I've got a 96 12 valve that I have been having a rough time with lately. Started out a few months ago. Was hard starting, unless the truck was sitting downhill. Did some checking and the fuel heater/bowl under the lift pump had some garbage in it. Cleaned it out and still a starting problem. drove the truck for a few more weeks, always parking downhill so it would start easier. One morning went out and it coughed some but wouldn't start. has 160K miles on it, so I thought lift pump. Bought a new one and put it on. Filled the new fuel filter with diesel and put it on. pumped the LP many times and still nothing. bled the fuel line at the top of the fuel filter header and still nothing. Took the overflow valve off at the IP and pumped the primer on the LP and I could hear fuel, but nothing came out, no matter how many times I pumped it. Cranked it over and nothing either. Now it won't even cough or sputter. Any clues as to what's going on?

Thanks

Mike

 

Check your fuel lines from the tank to the LP.
You can also pressure up your tank (not much 3-5psi I believe) and crack open the banjo bolt on your fuel filter. See if it pushes fuel out right there. You could have cracks in the lines as well as a cracked suction tube in the tank.

 

Any more the first place I look is for new parts that are bad out of the box. Seems to be very common nowdays.
There was a guy on another website that went though three lift pumps till he finally got a good one.

I've found the downhill only start syndrome is mostly caused by bad check valves in the lift pump or a fuel line leak on top of the bell housing.
Keeping the tank well filled is just as good of cure as parking downhill.

 

Tap your inlet injection pump banjo bolt, throw a fuel pressure gauge on it and check your fuel pressure.
Recently just replaced my LP that was 2 years old, Cummins LP @ $86 I think. Replaced w/ a Carter LP $125, we'll see how it holds up.