Nothing worse than having auto trouble on the road far from home. I learned that costly lesson. I was traveling to Florida on I-10 in Mississippi going to my normal fuel stop. I was in my Ram Diesel Turbo truck towing a flatbed trailer with a Jeep Grand Cherokee on it.
What I didn’t account for was that I had driven a bit before leaving for this trip and I didn’t allow for the lower fuel mileage towing the trailer. My fuel gage does not work and I use the trip meter for fuel up. Well on a late Friday afternoon I ran out of fuel 10 miles from my fuel stop. Oh no! Big problem.
Anyway there I sit on the side of I-10 trying to figure out what to do. Police stop by but no local service truck is available. They took me to get some diesel but the fuel system on this truck does not lend itself for easy starting. Try as I may I could not get it going. I get on the phone and contact a local Dodge dealer around 4PM. They tell me we close at 5PM if you can get it here before 5 we will get you started. I ordered a tow truck to take me, with my 2 dogs, to the dealer. I left the trailer and Jeep on the side of I-10, with a good lock I made. The One thing I learned is that tow trucks in this area do not accept credit cards. Cash only. Fortunately I had the cash for the tow. Not cheap.
So I get to the dealer and they get started on the truck. I said to myself great, I’ll see how the professionals start these Diesel engines. So they add more fuel, crack a few injector lines and start cranking with the starter. This engine would not start. This went on for a while, it was past 5PM. I start calling local motels figuring I may have to spend the night. In the meantime they are still cranking and trying to start. Time is close to 6PM. I’m a fairly good mechanic and have learned this diesel pretty good.
So I ask the mechanics, can I tell you how I would start this engine? They agree. So I show them a fuel line to disconnect. Then I tell them to pump some low psi air into the fuel tank. When bubble free fuel starts flowing from the fuel line, reconnect the line. Continue pumping air until bubble free fuel comes out the filter bleeder fitting. Close the fitting, then bleed the line going to the injector pump. Then try cranking the engine. That engine started right up. It was the best sound of the night. I paid my bill and went after my trailer. The mechanics were really nice about it and I think I taught them something. I was glad the engine was running and I was out of there. A very expensive night. And time lost for the trip.