Changing speeds a bit...

I know with some pumps, you must have enough head for them to work properly (or properly, you shouldn't be trying to raise the fluid higher than the pump's capacity). So...

If there was a column of air between the fuel tank and the engine (i.e. when you change fuel lines), would the amount of fuel in the tank make it impossible to purge the air?

I have this friend (totally hypothetical, of course) who has about 1/4 tank of diesel, has gone through the charge of two batteries and about 1000 primer strokes, and still has a car in his driveway that doesn't start. Do I... I mean.. does this guy need to get more fuel in his tank or is it likely something else?

hypothetical speaking, of course.....when my friend ran into this problem.....he cracked his injector lines and cranked patiently (waiting b/w cranks) but loooong cranks. My friends car started soon after this

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1981 240d - 135k - Arlene

Likely something else. The engine should be running in that amount of time even if you started with a completely dry injection system and only fuel in the tank.

As a test, I diesel purged the engine from a jar and it ran fine... It took four or five cranks to get the air out of the lines for just that test... I... I mean my friend, will be atr it again today.

THanks all!

V