Hello folks... My wife has made what I hope is not a considerable, serious mistake. She didn't get gas for our Loyale this morning, and ended up out of fuel on the side of the road.

 

She went and got gas, put it in the tank and now she calls me to tell me she has run the battery dead trying to start the dang thing. It just cranks, with nothing firing.

 

I am assuming that there could have been a blown fuse or some sort of relay issue that occurred at the time the engine ran out of gas. Is this normal for this type of Subaru? I need to run out there and help her, just waiting for a ride (we carpool everyday, and yes, I reminded her to get gas this morning when I got out of the car).

 

Thanks for all your help, please tell me she didn't burn up the fuel pump...

you may try to drip a little bit of gas down the intake. if the battery is low it could affect the fuel flow, you shouldn't have done any damage by running it out, is this a 5 speed (clutch ) you can try to push start it ?

If it still cranks, but is not firing, then the battery is not dead.....

 

I've never had a car die just because it ran out of fuel. And, I have occasionally run an SPFI suby out of gas. I suppose it's possible though, since some fuel pumps use the gas as cooling for the pump/motor.

 

Take a can of ether -- that should test whether it's fuel or spark.

Your wife probably poured in diesel fuel instead of gas, given her first 2 mistakes. Get her a ford escort to play with, keep her away from your subie.

I would definitely do the starter fluid test. I just bought a '93 Loyale SPFI that more or less had the same symptoms. It ended up being the fuel pump. Each time you turn the key on you should be able to hear it under the rear passenger side pressure up. If not try tapping on it. Good luck.

First off you need to be sure you put enough in to get picked up by the pump. If the pump has run dry it may need fuel almost around it to prime, so put plenty in.

 

Second thing is that the fuel pump can be primed by turning the key on and off. Every time you turn it on the fuel pump runs f about two seconds. Most cars will reprime their fuel lines with about ten turns off and on again. That way you save battery cranking while the fuel gets there.

if yu don't hear the fuel pump run back in the fuel tank for about two seconds when you turn the key on, there is something wrong like a fuse or connectro.

Well folks, thank you all for your help on this. After a harrowing experience on the side of a very busy 4 lane high speed roadway on a blind corner, I was able to tow the Subaru to a safer parking lot area, used my pickup to jump her and she fired up after a few cranks. Since then, she has been driving like a dream again. Hooray!

 

I think this fuel pump priming idea may have been what was happening, thank you all for your help, I appreciate it greatly.

 

Jason

 

 

First off you need to be sure you put enough in to get picked up by the pump. If the pump has run dry it may need fuel almost around it to prime, so put plenty in.

 

Second thing is that the fuel pump can be primed by turning the key on and off. Every time you turn it on the fuel pump runs f about two seconds. Most cars will reprime their fuel lines with about ten turns off and on again. That way you save battery cranking while the fuel gets there.

if yu don't hear the fuel pump run back in the fuel tank for about two seconds when you turn the key on, there is something wrong like a fuse or connectro.

guys im having the same problem. car wont start after runing out of gas.

motor is getting fuel i saw it when i had someone crank the motor and i took off the intake boot from the throttle body.

i ran the battery dead trying to start it and then swapped batteries. :-\

You should start a new thread for this problem I think.

 

My first check would be to see if spark is getting to the plugs. If that is ok then I would check the timing belts for a problem.

You should start a new thread for this problem I think.

 

My first check would be to see if spark is getting to the plugs. If that is ok then I would check the timing belts for a problem.

 

spark is a big check

changed the coil just in case to no affect.

update. i had it towed, the shop has had it for 2 days.

they did compression check, its good

they test fuel pressure and injector, good

they suspect spark but no call from them and it has a nice blue spark. :-\

what had happened is the screw had fell out of the rotor shaft and it got out of position.

That gremlin has bitten others also.