Iona Disko
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: NE
Posts: 286
  
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| V8 running out of fuel when guage reads 1/8th full |
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Has anyone else experienced this?
My vehicle cuts out when facing down hill and the tank is low.
Far from having an empty tank the engine cut out when idling today. The vehicle was facing down-hill on a moderate slope (1:8 gradient maybe) after just a couple of seconds the engine cut out. The fuel light was not on at any stage of the preceding journey and the tank read approx. 1/8th full.
On attempting to restart the fuel light flashed and the engine could not be started.
Rolling forward in neutral found level ground and the engine started first time. The fuel light remained on.
I looked at the trip computer and it showed a range of Zero. A few miles later that had gone up to 25 miles. The fuel light remained on until I found fuel.
I am not surprised that this happens, of course, but what did surprise me was that I still had a lot of fuel in the tank (over ten litres in an c. 80l tank) and that only a relatively tame gradient induced the engine stall.
This is not the first time it has happened and on previous occasions I had suspected other causes but have now documented 4 seperate occasions when this has happened within the same circumstances.
I rarely drive with less than a 1/4 tank and more often fill up at around a 1/2 tank.
Anyone got any idea if I am expecting too much, doing something wrong or is this something that is experieinced by others? Does the TdV6 do the same thing?
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 4th Dec 2008 6:57 pm |
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ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
 
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Very strange 
But just a thought.
If it was very cold, perhaps the electronics tricked the fuel system into thinking there was no fuel, thus cutting out the engine.
This thought is based on my belief that if the D3 [certainly the TDV6] is about to run out of fuel, it senses this and you will 'run out of fuel' even though some still remains in the system. This is to prevent having to bleed the fuel system if it were totally empty.
As said, just my thoughts. I was a normal heterosexual chap, but in these new woke awakenings I now identify as a Wardrobe.
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| 4th Dec 2008 7:05 pm |
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TheOneAndOnlyNikolaus
Member Since: 13 Jul 2008
Location: Vienna
Posts: 140
 
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Sounds like what happened to my wife on the highway (Disco V8). Ran out of fuel when the fuelgauge showed quarter full. No empty light or warning at all. Called the touring club who told here she has a fuel pump issue and wanted to tow the car away. In the meantime I had arrived on scene as well and asked the touring club worker if he had fuel - he was not every enthusiastic to try as the car showed quarter full, but I could convince him to try.
You should have seen his face when the car started immed 
We have not had time yet to visit the local dealer anc currently operate on refueling every 400km to be on the safe side.
Nikolaus
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| 4th Dec 2008 8:12 pm |
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AXL022
Member Since: 29 Aug 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 94
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Mine did exactlty the same.
Run out of gas many times.
Impossible the gauge to go lower than 1/8. The light of the reserve doesn't flash.
Range is ok during 3/4 of the tank, but after it's f*****
Even the arrow goes up and the range is increasing !
My LR dealer doesn't find the problem ! 
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| 4th Dec 2008 8:33 pm |
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sideview
Member Since: 02 Dec 2006
Location: in the valley
Posts: 1663
  
