Ran out of fuel, but shouldn't have..?

Hi all,

I'm wondering where I should start with this issue. I've only owned my 1999 Defender 90 TD5 for about a month, so I don't know it that well, yet.

Anyway, last tank I got 32.5mpg. I did some 250-280 miles before filling up, well in advance of hitting the amber portion of the fuel gauge. When I fill up the gauge goes a bit beyond max and stays there for quite a while.

On Saturday, I was approaching 300 miles after filling up, needle on the dash was not on amber yet. My numerically talented engineery girlfriend calculated that I should easily get 400 miles to a tank, so at 300 miles and plenty in the tank according to the needle, I saw no reason to stop for fuel yet.

However, happily driving down the road, and suddenly lost power. Managed to pull to the side safely. Cranked the engine but no life. I turned the "ignition" on, and the fuel pump was making the dentist-drill-noise again (it used to do that, but after filling the tank a few times it had gone quiet). So I suspected running out of fuel.
I managed to get hold of a mate who came to our rescue with 5l of diesel. Did the 5-presses on the throttle thing and the engine management light started flashing and the fuel pump started making noise and shutting down altering between those. I left it be for a while, then flicked the "ignition", throttle to the floor and started cranking and after a while it fired up and after a splutter or two it started running as if nothing had happened.
It drove to the fuel station just fine, and back home too. No problems at all.

So now I'm full of confusion!?!
Should I get more than 300 miles out of a tank?
Is the floater broken or bent?
Do I have the diesel bug or something?
Is the pump on the way out - I believe it's been changed not too long ago?

Where should I start fault finding? I searched but couldn't find anything relevant.

Anyone got any ideas? Thanks!

how much fuel did you get in when you filled it?

SteNova said:

how much fuel did you get in when you filled it?

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The last fill-up, which was brimming the tank, was for £54.50 apparently, which should be around 40 liters.

SteNova said:

how much fuel did you get in when you filled it?

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I just realized that you probably asked how much went into the tank after I ran out. I didn't brim it. I put the 5l in and then topped up another 20l or so. I should probably go fill it up fully to see what's what.

TD5 is a 60L tank IIRC, so at 32mpg would be 422miles.

32 is good for a TD5 so i beleive, almost touching the book 32.6MPG according to google top 20s is more usual so 360miles from a tank(ish).

timtheenchanteruk said:

TD5 is a 60L tank IIRC, so at 32mpg would be 422miles.

32 is good for a TD5 so i beleive, almost touching the book 32.6MPG according to google top 20s is more usual so 360miles from a tank(ish).

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Yeah, I was quite surprised at the 32mpg however, it was a leisurely drive, mostly on Welsh country roads behind a camper. Was unable to overtake.

Still at 360 per tankful, I was about 60 miles from running out, as far as I can figure anyway.

at the end of the day, who got the blame for running out, you or the GF

yeah, 300 miles work out at 23mpg, a little low to be believable tbh, you got a leak anywhere??
I know when the lift pump started leaking on mine, the mpg took a dive.

timtheenchanteruk said:

at the end of the day, who got the blame for running out, you or the GF

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Finger pointing and laughing was directed at me.

timtheenchanteruk said:

yeah, 300 miles work out at 23mpg, a little low to be believable tbh, you got a leak anywhere??
I know when the lift pump started leaking on mine, the mpg took a dive.

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No diesel leaks as far as I can tell. I do have the mandatory seep from the rear prop shaft seal.

I have never got more than 360 miles on a full tank but then I have never pushed it beyond that figure as i dont want any sludge sucked up into my fuel system. After 360 miles I can get 54 litres into the tank so there was some reserve. That is with a combo of normal road driving and heavy towing at weekends. I work that out at about 30mpg which I am happy with. Especially as I have a full length rack fitted and an Alive Tuning Stg2 map.

Shifty1962 said:

I have never got more than 360 miles on a full tank but then I have never pushed it beyond that figure as i dont want any sludge sucked up into my fuel system. After 360 miles I can get 54 litres into the tank so there was some reserve. That is with a combo of normal road driving and heavy towing at weekends. I work that out at about 30mpg which I am happy with. Especially as I have a full length rack fitted and an Alive Tuning Stg2 map.

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Thanks, Shifty. Mine's all standard as far as I can tell, and I was 60 miles short of 360 miles.

So, all logic points towards something being wrong with the fuel delivery after 300 miles.

Where to start?

TheJoker said:

Thanks, Shifty. Mine's all standard as far as I can tell, and I was 60 miles short of 360 miles.

So, all logic points towards something being wrong with the fuel delivery after 300 miles.

Where to start?

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by filling it right up and seeing what you get on the next two full tanks to confirm if anything is wrong

trax said:

by filling it right up and seeing what you get on the next two full tanks to confirm if anything is wrong

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Indeed. I didn't do it because I don't have anywhere to put 60l of diesel if I need to do something in/with the fuel tank.

TheJoker said:

Indeed. I didn't do it because I don't have anywhere to put 60l of diesel if I need to do something in/with the fuel tank.

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as long as you don't have a leak, then i'd just drive it till empty. it's new to you, so you may be wrong on the mpg.

is your dash correct? are your tyres and ratios original? have a play first and see what happens. imo anyway

i get,consistently 32-35 mpg out of my 110 300tdi is it broken?

trax said:

as long as you don't have a leak, then i'd just drive it till empty. it's new to you, so you may be wrong on the mpg.

is your dash correct? are your tyres and ratios original? have a play first and see what happens. imo anyway

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I might be wrong on the mpg, but tell my other half she's done a miscalculation at your own risk.

The gauge seems to be working just fine. Got 265 BFGs on, measure the speedo accuracy with GPS and it's pretty much spot on (much better than several other cars I've owned).

Which is why I'm confused. In my logic there should be 100 miles more left in there.

THEengineer said:

i get,consistently 32-35 mpg out of my 110 300tdi is it broken?

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I think something is broken or "not right". What it could be, I don't know.

:bored:

TheJoker said:

I might be wrong on the mpg, but tell my other half she's done a miscalculation at your own risk.

The gauge seems to be working just fine. Got 265 BFGs on, measure the speedo accuracy with GPS and it's pretty much spot on (much better than several other cars I've owned).

Which is why I'm confused. In my logic there should be 100 miles more left in there.

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Now you mention it my speedo under reads by 6mph at 60mph according to my sat nag. I suppose that may have an effect on my calulated actual mpg but I cant be arsed to work it out