VIN#Diesel

Ok, I'm officially embarrassed and completely at my wits end. Truck ran great. Changed the filter and no start. Read all the threads (dozens) about bleeding the air out.

Bled in order... Banjo bolt at top of filter housing (10mm closest to bumper), banjo bolt at injector pump (19mm). Every injector (front three, then back three). Then return banjo fitting (12mm) at top of filter housing. Getting fuel at each of the listed options.

Filter is completely full. I even removed the new filter tried to fire up with my old filter (topped full of diesel) as a last ditch effort. I'm tearing my hair out here 6 hours and multiple days of down time into a simple filter change that started with a smooth running truck I'd bought all of three weeks ago.

If anyone is in the Phoenix area I'd happily fork over $100 to someone who can get her running.

kthiemann

This may sound silly but did you accidentally unplug the fuel shut off solenoid?

VIN#Diesel

Hmm, I don't think so but I'll go check. It's the thumb length goldish cylinder bolted to the block right?

VIN#Diesel

Took the flashlight out and re-checked. Connection looks good. Unplugged and replugged just in case and still no start.

Not sure if relevant but I was getting a code 41 last week. (thought it was alternator field circuit when I looked it up). Later that day voltage dropped from 14 to 12 and check engine light came back on. I replaced the alternator with a new one (not a re-man), cleaned all connections and things had returned to normal with 14 volts running and no check engine lights for 100 miles over a few days.

Above was all before the fuel filter change and current situation. Everything had been running smoothly and correctly for several days and with no check engine lights before I started the fuel filter change and ended up in my current situation.

oliver foster

If this is your '94 truck not the '93 in your sig.
Have some look at the FSS and see if it is working when you turn the key.
It should "snap" up [if I remember right it is up] when you try to start the motor.
If it doesn't look like it is moving, pull the bottom treaded rod end [just a clip and a washer] off the lever and manually push it up and try to start the motor.
Your FSS may be bad or just un plugged.
The 1st gens FSS plugs are easy to knock off the 2nd gen ones have a pretty strong clip on that is ever zip tied some-times.

Trebor

Make sure you lift pump arm is in the down position [provided it's the 93 engine].

VIN#Diesel

To clarify, it is a '94 (not the '93 in my old sig).

Looked more closely at the FSS today after reading a few dozen threads and links. It appears to be getting activated (pulled up when key is turned) but was then falling back down during cranking. I tied it up as per another thread and it remained in the 'up' position.

Still no start though.

Went to check for air again. When I open any/all of the 6 lines exiting the injection pump I have zero fuel. Bled from the banjo bolt entering the injection pump.

Mystified since yesterday I had fuel at the actual injectors I cracked an injector and no fuel today.

From what I've read this would seem to indicate the solenoid but if I'm pulling it to the up position, tying it there and rechecking to see that it has indeed "clicked" and remained in that up position...

I'm freshly mystified. Leaning towards it being a solenoid type of issue but can't figure out why. (Or how I had fuel at the injectors themselves yesterday for that matter.)

VIN#Diesel

Should I physically unbolt the solenoid completely tomorrow and activate the lever manually, keeping an eye under the hood with someone else cranking?

And... am I correct in uncoupling the 19mm fittings that exit the the injection pump and lead to the injectors to check for fuel actually passing through the IP?



This doesn't seem like something I should have to call a tow truck for but I'm starting to fear that I've somehow become 'that guy' who can't even change a fuel filter without killing his truck.

VIN#Diesel

Note to any mod reading:

I'm not sure why this was moved to the 1st gen forum and out of "HELP"?

It is indeed the '94 (second gen 12 valve) as specified and is definitely still down, kicking my tail, and looking like I'm going to have to have it towed if I can't get a handle on a fix.

Can it please be moved back to "Help"?

BC847

Moved to 12v Engine and Drive train.

kthiemann

You probably used what little fuel that was in the system trying to start it. You might try re-priming the system then either tie or hold the fuel shut off up and then try it again.

joem

When I did mine, I just pre filled the filter (took about 12oz) and screwed it right on in and it fired right up without any manual prime. Did you check the male adapter with the large o'ring that the filter screws onto?

Dojman

I'd start from zero. Take off the line downstream of the mech. fuel pump and crank it to see if you're getting fuel from tank. Go from there. Or skip ahead a little and just take the filter off and crank and see if you have fuel. If you do, continue on, if not, back up. I've had no starts before but either priming with the port open on top of the filter base until fuel comes out or FSS was not pulling in was culprit most of the time. Did have issues twice after it sitting when my fuel lines had dry rotted and cracked. Normal filter change I just pump the dog out of the primer until I can get it started. Sometimes it might take a couple of hitches at it, depending on how much fuel I spill out of the filter getting it on. 96 model.

gorms

Before I had a fuel pressure gauge, my lift pump was weak and I didn't know it. Made it a very long process to gain prime back, could take hours sometimes. Pressurizing the tank with compressed air worked best, alternating with pumping the primer till I was blue in the face. Then cranking for 30sec, priming again...etc etc. till it stumbled to life and all was good. After a new lift pump and cleaning the fuel system feeding it I pump the button maybe a dozen times and it will start within a few seconds of holding the throttle to the floor.

Good way to save the shut down solenoid is to unplug it and tie wire/tie wrap it in the up position while cranking. The "pull" winding draws more power while cranking to yank the linkage up, holding winding draws very little to keep it there. So while your cranking away, the solenoid gets very hot and can burn itself out.

VIN#Diesel

Resolved and running. Although I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I ended up having to have it towed to a shop and handled there.

They ended up doing the old "pressurize the tank to 5psi and bleed everything" routine there. But did say that there seemed to be a lot of very stubborn air that took forever to work its way out.

Before finally giving up I'd disconnected the FSS and tying up the lever just incase. Spent a few more hours bleeding and was getting fuel to the pump but not to the injectors despite cracking them and cranking for what seemed like an endless number of 10 second intervals.

I'd get fuel to the filter housing and pump house even with just the primer button but nothing was going to the injectors with or without solenoid installed for me. Finally with over 10 hours invested over the course of a week plus I threw in the towel and called for the tow.

Most miserable (and expensive) fuel filter change ever. But I am back on the road and driving my baby again at least. Thanks for all the input everyone. I've never been so frustrated by such a simple straightforward process before. But at least she's running again.