Erik Dlux

This has turned into a mess now. Hopefully somebody can help me out.

I was on a trip down to Phoenix and on the way back I shut my rig off for about 10 mins and when I went to start it again it hesitated for a bit but started. I drove down the road a bit and saw white smoke coming from the exhaust. I immediatly shut the rig down and checked oil and drained the water/fuel seperator. I had no more white smoke after that but did have a hard time starting. Dosent matter if my rig is warm or cold.

I dont know much about diesels so I read my haynes manual and replaced the fuel heater relay. That didnt work. There was fuel on my engine but I didnt know if that was from me draining the filter so I cleaned all that up. I replaced my fuel/water filter and now I think I have air in the lines cause it wont start.

I have tried to crack one or two of the injectors but when I do it and crank it over I dont get any fuel. Do I need to crack all of them or half? Maybe its my transfer pump?

Thanks for any help. This is my only rig and I have to go to work tomorrow.

Hemi Cat

At this point it could be air, water, or possibly the timing slipped. What are the specs on your truck?You should have a lift pump on the left side of the motor at the bottom of the block. Easy to get to if you have a looonnnngg skinny arm. On the side of the pump you should have a hand primer you can operate manually to pump out the air. On top of the fuel filter there should be a small bleeder screw on top of the banjo fitting that you can loosen up to let the air out while you hand pump it. When you get solid fuel, shut it and pump it a little more. Try to start it, if not, crack at least 4 inj lines at the inj and crank it till you get fuel. Then tighten them up and start it. You didn't mention if you got water out of the seperator. If you did just replace the filters. If you get it primed, and fuel comming out the inj lines, and it either wont start or has excessive white smoke, check your timing. If you have the newer 24 valve motor, after you get it primed and it wont start or smokes, pull the codes and we'll go from there. Good luck


Howard

Erik Dlux

Thanks for the help.

1994, 3/4ton, 105K miles, BHAF, straight exhaust, #5 plate

Also forgot to add that when I get it started it runs like a champ. Drove it almost 2k miles and it was fine except for starting.

Erik Dlux

So I just went out and bled the fuel filter. I also cracked the line after the bleeder screw where it goes to the injectors. I have fuel to there. I tried cranking it over a bunch of times and with the inj cracked open I dont get any fuel coming out????? I even tried pumping with the injectors cracked and couldnt get anything.

Any other ideas?

infidel

Make sure the fuel shutdown solenoid is pulling up and staying up. Turn the key to start (crank the engine) return to run and check that it's up, if it isn't lift up on it and see if it stays. Come back and tell us the results and we'll go from there.
Don't replace the solenoid, it isn't the problem.

Erik Dlux

Shutdown solenoid lifts up and stays up.....

dieselhawg

Just wondering if your idle speed was high enough,mine starts like that if the idle is low,starts very quickly when the idle is high enough.

Erik Dlux

Idle has been good. I dont understand cause it runs great when it starts its just the starting part thats hard.

Hemi Cat

Sounds more like a small leak in the fuel lines somewhere letting air in. If the lines are original they are probably pretty hard and cracking or rubbed thru somewhere. Most problems are from the pump to the steel line connections at the firewall and the return line from the filter to the firewall. If the age is in question, just replace all the rubber hoses. Make sure you cut the hose off the steel or you will kink or crack the steel lines, then you have to repair or replace them too.

torquefan

I agree. Check the rubber return line that goes from the rear of the engine down the bell housing. It's probably leaking. If not, you need to check fuel pressure. I have also seen fuel heaters start leaking and sucking in air.

Erik Dlux

I checked the lines from the tank forward. I found the sending unit/filler on top of the tank came undone. The threaded cap came all the way off. So I dropped the tank and got that all back to normal. I added some fuel because it was a bit low too. I thought maybe that was it but still have no fuel to the injectors.

To check fuel pressure I need to get a thread on gauge for on top of the fuel water seperator?

Hemi Cat

When the lines are dry all the way to the tank you sometimes have to pump quite a while to prime the pump then bleed the system, make sure you open the bleeder screw on top of the filter while hand pumping it. Sometimes I have to hand prime a dry system 5 min or so to get fuel. you didn't mention the condition of the rubber lines. If they are original or feel hard, just replace them. They are the main cause of your type of problem. When you remove them cut the hose off and slice it so you don't yank on the steel bending them and possibly cracking them. After you make sure the lines are good, the next likely cause is the lift pump. It's possible a check valve went bad internally. You can install a guage most anywhere between the pump,filter or before the inj pump. You can buy a guage setup with the banjo fittings to tap your pressure or make a fitting to tap in. Just don't destroy your setup on the truck trying to tap in.

Erik Dlux

All the rubber lines looked really clean and flexable.

I primed for quite awhile. I am going to try and prime it more in the morning and see if I can get any more response.

Dr. Evil

When was the last time you replaced all 4 lines?? If you have never replaced them - its time to do it. The lines can look like they are in good shape (no leaking fuel) but have very small holes that are letting air in. You can get a kit from these guys:

http://www.fostertruck.com/dodge/

Another thing, when was the last time you changed the lift pump pre-filter??

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/fil...filt_clean.htm

This filter could be clogged or partially clogged starving your pump of fuel.

ticki2

Another 2 cents . Replace the lines even if it doesn't fiix this problem . Mine cracked length wise ( return line behind the filter ) sprayed fuel on a hot block and poof . Got the fire out fast enough to not cause engine damage , but it did fry the wiring harness ( not cheap ) .

Have you tried taking off the fuel filter and filling it , it will usually get it started . If it's a fuel line problem it will only run for about a minute or two. If it starts the lift pump is probally OK , and it's in the lines or the tank.

PS carry an extinuisher