fourthandgoal

Truck has been hard-starting for a couple months now, after about 8hrs of sitting it starts as if there is air in the lines. The longer it sits without running the worse it gets. If I haven't driven the truck in a week I know I'm in for a helluva time getting it running...but once it chokes though all the air it purrs like the day it was born.

I had figured the lift pump check-valve was failing so I bought a new pump a few weeks ago and just haven't had the time to swap it out. Yesterday evening I went to warm the truck up and after about 3 minutes of idling the motor died out and it WILL NOT start now.

I'm about to tackle the lift pump but I'm not so sure it isn't a faulty return line from the injection pump or tank->lift line. Been conceptualizing with Joe G's writeup ( http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94...m-writeup.html ) but I'm less sure of the culprit now than before. Cleaned and re-sealed the pre-filter a few weeks ago, shouldn't be an issue there. I also haven't ruled out bad gas.

I need to have this thing running by Monday morning, I will be infinitely grateful for any and all advice you guys could offer that'd help me narrow it down.

plow

The overflow valve is not in the lift pump it is on the injection pump and will cause a hard start and white smoke problem. what rpm does the truck idle at?

fourthandgoal

Idles at 750 on the nose. I'm referring to the check valve in the lift pump that maintains the prime between the lift and injection pumps. You mention white smoke...would that be while it is choking through the hard start? I do notice a huge cloud of white smoke as I'm getting it booted up after letting it sit for a while, was hoping I wasn't burning oil. Only good ol' grey smoke otherwise. That sounds promising, thank you

I just edited the OP to include that there's a possibility it could be bad gas. Also suppose I'll check the fuel solenoid/relay as per the writeup...

man these things always come at the worst times

plow

Have you changed the fuel filter lately? Can you crack an injector and get fuel at the head? Fuel solenoid was what I was going to suggest next, also my truck died on me one day driving to work turned out I ran out of diesel.

fourthandgoal

Haven't changed the filter recently, I have one I can swap it with. I'll check an injector too here in a few. Tank is almost completely full, I know at least it's not the lack of fuel that's the problem


UPDATE**

Changed the fuel filter with a new one about 3/4 full. Pumped the manual primer about 100 times, never felt it getting too much harder to push. Cracked the first 3 injectors and turned it over for a while, no start and didn't see any fuel from the injector lines

Gonna have to figure out how to get it up on ramps in my limited driveway so I can change the lift pump. I'd swear it's acting like it's out of fuel but I just filled it up

9812vram

Ya, gas in your diesel engine will deffinitely cause some issues...

So now you know you're not getting fuel and you know it's not because of the fuel filter. Before you go through the hassle of changing that lift pump, do like plow said and check that shutoff solenoid. With the ignition on, pull the solenoid up by hand - it should click into place. Then see if you can get fuel. If not, change the lift pump.

9812vram

He's not getting fuel to the injectors so fuel pressure will be 0psi.

That will cause a hard start, but not a no start.

gozapper

You change the lift pump from on top!!
You need to check the fuel pressure with a gauge on the banjo line into the ip. Otherwise , you are wasting your time.
Also, are any diesel fuel leaks. Sometime the return line behind the fuel filter will go bad.
Been through all that and wound up with new lp, ip, and new injectors. Starts now without pushing the go pedal and runs like stripped a$$ ape!!

9812vram

HA! Now I must ask: How in the world did I reply to that post before it was posted?

plow

With th key in the run position make sure the solenoid is up and use compressed air to prime the system. Once you have fuel at the injectors it should fire probably run rough for a bit.

fourthandgoal

Sorry for delay, many thanks for all the suggestions. Turns out it the fuel solenoid was stuck down. Gonna clean it up and replace the relay as well as starter contacts and overflow valve. Should probably replace all the fuel lines too...

^Really do appreciate all the help

9812vram

Sounds like a good plan. Glad you got 'er figgered!

TheWaterman1000

My solenoid did that to me. Thought man.. There's some bucks for a IP.. Yanked out the solenoid and bracket. Converted to manual shut down. No problems since.

fourthandgoal

^ yeah I want to do that eventually

NEW PROBLEM

Started it up tonight and it did the same thing -- idled for a few minutes then died a hard death. will not start now. lifting the solenoid does nothing anymore. bleeding the water separator, priming the system, and cracking the injectors all didn't help. in fact, didn't see any fuel bubbling from the injectors but once in a while it'll catch for a few seconds and try its damndest to start but just never does. there is plenty of fuel in the tank

i'm at a loss. now i'm in an even bigger time crunch at a house way out in the sticks (precisely the middle of nowhere). it's cold out here, ~34 and dropping, but I don't see why that'd be an issue. I thought maybe somehow a whole lot of water condensed in the tank because usually it'd catch for just a little bit after each time I bled a little off the fuel filter/separator, but I really don't know


SOS!

green95

I feel for u buddy,If your able to bleed fuel from your water drain than you should be gettng fuel up to your IP. crack the fuel return open at the IP and check for fuel there. I went through a strange problem one night where I shut down and 5 mins. later I could not get started, I shot a little starting fluid into the air filter housing and I stoked up and got me home,never happend again.,Good luck.