000 miles later, you'll always wonder...

 

[StringNH]

Obviously, you own stock in Bosch. Or have a brother-in-law who works for them and has a "Friends & Family" discount. Even with my three previous Cummins and one uneventful Duramax, I don't play games with my equipment as I've found it can be too costly. Plus, if I'm stranded it's one thing...if the Misses is with me, it's hell on earth.

Your mileage may vary but I stand by my statements. The only thing that ever stranded me was a transmission failure. My driving is all work driving by myself. Nobody to ***** at me except myself. I do push it further than most would even consider but it works for me. Never had to replace an injector or injector pump even in my older 2001 cummins with the finicky VP44 injector pump. I replaced the lift pump on my 01 but never had any other fuel related problems in total of 700k miles on 2 different cummins motors. I'm gonna keep doing what I've been doing. I listen to what the truck tells me in the seat of my pants. What works for me might not work for someone else.

I hope I feel the same about this ecodiesel if and when it hits 300k. It ain't no cummins but I'm loving it so far.

 

[NorthStar]

Your mileage may vary but I stand by my statements. The only thing that ever stranded me was a transmission failure. My driving is all work driving by myself. Nobody to ***** at me except myself. I do push it further than most would even consider but it works for me. Never had to replace an injector or injector pump even in my older 2001 cummins with the finicky VP44 injector pump. I replaced the lift pump on my 01 but never had any other fuel related problems in total of 700k miles on 2 different cummins motors. I'm gonna keep doing what I've been doing. I listen to what the truck tells me in the seat of my pants. What works for me might not work for someone else.

I hope I feel the same about this ecodiesel if and when it hits 300k. It ain't no cummins but I'm loving it so far.

Please don't get me wrong as I I'm interested in what you're doing and hope it works out for you - and thereby works all for all of us. It's guys like you who are pushing these 3rd Gens to their limit who will help the engine prove itself or highlight potential failures we may endure. If it's going to break, you're better off with it breaking during the warranty period.

And like you, I'm certain everyone posting in this 3.0 Ecodiesel V6 forum shares your hope that the durability of the 3rd Gen Ecodiesel proves itself by hitting/exceeding 300K miles.