Wont run on gas after running out
in [LPG]
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From: Tom Woods on 3 May 2006 14:12 My car wont start/run on gas now after i ran out earlier today. I presume i ran out anyway - the car should have been about empty and I was on my way to the petrol station when it suddenly lost all power. I changed over to petrol and it started running again. I then filled up with gas (though i only got 52l in a 70l tank), and the car now wont start on or change over to gas when moving. Is it possible to airlock the gas system or something by running it empty? - or is it more likely that something else is playing up? Generally when it is low on gas i notice it start hesitating and stuttering a bit before it actually stops - but it just went suddenly this time. It did this once before and whatever it was seemed to solve itself after it had been parked up for 48 hours and i'd metered all the solenoids (which were all working). Today the solenoids are all clicking as i'd expect. However i get some wierd behavior (unless this is normal?).. If I start the car on petrol and then switch it to nothing and let it run till it stalls, then set it to gas and try starting it, it wont catch. If i then set it to no fuel again and try to start it, it will run for about 10 seconds before dying. Is this usual? Could it be a bit of petrol getting past the petrol stop solenoid as i cycle through the choices of fuel even though the engine is not running?, or could this be a bit of gas that is somehow getting through? The system is a simple open loop kit with a single mixer. I'm not sure what type of switch it is (square, 1 button with 3 options and 5 leds along the bottom)
From: Austin Shackles on 3 May 2006 14:33 On or around Wed, 03 May 2006 19:12:31 +0100, Tom Woods <news(a)NOPSAMtomwoods.co.uk> enlightened us thusly: >My car wont start/run on gas now after i ran out earlier today. > >I presume i ran out anyway - the car should have been about empty and >I was on my way to the petrol station when it suddenly lost all power. >I changed over to petrol and it started running again. > >I then filled up with gas (though i only got 52l in a 70l tank), and >the car now wont start on or change over to gas when moving. > >Is it possible to airlock the gas system or something by running it >empty? - or is it more likely that something else is playing up? > >Generally when it is low on gas i notice it start hesitating and >stuttering a bit before it actually stops - but it just went suddenly >this time. > >It did this once before and whatever it was seemed to solve itself >after it had been parked up for 48 hours and i'd metered all the >solenoids (which were all working). > >Today the solenoids are all clicking as i'd expect. > >However i get some wierd behavior (unless this is normal?).. > >If I start the car on petrol and then switch it to nothing and let it >run till it stalls, then set it to gas and try starting it, it wont >catch. >If i then set it to no fuel again and try to start it, it will run for >about 10 seconds before dying. Is this usual? >Could it be a bit of petrol getting past the petrol stop solenoid as i >cycle through the choices of fuel even though the engine is not >running?, or could this be a bit of gas that is somehow getting >through? > >The system is a simple open loop kit with a single mixer. I'm not sure >what type of switch it is (square, 1 button with 3 options and 5 leds >along the bottom) sounds like a gas supply fault. Has it got a magic box to switch the gas on when the ignition is active, and if so is it working? try temporarily running a 12V supply to the gas system solenoids from the ignition coil live - but don't leave the ignition on with the engine stationary; crank the engine immediately. If it runs, then you've isolated the fault. If not, then chances are one of the solenoid valves (properly fitted system tends to have 3) is not working. Also possible that your petrol shut-off isn't. -- Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that "You praise the firm restraint with which they write -_ I'm with you there, of course: They use the snaffle and the bit alright, but where's the bloody horse? - Roy Campbell (1902-1957)
From: Tom Woods on 3 May 2006 14:48 On Wed, 03 May 2006 19:33:34 +0100, Austin Shackles <austinNOSPAM(a)ddol-las.net> wrote: >sounds like a gas supply fault. Has it got a magic box to switch the gas on >when the ignition is active, and if so is it working? The only 'magic box' is the one that has the switch on. it had 5 or 6 wires IIRC (1 for all solenoids, +12v, coil, and a couple for the gauge) It has a coil feed to the switch. That appears to be connected fine (it is on the same wire as the rev counter and the rev counter is working fine) >try temporarily running a 12V supply to the gas system solenoids from the >ignition coil live - but don't leave the ignition on with the engine >stationary; crank the engine immediately. If it runs, then you've isolated >the fault. If not, then chances are one of the solenoid valves (properly >fitted system tends to have 3) is not working. Also possible that your >petrol shut-off isn't. I think the petrol shut off is working as it stalls aftrer running for a minute or 2 with the switch set to nothing (it has a carb with a mechanical fuel pump and the solenoid is between the 2). I may pull a fuel pipe off and see what comes through when it is off. The fuel pump is now leaking lots of oil after using it today (it doesnt get much use) The kit is properly fitted as i fitted it ;-) It does have 3 solenoids. Tank, vaporiser and one in the engine bay before the vaporiser. I will try running a new 12v feed to the solenoids. Under normal operation are the solenoids live all the time, or do they just click open briefly when you turn the ignition on, and then close until it gets a coil feed (to indicate the engine is cranking or running)?
From: Steve Taylor on 3 May 2006 16:04 Tom Woods wrote: > Under normal operation are the solenoids live all the time, or do they > just click open briefly when you turn the ignition on, and then close > until it gets a coil feed (to indicate the engine is cranking or > running)? > Thanks to Austin, who reminded me of this in my recent ignition thread, the solenoids blip to let a sniff of gas out, and then you won't get anymore until the thing detects sparks.... You haven't touched ANY wires have you ? Steve
From: Tom Woods on 3 May 2006 19:36
On Wed, 03 May 2006 21:04:13 +0100, Steve Taylor <steve(a)thetaylorfamily.org.uk> wrote: >Tom Woods wrote: > >> Under normal operation are the solenoids live all the time, or do they >> just click open briefly when you turn the ignition on, and then close >> until it gets a coil feed (to indicate the engine is cranking or >> running)? >> >Thanks to Austin, who reminded me of this in my recent ignition thread, >the solenoids blip to let a sniff of gas out, and then you won't get >anymore until the thing detects sparks.... > >You haven't touched ANY wires have you ? I was driving along when it cut out, so wasnt knowingly touching any important wires! ;) Strangely it was perhaps 50m from where i was when it did this last time... I was actually in sight of morrisons. Perhaps they have some special kit in the petrol station to simulate an empty tank and make you go and buy fuel there ;) If it really has run out of gas then i must be using up all my luck to run out in sight of a petrol station twice! I shall rig up a high tech manual solenoid power supply tommorrow and see if i can start it. I'm not sure if i want it to fix itself again as then it will happen again just before a long journey. |