HELP!!! I changed the fuel filter on my 99 Dodge Ram 5.9 Liter <br>diesel. Unfortunately I forgot to turn the key to start without <br>starting and evidently the air was not purged. I have tried to<br>repeat the purging several times without any luck. Has anyone<br>had any luck with bleeding the air from the fuel lines and if so,<br>how is it done? [undecided]<br>ANY HELP will be much appreciated. I really hope I don't have<br>to have it towed to a dealer.<br><br>Thanks, Chuckb

 

Welcome to the site, <br><br>No need for a tow. On the top of the filter housing there are two brass plugs. Crack open the one closest to the front. Bump the starter and watch until only fuel squirts out and then close it. You may have to loosen the #1 fuel line to get all the air out. Bump starter again and wait for air to get out then close. She should start right up.<br><br>It's not a big deal it happens all the time.

 

So what happened? You started it up and ran it until it ran out of fuel? <br>Loosen the banjo bolt on the line from the filter to the injector pump, you can do either, but the banjo bolt on the injector pump is preferrable. Bump the engine to get the fuel pump going and watch the bubbles come out of the banjo bolt. You may need to do this as many as 3 times (bumping the engine) to get all of the air out.<br>Once the air is out, tighten the banjo bolt back up. If the truck still will not start, loosen the furthest injector line you can get to, where it enters the head. You just crack it enough that it can leak. Turn the motor over to bleed the injector pump. Do not turn over for more than 30 seconds. Let the starter rest for 2 minutes between turing it over so you don't burn up the starter.<br>If it starts while turning it over, it may run erratically, but if you can keep it running it will continue the bleed without overworking the starter. Tighten the line you losened once the engine runs smoothly. You may wish to tighten it sooner if you can keep the engine running.<br><br>Chris

 

Problem still not resolved!!! I have worked on this all morning, following advice given by Copenhagenjunkie and Stamey. I can hear the lift pump operating, but not getting much fuel from the opened brass plug, or the banjo bolt on top the filter housing. I even poured new fuel into the filter housing through the fuel line opening to be sure the housing was full.<br>Iam wondering if the injector pump is full of air and not completely purging? I tried what Stamey recommended regarding loosening the banjo bolt at the injector pump and cracking the injector line at the head.<br>I still need all your HELP. I hate to spend the grocery money to have it towed to a dealer. :'( Thanks, Chuck

 

Chuck,<br><br>I've had this happen to mine a couple of times, but it's pretty easy to fix. Basically you have airlocked your VP-44, so even though it has fuel at its inlet, it's not pumping it to the clyinders. To get it fixed, crack the injector lines on Cylinders 1, 3, and 4 (1 being at the front of the truck) by loosening the 19mm nut that clamps the line going into the head until they are finger loose. Once you have those 3 lines loosened, get into the truck and crank it (not bumping the starter... crank the motor) for 10 seconds. Let the starter cool for at least 30 seconds. Repeat the cranking and cooling at least 2 more times or until fuel is squirting from the three injector lines you have loosened. It'll make it easier if you have a friend help or if you know how to hot wire the truck from under the hood (you run a jumper from positive battery to the driver side post of the middle rear relay under the fuse cover.... (sounds confusing, but I could show ya)). Once the fuel has flowed out of those lines, tighten them up (snug... I think 18 ft-lbs is the torque off the top of my head... too tight will ruin the mating surface) and try to start the truck... it should fire right up. Hopefully that will get you going!! <br><br>John