AZB755V8 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 There are a few threads now about fuel issues. I am getting older and the memory is not as good as it once was. Anyway I have a few hobby trucks and only use one fuel tank and drained the other side. So the draw is on the passanger side on one truck the drivers side on the others. I put 20 gallons of fuel in the wrong side and ran out of fuel about 10 miles down the road, I know dumb ass move... I was taking it to a show and it just shuts down. Opened the crossover valves and got some fuel in the right tank primed it up and got fuel though the secondary filter. It took a bit of Ether to get it to start. Started down the road again and in about 2 miles ran out of fuel again. Fuel in primary but not in secondary filter. The primer was not getting fuel and had a vacuum in the line. Left it sit for 10 minutes and it would pump fuel. I filled a new primary filter and put it on. Got it running again with a bunch of Ether. Ran 3 miles and out of fuel again. Vacuum in the primary fuel line again and secondary filter empty. Loosened the fuel line to get the vacuum out started priming it and got fuel though the secondary again. Turned around and headed for home. On the way stopped every 2 miles and pumped the hand primer 10-12 times. It stayed running and did not seem to have air in the lines after that. The question is: If there is even a little air in any of the lines will an airlock develop? I don't think it is the lift pump as the vacuum is in the line before that pump so it is pulling the vacuum. I did blow through all the lines, not collapsed, they were all new 3 years ago. Does fuel plug up a filter from sitting, even in a garage temp between 50-100 degrees, it's in AZ. Running out of fuel don't help and started the problem... Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 (edited) your tanks must be able to breathe also just a thought check your caps and tank breather system you are saying vacumn Edited May 12, 2016 by carlotpilot 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333028 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 A little late now, but if you need to keep it running to prime it again try using WD-40 sprayed into the intake instead of ether. Much safer and it will keep it running until it picks up the fuel. My experience is that once the fuel is picked up the air will clear from all of the lines and you can tell because it smooths out after running like crap on less than all cylinders. Quote Does fuel plug up a filter from sitting, even in a garage temp between 50-100 degrees Did you replace the filter? Treat the stored fuel with an anti-fungal additive? Will it run normally now without using the primer pump? 1 Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333038 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZB755V8 Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 17 hours ago, fxfymn said: My experience is that once the fuel is picked up the air will clear from all of the lines and you can tell because it smooths out after running like crap on less than all cylinders. Did you replace the filter? Treat the stored fuel with an anti-fungal additive? Will it run normally now without using the primer pump? That is what I thought too but it still was getting what i think was airlock in the line between the primary filter and lift pump. It did run on all cylinders until the next time it ran out of fuel. I did replace the filters, they had 2000 miles on them and did have some sediment in the primary filter but not much. I need to get some fuel additive as the fuel is starting to smell old. So far it is running like nothing happened without using the primer. It was strange that it continued to run out of fuel for 3 times. I never had that much problem getting a diesel running after working on the filters, pump or running out of fuel. Tanks have working vented caps. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333147 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Try to blow out the supply line FROM the primary filter to the tank with compressed air. Seems like there's something that doesn't allow the fuel to go. Didn't you notice any difference on how quick it ran out of fuel pulling harder or going slowly within idling? Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333159 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 My bet is something blocked the line inside the tank. I had two different tractors do that to me; they would run great and then suddenly die; after priming they would usually run great, but occasionally they would act up again as soon as they primed. When I cleaned the tanks I found a couple of insects that were just big enough to plug the line, but would float back out of the way when the suction from the pump stopped. 2 Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333160 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZB755V8 Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 3 hours ago, Vladislav said: Try to blow out the supply line FROM the primary filter to the tank with compressed air. Seems like there's something that doesn't allow the fuel to go. Didn't you notice any difference on how quick it ran out of fuel pulling harder or going slowly within idling? The last time that is what I did. Disconnected the line going to the lift pump and tank. Blew through it and a steady stream of fuel on the ground. Opened the tank valve and stead stream as well. Maybe there was something just big enough that got sucked in at the bottom of the tank to stop flow and it came out then. looked in the tank and just little stuff the primary would filter out. I haven't had the problem sense. I try to keep the tanks on anything above 1/4 full to prevent crap from getting sucked up. The problem started when I ran it empty. Ran out of fuel about the same time each time. About the amount that would be in the secondary filter, about a quart of fuel, 2 miles worth. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333179 Share on other sites More sharing options...
