This post is a continuation from Part 1 on What to Do if I Run Out of Diesel. Lately, we have gone through:
– What is a diesel power supply
– Step 1: Be far-sighted
– Step 2: Recognize the Symptoms of a Fuel Failure
We will now cover:
– Step 3: Take action if your vehicle is immobilized
– Step 4: Restart your diesel car
3) Take action if your vehicle is immobilized
Your immobilized vehicle should be parked as far back from the roadway as possible, and you should take the initiative very quickly.
Apply safety measures
– Put on the safety vest (before getting out of the car).
– Put your occupants in the safety zone (away from the road and behind guardrails).
– Place the warning triangle at least 30 m upstream of the vehicle (on the expressway, the hard shoulder is a danger zone for a pedestrian, it is not mandatory to place the triangle).
Obtaining fuel
Several solutions exist depending on the circumstances:
– On expressways or highways, where it is forbidden to walk or hitchhike, notify the breakdown services, either by a call centre or by telephone. In most cases, a tow truck will pick up your car on a flatbed to take you off the highway for the nearest station or repair shop (getting back on the road can be problematic). Remember to ask your assistance company to absorb the costs.
Please note: The assistance contract often does not allow you to be picked up less than 60 km from home.
– On the open road, in addition to being taken care of by a professional, other solutions are available to you:
◦ Ask other road users to pick you up at the nearest service station.
◦ Walk to the nearest station taking into account the following points:
– Walk on the shoulder of the road on the left side so that you can see oncoming vehicles.
– Avoid this solution at night.
– Find out the area and distance to the next station.
4. Restart your diesel car
transfer the fuel oil to the tank
This operation is not so simple because transferring fuel from the nurse to the tank requires a funnel with an elbow fitting; otherwise, a large part of it will spill.
Tip: If the fuel-filled nurse is not allowed in a vehicle, you can use a cut plastic bottle and a corrugated electrical sheath, with an inside diameter equal to the bottle’s neck, for a makeshift funnel that takes up little space in the trunk.
Once the diesel fuel is added to the tank, the solutions will differ according to the restarting procedures.
Case 1: pressurized circuit
– In the majority of cases, the charge pump immersed in the tank will allow the fuel to be fed into the low-pressure circuit; press the starter for 20 to 60 seconds to re-prime the circuit (avoid using the starter all at once and instead perform several quick actions on it).
– Unfortunately, some systems are very recalcitrant or require a specific procedure and equipment: to avoid wasting time unnecessarily, the decision to be made beforehand will be to use a troubleshooter.
Case 2: vacuum circuit
Here again, there are two possible scenarios.
– A priming pump is present: operate it until it hardens, then make a test start. If it is not successful, repeat the operation until the engine starts.
– The priming pump does not exist or is inoperable: certain types of engines require special procedures and equipment. Here again, the most reasonable solution will be to call a tow truck.
Thank you for staying posted. Hope the posts from Part 1 till here would be of any help to you. Remember to leave your comments below and share these posts with your friends.
