2002 Chevrolet Tahoe No Start After No Gas

2002 CHEVROLET TRUCK
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JOLO1967
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i have a 2002 tahoe , i drove up to .SAN DIEGO FROM LA half way there i ran out of gas i pulled over (freeway) i put in 1(g)of gas car didnt start so walk to the gas station again, purchased a bigger canister(5)
and it still dosent start after a number of trys i noticed that my gas meter still was reading empty.and i know that i have at least (7) gallons
my car ended up being towed to my house.
please help me what cqan be the problem :cry: [/b]
Feb 26, 2006 at 2:12 AM
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MVANNESSJR
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Is it completely dead? Does it attempt to turn over? Possibly burned up the fuel pump. More details?
Feb 26, 2006 at 3:03 AM
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JOLO1967
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yep it the engine turns , but it wont start i turn it to the point where my battery is dead. would you recommend replacing the fuel pump, is that the cheapest way to start..


THANK YOU....
Feb 26, 2006 at 5:14 AM
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MVANNESSJR
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No, the cheapest way to go would be checking for fuel pressure first. If no fuel pressure is present then you may have burned up the fuel pump.
Feb 26, 2006 at 5:32 AM
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JOLO1967
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i see, but how is this possible ? by simply running out of gas? however i was feeling my car with less power for a while, could this have been a sign..
Feb 26, 2006 at 5:38 AM
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MVANNESSJR
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  • 223 POSTS
Not sure exactly, but possibly running out of fuel caused the fuel pump to burn up. To cause a vehicle to start you need oxygen, spark, and fuel. If one of these components is missing then it will cause the vehicle not to start. Since you had a fuel issue prior to the no-start condition, I would suggest the problem lies somewhere in the fuel system. Checking for fuel pressure would be a logical response. We can move to another area if you are getting fuel pressure or flow of fuel to the engine.

The fuel pump is located in the fuel tank, this is not an ideal "quick fix", so I would like to make sure this is not the problem prior to suggesting a solution.
Feb 26, 2006 at 5:48 AM
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Suggested Repair

Check fuel pressure before replacing the fuel pump. If there is no pressure, the in-tank pump may have failed after the tank ran dry. Confirm that before replacement, since the pump is not a quick or inexpensive first step. If pressure is present, check other no-start requirements such as spark.

Conversation Summary

A 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe ran out of fuel on the freeway. After several gallons were added, the engine cranked but would not start, and the fuel gauge still read empty. The owner had also noticed reduced power beforehand and asked whether the fuel pump should be replaced. The expert said running dry may have damaged the in-tank pump, but recommended checking fuel pressure first and considering replacement only if pressure is absent. If pressure is present, diagnosis should move to other systems needed for starting.

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