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Have you logged your mileage at all? I'm just wondering whether it's a problem with sensors thinking it's empty or if it is really empty and the gauges are reading inaccurately. I'm not so good at giving advice...may I offer you a sarcastic comment instead?
Haiti Earthquake Relief: Donate Your Frequent Flier Miles
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| 4th Dec 2008 8:51 pm |
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ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
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Going by the responses, this seems like a V8 issue only!
so it narrows it down a bit.
Not of much use, but one needs to look into why this is prone to the V8 and not TDV6? I was a normal heterosexual chap, but in these new woke awakenings I now identify as a Wardrobe.
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| 4th Dec 2008 9:13 pm |
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Craig S-L
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Tring, Hertfordshire
Posts: 754
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Haven't had that problem with mine and I regularly run it until the light comes on - although once the light has come on the range reading gets very erratic and often jumps up once i get to druising speed but drops to zero when I stop at traffic lights!! Craig
2015 D? SDV6 HSE Loire Blue
2009 D4 TDV6 HSE Santorini Black
2006 G4 Challenge V8 HSE (Gone, but fuel bills not forgotten!)
Media Support Vehicle Stage 1 & 2 Thailand and Laos
Driven by Rudi Thoelen, 2003 Winner
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| 4th Dec 2008 10:32 pm |
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cdodkin
Member Since: 18 Aug 2008
Location: Ex Pat Brit in California
Posts: 700
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I run mine till the light comes on as well - so far no issues with running out of gas.
What sort of mileage do you get on a tank? 08 LR3 SE V8 - 02 D2 SE7 V8
Porsche 911 (03 996) - 2013 MINI Cooper S
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| 5th Dec 2008 12:41 am |
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Roel
Member Since: 16 Aug 2008
Location: home
Posts: 1215
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I don't had the problem yet either. And I fill up if the light goes or earlier in case off cheap good quality fuel. I drove already 10k km so that's a reasonable distance since september 17th.
I have a feeling that the V8's or at least mine is sensitive to fuel quality but that's a bit off-topic. Roel
1997 Camel Trophy Disco ex-P101JWK (traded it for a Britains 42101)
1984 90 TD5
2005 G4 Disco 3 BN55WPT
Also member of club MTR
and Club Faultmate
Interested in my 4x4 history see my website: www.mudmachine.webklik.nl
Sorry it's in Dutch and with google translator it gets funny.
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| 5th Dec 2008 12:44 am |
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Clarabella
Member Since: 11 Oct 2007
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 130
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We have a V8 and the petrol warning light can come on very late, showing only 20 miles range left or very early showing 50 miles range.
Have never ran out but got close many times. We run on LPG now so not a big problem but I think it is wise to keep the petrol level above a quarter full.
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| 5th Dec 2008 9:41 am |
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Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2682
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There seems to be no logic to when the low fuel warning light comes with mine; have seen it vary between 60 miles range and 8 (which took me by surprise once), although it is probably basing this on my consumption and driving style (mpg) at that moment.
Agree with Clarabella - keep it above 1/4 tank and increase those trips to the service station from twice a day to every hour!  D3 HSE V8...
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| 5th Dec 2008 9:56 am |
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Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
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I have a similar problem (TDV6), but it appears that one of the sensors in the tank has fallen off, hence the false readings.
Some of the SE's had an instrument pack fault that did the same thing. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
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| 5th Dec 2008 9:56 am |
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Iona Disko
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: NE
Posts: 286
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Has anyone else noted the problem occuring specifically when facing downhill?
From my limited D3 anatomical knowledge I believe the fuel tank is long & shallow arranged in a fore to aft longitudinal direction (if that makes sense). With the fuel tanking sitting like this I can see why it might be subject to fuel draining to one end when on a slope.
Should the end it drains to be oposit the fuel pump then there is obviously going to be an issue.
The problem this has created for me is that I now have an effective 60 litre tank with 20 litres or so sloshing around to simply keep it working.
The vehicle's range with the thirsty V8 was only 260 miles to start with. Looks like Im down to a range of just 195 miles now.
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| 5th Dec 2008 10:46 am |
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Iona Disko
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: NE
Posts: 286
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ronp wrote:... If it was very cold, perhaps the electronics tricked the fuel system into thinking there was no fuel, thus cutting out the engine.
... my belief (is) that if the D3 is about to run out of fuel, it senses this and you will 'run out of fuel' even though some still remains in the system. This is to prevent having to bleed the fuel system if it were totally empty.
There may be some sense in this Ron... it was cold on both occasions (at least below freezing) so not an extreme of temperature but cold non the less.
Another observation that would fit is that the engine cut instantly, no stalling splutter that you might expect as the fuel pump sips it's last.
And the restart (once on level ground) was again instant, no aparent repriming of the fuel pump.
Another thing that may be to the contrary, however, if the engine management is so sophisticated and it knows there is not enough fuel to restart the engine.... Why would it still attempt to turn the engine over when you turn the key?
I don't know about the TdV6 but the V8 has a computer controlled start-up. One brief turn of the key and the engine will turn-over until it starts or for a pre-set time of a few seconds - releasing the key does not interupt the start-up sequence. So presumably there could have been another simple logic step in that computer program to check there was a condition met of enough fuel before attempting start-up.
I suspect that if such a system exists it is a whole lot less sophisticated. I think there may be a float switch in the sump of the fuel tank. If it drops too low the power to the fuel pump is cut. So the pump is still sitting in enough fuel to operate it is just a switch that needs refloating. Prevents the pump from burning out or needing primed.
Just my thought on the subject! Only a theory.
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| 5th Dec 2008 10:49 am |
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Craig S-L
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Tring, Hertfordshire
Posts: 754
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In reply to a few questions - my effective range from full to red line is about 280-300 unless I am absolutely hooning it round - I have had a couple of tanks that have lasted barely 200.
There is a definite difference in fuel level on a slope - I have had the light on in the car park at my old place of work - dead level, and then parked up at home 3 miles away facing down hill (ie nose lower than rear) and then when I go out later the light is not on - the sensor (and therefore I guess the pick up) seems to be at the front of the tank in that instance. Soemtimes the difference is from well in the red, on the flat to clearly above red on the slope. Craig
2015 D? SDV6 HSE Loire Blue
2009 D4 TDV6 HSE Santorini Black
2006 G4 Challenge V8 HSE (Gone, but fuel bills not forgotten!)
Media Support Vehicle Stage 1 & 2 Thailand and Laos
Driven by Rudi Thoelen, 2003 Winner
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| 5th Dec 2008 2:42 pm |
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