1997 Defender 300 TDI – help needed!

Hello to everyone.
I own a 2.5 litre 300 TDI Defender 110 Hardtop from 1997.
I have several questions about the following issue:

Let's suppose that while driving offroad in the wild bush the engine runs completely out of fuel and the fuel tank is completely dry (in other words the engine stops running because of lack of fuel and the whole fuel system is dry).
1) What should I do in this case?
2) Is there any danger of damaging the engine?
3) After refueling with diesel, it is possible and if yes how can I restart the engine, without damaging it?
4) Is there any need to bleed the fuel system (dry pipelines, pumps, etc.), in order to eliminate the air, that was probably sucked from the working pumps? How can I do this?
5) Are there any exact points or orifices for bleeding, through which the air can get out, after removing their plugs (for example on the injector pump, fuel filter, etc.)?

The reason why I ask you such questions are:
A) I often travel alone overlanding. I want to be fully prepared and know what exactly to do if such a thing happens to me when I am all alone in the wildness, and there is no help avaiable .
B) I friend of mine owned a Td5 Defender, and now owns a 2012 MY Defender. He said that in both owner manuals it is written that the fuel tank must not be left dry in order not to block or damage the engine, and yet if this happens, that there is a special procedure to be followed by the owner, after refueling, that will help him to restart the engine successfully.

I would really appreciate if all of you who have a lot more knowledge in Land Rovers than me share information or their personal experience with this issue.
Thank you in advance for your kind help.

300 tdi engines are pretty easy to get going,I once swopped an engine over and the new engine fired up straight away with no bleeding at all ,I mean immediately.however usually just cracking a injector will be enough . Don’t let it run dry!

slon4eto said:

1) What should I do in this case?

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I'd advise downloading the RAVE workshop manual to your phone / tablet etc - worth having anyway, but ....

slon4eto said:

2) Is there any danger of damaging the engine?

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Not really - the greatest "risk" is to the catalyst, if fitted - a backfire, which is pretty unlikely, can shatter them, and make them rattle like jar of marbles - the noise is annoying.....

slon4eto said:

3) After refueling with diesel, it is possible and if yes how can I restart the engine, without damaging it?

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Take the fuel filter off and fill it with diesel - then, using the lever on the lift pump, after slackening the input to the FIP ( follow the pipework ) - operate the pump until fuel appears at this union - tighten the union... Then, slacken an injector pipe, max 1/2 turn, and turn the engine over on the starter - it will likely start up quite quickly - you now need to tighten the injector pipe - be VERY careful the fuel is at 200+ BAR, and an injection of diesel can kill - Note that the lift pump operating lever inside the engine, might be on cam, and need the engine turning slightly to get it off - so that the lever actually works

slon4eto said:

4) Is there any need to bleed the fuel system (dry pipelines, pumps, etc.), in order to eliminate the air, that was probably sucked from the working pumps? How can I do this?

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see above....

slon4eto said:

5) Are there any exact points or orifices for bleeding, through which the air can get out, after removing their plugs (for example on the injector pump, fuel filter, etc.)?

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There's a bolt on top of the filter housing which you can take out whilst operating the lift pump, but, on the FIP, tis easier to slacken a union .....

One more thing I'd mention is that the Bosch VE FIP is super tolerant of air ..... until it suns out of fuel - IME, this is the point that you find out your lift pump has failed - so it's worth carrying a spare decent quality one if you're going into the wilderness ....

The TD5 is a completely different beast, and not really comparable - 300Tdi is the best non electronic engine LR have ever made - TD5 the best common rail ..... The later engines have all sorts of trickery on which can be damaged by running out of fuel. I'm sticking with my 300Tdi, forever

#1 in my mind would be to get more fuel

Disco1BFG said:

The TD5 is a completely different beast, and not really comparable - 300Tdi is the best non electronic engine LR have ever made - TD5 the best common rail ..... The later engines have all sorts of trickery on which can be damaged by running out of fuel. I'm sticking with my 300Tdi, forever

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That would be true, if the td5 was common rail.

