Found this site from google and after an hour or so of searching I cant really find what Im after... Long story short a bud of mine ran his truck out of fuel and called me on his cell phone for assistance. Im a chevy guy (sorry) and he's not much of a mechanic so Im trying to diagnose/help him via phone which isnt really working out very well (he's still stuck LOL). He would just get it towed but he has a 32' trailer hooked to it full of cattle which arent too happy about sitting around in the cold waiting on a tow truck.

Heres what I know:
85 F250 4wd
6.9 Diesel/bone stock
54K miles (thats not a typo the truck only has 54k miles on it)
Ran the truck out of fuel (long story) on the freeway.
Put 5 gallons in it to get to the next exit so he could fill up.
Truck started fine after the addition of 5 gallons but after he pulled into the station to fill up at the next exit it wouldnt restart (cranks over just fine).

Im no diesel guy but have been around them long enough to pick up some stuff from guys who are and this sounds a LOT like the fuel system has air in it. However, I would think the truck wouldnt restart after adding the 5 gallons not to mention drive ~10 miles to the next exit...Im guessing it would have never restarted in the first place but like I said Im not a diesel guy so I dunno.

So, before he calls a tow truck can he bleed the system by cracking the nuts on the lines to the injectors and cranking it (he has tools)? Could the IP get damaged from being ran dry?

TIA for any help

 

pull the fuel filter and fill it up, then reinstall it.
there is a tire valve looking thing on the fuel filter. push it in while cranking to bleed the air out of the system.
only crank for 30 seconds or so before waiting 2 minutes for the starter to cool off, otherwise you will overheat the starter and burn it up.

 

Tom,

Thanks for the info.

I'll let him know about the shrader valve to blead the system and if he cant get it going then I'll make the drive to go see what I can do when I get off work in a half hour.

Thanks again

 

Bleed the fuel lines really good ...

also make sure there is power to the on/off switch on top of the injection pump ... you should be able to hear it clicking and also use a test light while working the key.
watch for exhaust smoke while cranking too. He may have bad glow plugs and wont let it start. DONT OVERCRANK ON THE STARTER ... HEAT SENSITIVE.
IF and i say IF you use starting fluid .. stand back about 20 yards, spray a snif of it at the intake after the glow plugs have cycled and sat for a while. The glow plugs and starting fluid DONT get along and might lift the heads right off the block.
DONT OVER CRANK ON THE STARTER ... HEAT SENSITIVE.

 

If after you fill the filter and it starts then quits again it could be the fuel pump or something got in the fuel pickup tube in the tank from running out of fuel.

 

Thanks for the info guys....I had him back on the road at ~8AM and he said "tell your internet friends thanks too" (he's an older fellow who doesnt do computers).

FWIW I bled the lines as well as the shrader valve on the pump while he cranked things over. I got a little air (not as much as I expected though) and after a few minutes of cranking/bleeding the old girl lit up like new. I let the truck run for a little while to get some heat in it then followed him to the next exit where he pulled off and shut it down to make sure it would restart. It refired with no problem so I sent him on his way and went home to get some shut eye (12hr night shifts tend to make one a little sleepy).

Anyways, a big thanks to you guys for the assistance and best wishes and a Merry Christmas to all.