Ran out of gas in my '81 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mikesmitty · #1 04-06-2007, 02:11 AM

I have only had this 1981 300D for a couple of months and am still learning about diesels. I ran out of gas and don't know if I should try and fill the tank or have it towed to a shop. Is there a risk in adding diesel once you have run out completely? Any advice would be appreciated.

300SD81 · #2 04-06-2007, 02:12 AM

Fill it back up, go in the hood and use the hand pump until theres fuel in the IP, and then crank for a while..

#3 04-06-2007, 02:13 AM

...just don't fill it up with gas!

pawoSD · #4 04-06-2007, 02:31 AM

Yep, fill it, pump the pump under the hood till you hear a "sqak sqak" sound, then go and crank the engine till it starts. Easy. The pump is on the drivers side of the engine.

mikesmitty · #5 04-06-2007, 02:32 AM

So is there a chance that it will start if I put gas in it? Or will putting gas in it cause damage? I don't know what "use the hand pump to pump gas in the IP and then crank it" means. Please help!

mikesmitty · #6 04-06-2007, 02:40 AM

I am asking these questions for my husband who is the dummy who ran out of gas on the side of the road and I am trying to explain to him what to do. He went to the gas station and got a can of diesel gas. I told him the pump is on the drivers side of the engine. Are there any more details anyone can help with? Thanks.

pawoSD · #7 04-06-2007, 02:44 AM

My guess is that if you put at least 4-5 gallons of DIESEL (stop saying GAS!) into the tank, and crank it for a bit, it will probably start back up. It may take quite a bit of cranking. Don't crank for more than 30 seconds at a time without giving the starter 5-10 mins to cool off though. Then do it again. If the battery gives out, just recharge it. The primer pump is a little white-capped pump on the drivers side of the engine, it looks like this: you can see it, partially hidden by a hose in the picture. The cap unscrews counter clockwise, then pull out and push in to pump, it may leak, but pump anyways. If your car has the new style pump, it will have a black top to it, and does not need to be unscrewed, just push it down (its spring loaded) and it will pump.

These cars have a 21 gallon tank, why on earth do you have to wait 500 miles of driving to put anything in there??

pawoSD · #8 04-06-2007, 02:48 AM

Oh, and a note of warning on towing a mercedes should the event ever arise.... NEVER EVER TOW IT WITH THE REAR WHEELS ON THE GROUND. It will destroy the transmission, which is about $2,000 to rebuild/install. Many people have done this, don't let yourself be the next.

mikesmitty · #9 04-06-2007, 02:58 AM

Thank you so much for the picture. That helps a lot. Thanks for the advice on the towing too. He should be able to figure it out, however, how do you "just recharge the battery" if it goes out? Also, about how long should you pump before trying to crank it?

Biglex · #10 04-06-2007, 02:59 AM

Cant you call the mercedes 800 # and they will just bring some diesel out to you? I know I read it on mbusa.com somewhere. I think maybe you have to be registered on their system though, that part I dont know.

mikesmitty · #11 04-06-2007, 03:01 AM

Oh yeah, and the gas gauge is stuck (it has been working for the past few months so I don't know what happened). That's how this whole mess happened.

79300sdtd · #12 04-06-2007, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biglex

Cant you call the mercedes 800 # and they will just bring some diesel out to you? I know I read it on mbusa.com somewhere. I think maybe you have to be registered on their system though, that part I dont know.

you don't have to be registered. you just have to have the vin handy and let them know the info they ask.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesmitty

Thank you so much for the picture. That helps a lot. Thanks for the advice on the towing too. He should be able to figure it out, however, how do you "just recharge the battery" if it goes out? Also, about how long should you pump before trying to crank it?

If you are in a quiet area you should beable to hear the bubbles going back towards the tank. at least i can. when the noise changes then cranks it. when i changed my filters it took prolly 15 pumps, but you were empty so it will take more.

pawoSD · #13 04-06-2007, 03:08 AM

Pump it about 15-20 times then crank, should be good to go at that point. The stuck fuel gauge is a common problem on these cars, easiest way is to just use the trip odometer when you fill up the car, and get fuel every 350-375 miles or so. Thats what I do.

mikesmitty · #14 04-06-2007, 03:09 AM

Even with an old 1981 they will bring diesel to you on the side of the road? I would think that this car is too old to get any kind of service like that.

#15 04-06-2007, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikesmitty

Even with an old 1981 they will bring diesel to you on the side of the road? I would think that this car is too old to get any kind of service like that.

They will bring you fuel even if it's a 1936 260D or 1959 190D.