As for running out of fuel do a practice run at home, whilst its running crack the feed pipe to allow air in.
But a wise man would carry some spare fuel, and then some spare spare fuel so you do not run out.

I am slightly confused, travelling overland as a solo vehicle, run out of fuel, with no help available?

Basically you are up **** creek without a paddle! Put another way death is a high probability.

Basic rule you carry enough fuel not to reach the nearest fuel station but the next one just in case the first fuel station does not have any/can not dispense fuel. You top up tanks at every opportunity.

On a Defender it is possible to have 330 odd litres of fuel on board in tanks. One of our Defenders had a range of 1,000 miles/1,600 km and we could have carried another 100+ litres to extend range even further.

Travelling overland as a solo vehicle you do NOT run out of fuel.


Brendan

leeds said:

On a Defender it is possible to have 330 odd litres of fuel on board in tanks. One of our Defenders had a range of 1,000 miles/1,600 km and we could have carried another 100+ litres to extend range even further.

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How bad was it that you were only getting 14 MPG?.

Cheers

1,000 miles on 168 litres is not 14 mpg, 120 litre main plus 48 litre wing tank gave us about a 1,000 miles in a 2.4 Defender. Could have fitted extra sill tanks to take range even further.

In a 300 TDi have been down to about 18 mpg crossing the Simpson desert after a sand storm so did a lot of miles in low box. Soft sand certainly sucks the power out of an engine.

As a solo vehicle you do NOT run out of fuel in lonely places.

What is military expression about **** poor planning?


Brendan

leeds said:

1,000 miles on 168 litres is not 14 mpg, 120 litre main plus 48 litre wing tank gave us about a 1,000 miles in a 2.4 Defender. Could have fitted extra sill tanks to take range even further.

In a 300 TDi have been down to about 18 mpg crossing the Simpson desert after a sand storm so did a lot of miles in low box. Soft sand certainly sucks the power out of an engine.

As a solo vehicle you do NOT run out of fuel in lonely places.

What is military expression about **** poor planning?


Brendan

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I was using your fgures.....

330 Litres capacity and a range of 1000 Miles .

Thats how I read what you wrote.

Cheers

As others have said, the 300tdi isn't particularly difficult to get started if the fuel system has been disturbed, engine swaps, fuel filter swaps etc.
Despite that, I have known some diesels to be a right 8astard to start when the fuel system has been messed with and I have had to resort to towing them to get them started.
Best not to run the system dry, especially if you are on your own.

Basic rule you carry enough fuel not to reach the nearest fuel station but the next one just in case the first fuel station does not have any/can not dispense fuel. You top up tanks at every opportunity.

On a Defender it is possible to have 330 odd litres of fuel on board in tanks. One of our Defenders had a range of 1,000 miles/1,600 km and we could have carried another 100+ litres to extend range even further.


Travelling overland as a solo vehicle you do NOT run out of fuel.

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We could have carried another 100+ litres of fuel in extra tanks if FITTED.

The basic point is that if travelling overland as a solo vehicle you plan and prepare your vehicle so that you have more than enough fuel on board to cover the maximum distance between fuels stations with a large reserve capacity preferably in on board tanks. The emergency fuel supply is carried in jerry cans.

Brendan

leeds said:

What is military expression about **** poor planning?

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Proper Preparation Prevents P*ss Poor Performance

A problem with older vehicles running out of fuel is as you come to the dregs bits of crap in the bottom of the tank can be sucked up blocking filters, pipe's, unions and carbs for petrol trucks.

I am thankful for all the comprehensive and comprehensible answers that I got from you. To those who mentioned enough fuel and first and foremost proper planning I would like to say - I completely agree, therefore I wanted to know what to do in the worst possible conditions in the wilderness.