I have been having a little problem starting the truck I have a 97 everything in sig. When I start it the truck will run for a few then die like it has ran out of fuel. I prime it and starts up again I only have that problem after it has set for a while 4 hrs or so. thinking maybe fuel line leak. it has 166,000 on it.

 

Have you replaced the stock fuel rubber return/supply lines in the rear?

Look underneath the drivers side inside the frame, if there wet, there leaking and problably drawing in air.

Check the fuel preheater assembly also, next to the lift pump, there known to leak thru the electrical connector.

You can find fuel line hose here, amoung all the other goodies he has to offer.

http://fostertruck.com/dodge/default.htm

 

I have a '97 that was having the same issue. It turned out that there was a pinhole in the electrical connector on the fuel pre-heater. Becasue it is on the negative pressure side of the lift pump, it was sucking air into the fuel system with the truck turned off, but there were no indications of fuel leaking out.

 

could you hear air when primeing the truck to restart? If so how did you fix it.

 

The only way I found it was by pressurizing the tank; fuel started spitting out like crazy right at the connector, which as mentioned above, turns out to be a common problem.

With it not getting all that cold for all that long where I live, I just took the preheater element itself out and reassembled the pre-heater assembly. As long as I use PS regularly and keep the truck plugged in when the temp is going to dip, there haven't been any issues.

 

The 5/16" by 2' line in red below sucking air is by far the main hard start cause.
Replace with diesel rated hose only, don't trust the autoparts guy when he says all fuel hose is diesel rated.