clio fuel tank

[aerodynamica]

Hi all, I'm usually only posting in the Citroën area on here but my friend has a non starting Clio (proper details to follow) that ran out of fuel and after a jerry can's worth added, it will not start. I don't have petrol or diesel details yet as its for my parents' friends' son's car that I ain't yet seen, don't even know the year presently.

Prob petrol so does anyone know what access to the fuel tank sender on Clios in general is like? Same for any fuel pump, relays and filters. Also: any known fault with running a Clio dry?

Any heads up massively appreciated! Going to see the car on Saturday.

Thanks, Graeme

[aerodynamica]

No one? Can the fuel tank sender be reached? Does the petrol version(s) use an electric pump and is there an additional lift pump? Is there something that needs reset on a car that's been run dry? These are my shots in the dark.

[aerodynamica]

Right, It's a 2005 diesel so assume it's a direct injection type. It's not very old so my thoughts are that the filters would be clear. Doubt it will have a fuel priming bulb

[aerodynamica]

It's a DCi. Priming bulb doing nowt can't seem to draw diesel up? Anyone?

[Northern_Mike]

Check the priming bulb isn't cracked and letting air in.. are there any clear fuel lines that you can see fuel moving through near the filter housing/pump, or is it just air when it's cranked. My bet is on the primer bulb being knackered.

[aerodynamica]

Yep clear pipes nothing but air in there. Bulb feels 'dead' but managed to get running with a funnel of derv fed right in diesel pump. Have 1/4 can of derv left in jerry can so may use it to fill pump.

[Northern_Mike]

Yep clear pipes nothing but air in there. Bulb feels 'dead' but managed to get running with a funnel of derv fed right in diesel pump. Have 1/4 can of derv left in jerry can so may use it to fill pump.

Sounds like the bulb has got small holes in it somewhere..

[aerodynamica]

Cheers mike, got it running now bulb primed well with help from engine cranking and filling diesel pump up manually. There is some kind of filter unit? Low down in the bumper eaea that's fed by the bulb and main line and the return from the pump. This looks like it supplies the pump directly and the bulb is used to filling this (cant see it) but can see bubbles in the inlet pipe from this hidden device.

[aerodynamica]

Thanks for your replies anyway Mike - odd that the only response I get is from a Citroen guy! So it ran anyway after feeding the pump directly. I couldn't see what the arrangement down below was: pipe from priming bulb vanishes down a hole then the pipe to diesel pump comes up from there. The diesel return from the pump goes back down there and the return to tank comes up from there and route back past the bulb and to the fuel tank. It must be a fuel filter set up with some type of feed from the return to the supply close to the engine so as to perhaps keep a warmed up reserve of fuel close to the diesel pump. Anyway, the suction up from this showed bubbles in the pipe but the pipe to and from the bulb were fully primed. Well I hope it continues to work ok.

[lexi]

There just seems to be no one on here with Renault. Apart from Luke.
This is my first one and I know nowt about it really.