'pants

Yes, that familiar 'buzz' can be heard under the hood anytime I've got the key on and it's quiet enough. There's a second, slightly louder sound of the pump in the tank.

Today it started in the AM after ~4-5 cranking sessions, each lasting about 10 seconds, pedal to the metal. I hoped maybe that was just going to become my 'new normal' starting position. (Does pumping the throttle do ANYTHING useful to help clear air or move fuel?)

This afternoon, it gave a lot of trouble starting. Since this has only appeared as a 'cold'-start issue, I didn't think twice about making a stop on the way home. An hour in a store, and I couldn't start it again, though it was still quite warm. I had to resort to starting-fluid. It started with a brief burst of diesel-knocking sound, required a little nursing to keep it going, and then got me home running absolutely normally.

I went home, parked, and killed the engine. I immediately tried to restart it - with no luck.

After checking some other stuff, I also looked again at the FSS, which was pulled up tight when the key was on.

The trend suggests I should consider plumbing in an ether-shot system...not good.

So...***? Anyone?

Dave

arroyojim

this doesn't necessarily match your symptoms, but I'd try replacing your overflow valve just to see.

also, just out of curiosity, have you kept your stock lift pump in addition to the electric in your tank? there's that whole fuel heater/filter assembly by the lift pump that might be worth checking if you haven't deleted it...

'pants

Thanks, Jim.

I'm long overdue to replace the OFV anyway, and agree it couldn't hurt, despite that my fuel-pressure never gauges low enough to concern me about that.

Stock lift pump is still down there, probably insane with boredom after all these years. I simply bypassed it, but yes, kept the stock filter. IIRC I deleted the heater a long time ago. But with my in-tank pump, those items are all positively-pressurized anytime the key is on, so a leak would present as fuel coming out, vs air going in.

I'm now hunkered down with a purpose-drilled grommet-plugged hole in my AF housing for the express purpose of starting the thing with ether. I found a lot more activity/response on another forum about this issue, and someone there has suggested this:
"Raise the AFC foot. On the front edge of the AFC, you'll see a bolt with a tab underneath it. Loosen this bolt and twist the tab towards the passenger side of the truck. This allows the governor lever to drop under the AFC foot at engine speeds below idle. You should be able to do this without removing the AFC."

If the above doesn't work, his advice is to return that setting to previous state, and then start adjusting the preboost screw inwards a bit.

It's never going to stop bothering me that this stuff seems to have come out of the blue, though - like I'm barking up the wrong tree and it's really just _______.