V8 berlina starts then stalls

[sleepa]

As it says I was driving home today and all of a sudden the car started running rough then stalled.
The low fuel light came on a minute ago so I thought it was just out of fuel, but I put 10 litres in then tried to start it. It starts and runs for a second then idles rough and stalls, has done this at least 20 or 30 times while I was testing stuff. It won't run after it starts.

The battery clamps are done up tight, there are no vacuum hose leaks, there is a new oil pressure switch, the fuel relay is good. running out of ideas.

I just tried to start it again, I took the fuel pump relay out and tried to start but it just cranked (obviously), then put it back in and it just cranks now, the battery is also getting very flat.

Can anyone help? I need this fixed by tomorrow as I am going away for easter.

Cheers

[sleepa]

Anyone? This is urgent.

[sleepa]

Well after stuffing around talking to every auto elec, going to holden and other mechs I have found the problem. Apparently the car won't run with 10 litres of fuel after it runs out. So I put in another 15 litres and it started and ran perfect.

Just thought someone else could benefit from this info. Weird problem though, maybe I have a faulty fuel sender or something.

[VX EXEC 3.8]

Yes thats odd, thanks for sharing.

[codeunknown]

well i heard that when the red light come on and warning for low fuel you have roughly in the beginning 70kms but not to count on it....its more like 50kms...

i was told it would not start ..if you turned it on and off with the setting in the red...
however it works...

and i was told it only works in the red if the tank was full...and its not been switched off and back on without fueling...

and that seems to work on my vt v6....

i dont know why its different on the v8.....
lucky for you...someone else told that...first because i told you ..that is ment to happen but dont on my v6..

what i was goin to say to you...and others who read this....
if you run down the red and below...50-70-km range before zero fuel...
you have depending on your lead foot.... 3.5litres of fuel or less in the system...
and if you use extra functions in mode of fuel left dont be surprised if it says zero...

my point is....however..dont run the car this low on fuel if your not prepared to change the fuel filter...and flush the fuel lines
because every bit of dirt and water and scale is now being sucked up to run...

you prob should run it down on the day of service...
i usually do that....
but i do it from a starting point of having cleaned my tank....inside..and blown and cleaned my fuel lines
and then dump my filter...

you get 1 meg pices you can bearly see clog 1 or more injectors ..and your going to have to flush the rails and everything as well
and you wont be happy.....

so run it down and stay above the red zone...so you have 10 litres or more range...
ok gang

[sleepa]

Yeah, I'm not running this thing down again. When the light came on it said I had 40 odd kays left then it died, but the other week it said 10 and less kays and was still going.

Anyway, all of my previous cars always start with 5 litres of fuel in the tank after they run out which is why this confused me. Rest assured I am not taking that risk again and am just gonna keep the level over half full, then I can't have a problem.

[codeunknown]

yeah io think your safe..as i said if you run the fuel to the point...where you dont see the alert...
i run mine down to almost point...
and i mean if i know i getting 1000kms on highway..... i top at at 800 point....cause dam 10 hrs straight in the car ...

if i doing my city stuff...which is like 750kms a tank if i drove around and around the city a zillion times
i be refueling at 600km mark...

old fuel dont like mixing with new fuel...so get rid of that issue...use up as much as possible...then reload..

but errr on the safe side....

also....i always throw a container of injector clean in the cheap 3.99-4.99 stuff when filling up 1 in 2 tanks or so..
or really good 1 bottle does 3 tanks..for 7.99---8.99 stuff i dose...

im find this cleans the system....and injectors...
i used to place a dash of kero in the tank 1 once a month to make sure of water....

but...touch wood i dont have issues with injectors..because all my cars are injected and i have always treated them the same way with cleaner...

who knows why that limit was even given as an idea in a car...imagine runnign out and going to get a little can of fuel to come back and find it wont go...after hitching a lift and all........you kick the car in...LOL

[LittleMissVE]

Hmm.. that's really interesting Sleepa. Good bit of info to know.

I don't generally let mine run down under half. My fuel gauge doesn't work (well it does.. It will go up to full.. but won't go past half.. so it won't tell me if I'm on empty), so I put 600 k's on the "km's left" bit, and fill up when I get to about 300, little bit less.

Hope you had a good Easter & no more probs!