Out of gas: now won't run well

[eleebid]

Help! I was driving on reserve yesterday. Range said 43 miles. The check gages light came on telling me that all of the reserve bars were gone. I headed to the nearest gas station but ran out of gas 2 blocks away. I got a gas can put one gallon in the tank and drove to the station. Car ran normally. Filled the tank started up and drove away. Car ran for two block and then started missing and sputtering. It feels like it is running on 4 or 6 cylinders. The service engine light came on. What the hell did I do? It has to be caused buy me running out of fuel. I can't believe that something else broke at that time. Could I have plugged the fuel filter with sediment from the tank?? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[maxrevs85]

Change the fuel filter and run some injector cleaner with a full tank and dont EVER do that again!!!

 

[taegdh]

Also you may need to purge any air out of the fuel rail by depressing the spintle in the schrader valve. Just for a second or two, then try running it again.

Hopefully, you didn't overheat the fuel pump. If necessary you can replace it in a couple of hours and for about a c-note.

Lots of luck.

 

[redvett]

Help! I was driving on reserve yesterday. Range said 43 miles. The check gages light came on telling me that all of the reserve bars were gone. I headed to the nearest gas station but ran out of gas 2 blocks away. I got a gas can put one gallon in the tank and drove to the station. Car ran normally. Filled the tank started up and drove away. Car ran for two block and then started missing and sputtering. It feels like it is running on 4 or 6 cylinders. The service engine light came on. What the hell did I do? It has to be caused buy me running out of fuel. I can't believe that something else broke at that time. Could I have plugged the fuel filter with sediment from the tank?? Any help greatly appreciated.

The first thing is did you try to start the car without gas. Trying to start a car without gas overheats the pump and burns it out. Second is dirty gas, It destroys the pumps. If the pump is gone its really easy to fix. The pump is available at most auto supply stores like Advance,Autoworks and the like. Take the pump assy out and replace it maybe a 30 minute job . No bleeding is required just cycle the ign. on & off and you will hear pump run wait until it quits and do it again. Its a recirculating system .

 

[Ken]

Keep the level up - Your fuel pump will last longer!

You definitely could have sucked some debris from the bottom of the tank, leading to either a plugged filter (or filters, as the "sock" at the fuel pump intake could be plugged ), or plugged injectors. I'd changed the main filter for the hell of it.

 

[redc4corvette]

Every one is right on with what has been said!!

I did a stupid last night .I was flushing the raidator and the car started to run bad missing ,so I thought the car had over heated?
Turns out ran out of gas ,had to purge the fuel system ran the engine at 2000 for about 5 minutes and looks like it is fine now.

 

[eleebid]

update on Out of gas now runs bad

I changed the fuel filter. I cut the old filter open to see if it was clogged. It was not. The fuel pump operates. I checked the codes from the service engine light. It was only showing codes H13 and H27. H13 is left o2 sensor open. I replaced the o2 sensor. Car still runs rough. H27 has something to do with the 1 to 4 shift. But I have an automatic.
I put a timming light on every spark plug wire on the left side all are getting spark.
I am now running about 10 degrees cooler than I was when it ran well. The exhaust smells rich. You can drive but there is not the normal amount of power. Idle is terrible.
Any other suggestions?

 

[Ken]

.... Car still runs rough. ... The exhaust smells rich. ... Idle is terrible.

Any other suggestions?

Sticking fuel injector(s).

 

[Edmond]

I'm always telling people to not let their tank go under 1/4 before they fill up so they don't burn out their fuel pump.

Doesn't the flow of gas keep the injectors working properly? Trying to start the car with no gas in the tank will in effect run the injectors without a sort of lubrication, right?

 

[redc4corvette]

I think it is time to get your hands dirty !
Check the IAC CLEAN IT OUT BUT BETTER yet replace it 94's have a problem with the IAC,I cleaned mine and sanded the end and it ran better.
Later after about 1000 miles it started not starting and runnung rough ,it also only a few times would not rpm just humm on wide open throttle.
Later I went in and flashed the computer and changed the 2 table's IAC ,can't remember the second but I have it on disc.from 126 to 120 .No smell now.
By the way the screen mesh on the fuel pump is so tight to pick up trash in the line is not likely.If anything you might have burnt the fins on the pump ,if stock you should be at 43.5 lbs on fuel pressure.
If the pump can't keep up with the demand the computer will increase voltage to the pump and over load it,one second rich lean the next .
You will run cooler when rich and the 02sensor will show bad when rich but you should have 3 ,check a plug see if it is black.

 

[eleebid]

Final update: problem turned out to be a dead injector. Given the age of the car ('92) I am not really suprised. 120 dollars later and half an hour fixed the problem. Traced it by pulling the injector leads off till the engine ran better. It was wide open dousing the whole left bank with raw fuel. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ken]

Sticking fuel injector(s).

 

[redvett]

Final update: problem turned out to be a dead injector. Given the age of the car ('92) I am not really suprised. 120 dollars later and half an hour fixed the problem. Traced it by pulling the injector leads off till the engine ran better. It was wide open dousing the whole left bank with raw fuel. Thanks for the help.

By all means change the oil & filter to get all the gas out of the crankcase.

 

[RedRagTop]

Glad you got it fixed.
Couldn't help but chuckle when I saw the thread title; "Out of gas: now won't run well
Heh heh.

 

[surferdave]

Out of gas

For one your service light may have come on because you left the gas cap loose or off which would explain the missing. You could have gotten some bad gas in which case adding a can of heet or similar octane boost product will work. Third there is probably air in your system now that you ran it out of gas and the fuel system may have to be bled, look at your manual to tell you how to do this.

Help! I was driving on reserve yesterday. Range said 43 miles. The check gages light came on telling me that all of the reserve bars were gone. I headed to the nearest gas station but ran out of gas 2 blocks away. I got a gas can put one gallon in the tank and drove to the station. Car ran normally. Filled the tank started up and drove away. Car ran for two block and then started missing and sputtering. It feels like it is running on 4 or 6 cylinders. The service engine light came on. What the hell did I do? It has to be caused buy me running out of fuel. I can't believe that something else broke at that time. Could I have plugged the fuel filter with sediment from the tank?? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[SSTibet]

Sticking fuel injector(s).

Ken,

How did you know it was the fuel injector(s) right from the beginning????

The guy is saying "codes H13 and H27. H13 is left o2 sensor open ...." and you are jumping straight to the conclusion that it is an injector problem, which turns out to be CORRECT....

I hope I can get close to that level of knowledge and insight one of those days

 

[SSTibet]

Ground Basics for Crovette

I learned some months ago the following about my Corvette:

1. Use only top quality gas. I fuel up only from stations that I know are good.

2. Never ever starve the fuel pump. The pumps is submerged inside the fuel tank and therefore fuel keeps it at normal working temperature; therefore the tank should be, I would say, around half full to be safe.

3. An empty tank would also allow the sludge at the bottom of the tank to be used by the fuel system components. That is a potential for damage for any car especially for those with fuel injection.

4. Every once in a while add fuel injector additive when the tank is filled.

Hope these help a bit. That's my $.02