Well I put a 215 pump in my truck with a custom ground #10 plate, after figuring out the fuel shutoff solenoid, I took her down the road and after about 10 minutes while coming out of a corner and having about 25psi of boost or so it just studdered and didn't die but would not go above idle without puffing out a bunch of white smoke. I had to drive it in idle all the way home where I pulled into the shop, thinking it must have been the fuel return line letting in air, so I tightened it right up, but now the thing won't even start, its like its not getting fuel. Checklist

Prefilter is clean, fuel filter is new
When manually pumped fuel comes out the fuel filter bleeder
Also fuel comes out both banjo bolts when manually pumped
Fuel comes out of same places when turned over
Fuel also comes out of injector lines when turned over
Fuel shutoff solenoid is working
All lines are not leaking, or kinked

It just seems to not have enough pressure like normal coming out of the injector lines though. I dont have a fuel pressure gauge but I am thinking that would be the next step in testing the lift pump. Can they work just partially, like enough to push fuel up through the filter but not enough to start the truck? What else should I be checking?

Thanks for all the help.

 

Delivery pressure isn't a problem for starting. If you have fuel coming out at the injectors there is no air lock.

My bet is your timing slipped badly.

 

I was talking to a friend of mine who runs a diesel and generator shop and he said the same thing, he said that they slip all the time, and when I pinned it coming out of the corner that my timing slipped really bad. I torqued it good to 144 about 3 times. What I don't get is that the shaft has a keyway on it but the pump gear does not, on other applications ie. dozers and tractors, there is a keyway on the pump gear. I guess with a keyway though that you could not change the timing...
So I got a timing kit and I am going to get the timing in check. I got the pump at TDC with the finger there on the side of the pump, so now I disconnect the pump gear, get the engine at TDC, then I measure the cam lift to set the timing to what I want right?
So when you turn the pump gear either way on the pump shaft, that advances or retards the timing? And the advantage to advancing the timing more is giving the fuel more time to burn inside the cylinder? ie. the pullers advance more than every day drivers because more fuel requires more time to burn, but would advancing the timing too much and the air would not be hot enough when the injectors pop, causing a bad knock, like on gasoline engines when you advance too much you get what they call "dieseling".

I am just trying to figure out how all this stuff works together and It helps me fix and tune this truck instead of just reading specs.

Also how would you calculate the best timing for your truck setup, right now I have a 215 pump, with 191 Delivery valves, 10 plate all the way fowards and 215 injector tips, so would 17 degrees sound about right?

 

If there was a key on the shaft you couldn't change the timing.
I usually recommend 15-16 timing but many folks run more at risk of blowing head gaskets.
Here the best instructions 12 Valve Timing

One thing the instructions don't emphasize is the shaft and gear must be spotless or it will slip again. I use electronic cleaner and torque to 160.

 

Perfect Thanks.
I got the engine to TDC, and the pump timed using the finger in the side of the pump. So now I torque the pump gear on, then bottom out the cam on the pump, then go back to TDC to measure the lift? And that is my timing right.
Now to advance it, I loosen the pump gear and turn the engine over in the running direction, and measure the lift to where I want then tighten the pump gear on again, I am just having a hard time understanding how to change the timing.