*IMPORTANT* Priming the Engine

[Cali_Pilot]

My Pilot just ran completely out of gas, and even after putting two gallons of fuel in it, it still won't start. Does anyone know how to prime it so I can get it started?

[rtresco]

I don't see any reference in the Pilot owner's manual to a fuel pump reset switch, which my '86 Ford Ranger needed to have pressed if it ever ran out of fuel.

Check out page 232 (step 5) of the Pilot owner's manual, which mentions that you may need to press the gas pedal down half way until the engine starts.

Hope this helps.

[Samuel2003]

Approximately how many miles was it between the low fuel indicator lighting up and it running dry?


(sorry I don't have an answer to your question!)

[Cali_Pilot]

Originally posted by Samuel2003
Approximately how many miles was it between the low fuel indicator lighting up and it running dry?


(sorry I don't have an answer to your question!)

It was probably about 15 miles.

[raleighpilot]

Originally posted by Cali_Pilot
My Pilot just ran completely out of gas, and even after putting two gallons of fuel in it, it still won't start. Does anyone know how to prime it so I can get it started?

A Honda engine should not require 'priming', however the fuel system is a 'closed loop system' and is normally pressurized to around 40 psi (if I remember correctly).

If you run completely out of gas you should add more gas then turn on the key for a couple of minutes before you try to start the car - this will allow the fuel pump time to get the pressure back up so it can 'fire' the injectors.

Thanks for posting how far we can go after the fuel light comes on - I'm used to pushing my Prelude 40 or 50 miles so guess I'll have to more careful with the Pilot.

JJ

[jay]

I regularly go 15 miles or more after the low fuel light has come on, and never put more than 17.2 gallons in the tank. That light seems to be calibrated to come on with 3 gallons left in the tank.

[manickr]

I dont think you get only 15 miles or so between your low fule lights come ON and you completely drain out of fuel. I have gone 50 miles range before i fill the tank and this had happened to me more than 3, 4 occasions. It can not be just 15 miles between the lights comes ON and untill you ran out.

[PaulV7]

I know I've driven about 20-22 miles with the light on. Aren't most cars fuel lights set to turn on at about an 1/8th of a tank? That would be 2.4 gallons + the reserve in the Pilot.

But on the other side of this my fuel light seems to come on at different times. 1-2 times it came on before it touched the red on the gauge and most of the times it comes on right when the needle first touches the red. Not that I run my Pilot that low very often but when I do it seems to pick a choose when the light comes on.

[Cali_Pilot]

None of the advice worked and my baby just go loaded onto the tow truck and is on its way back to the dealership. It'll probably be something simple.

[tim.s]

Originally posted by raleighpilot
...If you run completely out of gas you should add more gas then turn on the key for a couple of minutes before you try to start the car - this will allow the fuel pump time to get the pressure back up so it can 'fire' the injectors...

Ah, very good point. With the key in the "on" position, the fuel pump will run until the line is pressurized.

Cali_Pilot,

If you turn the key to "on" but don't turn over the engine, you should be able to hear the fuel pump inside the fuel tank "whine".

If you don't hear the fuel pump running, the it may be bad or the wiring to it may be bad. Either way, it's a Dealer fix (unless there is a fuse...).

[Cajun Pilot]

Originally posted by Cali_Pilot


It was probably about 15 miles.

15 miles?? -- far out of the normal range of gas you should still have in the tank. Make sure your low fuel light is operating as it should.

[csimo]

Probably burned up the fuel pump. The fuel pump uses the fuel as coolant and it doesn't take too long to burn it up if it runs dry.

This is also one of the reasons people that run their tank nearly empty have to replace their fuel pumps more often than those that keep 1/4 or more full. On a recirculating fuel system the fuel gets real hot when the tank gets low. The pump gets hot, and that reduces fuel pump life.

[tonyrwc]

Originally posted by Cali_Pilot


It was probably about 15 miles.

It doesn't sound right Cali_pilot, you should be able to go further than 15 miles after the low fuel light comes on. My wife told me the other night that the low fuel light had come on so I went and filled it up for her and it took 17.2 gallons of gas. I believe our tank is 19.2 gallons, so she had 2 gallons left in the tank.

[tonyrwc]

Originally posted by Cali_Pilot


It was probably about 15 miles.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by csimo
Probably burned up the fuel pump. The fuel pump uses the fuel as coolant and it doesn't take too long to burn it up if it runs dry.

This is also one of the reasons people that run their tank nearly empty have to replace their fuel pumps more often than those that keep 1/4 or more full. On a recirculating fuel system the fuel gets real hot when the tank gets low. The pump gets hot, and that reduces fuel pump life.

My guess is a bad pump that failed when the talk was low.

15 miles would not drain the tank enough to have the pump go dry, and even if it did I doubt one occurance would damage the pump.