teleman Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 you may have done this already but leave the fuel cap off when you start it...if it keeps running then your tank vent is plugged 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333189 Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I have had problems with trucks with the aeroquip fuel line . The thin inside lining separated from the thicker rubber part of the hose .Truck would just die let it seat a short time it would start and run till the liner would collapse and stop the flow of fuel no fuel leak or bad place on the hose . I cut up the hose and found the separated part of the hose happened where it was close to the exhaust pipe over time it must have broke down from the heat . 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333216 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 On 13.05.2016 at 2:52 AM, topo said: I have had problems with trucks with the aeroquip fuel line . The thin inside lining separated from the thicker rubber part of the hose .Truck would just die let it seat a short time it would start and run till the liner would collapse and stop the flow of fuel no fuel leak or bad place on the hose . I cut up the hose and found the separated part of the hose happened where it was close to the exhaust pipe over time it must have broke down from the heat . Long ago one of my clients had a car with carburator. He had it loosing power when accelerating. After couple of weeks of search he got to the issue. Someone before him fitted the rubber fuel hose to the carb inlet pipe. Making that he cut a piece of rubber from the hose's inner side by sharp end of the inlet. So something like a small flipper was formed. It didn't block the line completely but moved when the fuel stream was increasing and shut down the engine. Who would have thunk thought... Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333554 Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_martell Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 2 hours ago, Vladislav said: Long ago one of my clients had a car with carburator. He had it loosing power when accelerating. After couple of weeks of search he got to the issue. Someone before him fitted the rubber fuel hose to the carb inlet pipe. Making that he cut a piece of rubber from the hose's inner side by sharp end of the inlet. So something like a small flipper was formed. It didn't block the line completely but moved when the fuel stream was increasing and shut down the engine. Who would have thunk thought... Nah, you had it the first time lol Quote Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.... Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333559 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 I was thinking this one through while I cut grass yesterday; the big clue is that you used the other tank for the first time in a long while. ( I flunked Troubleshooting 101 on this one the first time) It is not coincidental that this resulted in fuel delivery problems IMO. I think you have two possible solutions to the issue; use the tank you always use from now on or remove and clean the other tank. In retrospect it is pretty obvious that the obstruction had to come from the normally unused tank. Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333610 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZB755V8 Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 5 hours ago, fxfymn said: I was thinking this one through while I cut grass yesterday; the big clue is that you used the other tank for the first time in a long while. ( I flunked Troubleshooting 101 on this one the first time) It is not coincidental that this resulted in fuel delivery problems IMO. I think you have two possible solutions to the issue; use the tank you always use from now on or remove and clean the other tank. In retrospect it is pretty obvious that the obstruction had to come from the normally unused tank. I understand what you are saying. The thing is that the the other tank was shut off with the cross over valves on the bottom of the tanks and no fuel transferred into the right tank I have been running on. That right tank was sucked dry and the problems started. If anything the right tank had the crap in it, and it does have some black stuff sticking to the walls about 1/8 the way up from sitting for 20 years with fuel in it before I started the restoration. Just have to keep an eye on it and change the filters more often. Thing is that the unused tank is the clean one... I would have to get different hoses to get the fuel pump supply and return lines to that tank. Thanks for all the help from you all, it comes down to crap in the lines, getting it out with all the air as well. I need to remember too fill the right tank next time. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-333646 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimpwhacker Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 I've had the 90 degree fitting on top of the fuel tank to get clogged and cause this. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-334334 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinityA Posted May 12, 2022 Share Posted May 12, 2022 I’m dealing with a 2013 Mack Pinnacle that keeps loosing fuel after running for 1 minute, I have to prime it afterwards and then the same thing runs out of fuel, I’m an auto mechanic and I’m helping out a friend but I don’t know much about diesels, any help would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-497412 Share on other sites More sharing options...
h67st Posted May 13, 2022 Share Posted May 13, 2022 On 5/11/2022 at 8:10 PM, TrinityA said: I’m dealing with a 2013 Mack Pinnacle that keeps loosing fuel after running for 1 minute, I have to prime it afterwards and then the same thing runs out of fuel, I’m an auto mechanic and I’m helping out a friend but I don’t know much about diesels, any help would be greatly appreciated I assume you've changed the fuel filters, that would be the first thing. Next would be a problem in the transfer (lift) pump, or sucking air at one of the fuel inlet lines. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45180-running-out-of-fuel-airlock/#findComment-497535 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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