Hadn't started my truck for several weeks (maybe a month or two?) but needed to haul a riding mower for my brother so this morning I get in and it just turns over. I thought that odd but it had been sitting so I cranked some more - nothing. Pop the hood and diesel fuel is dripping off the bottom of the pump from the side somewhere towards the engine.

So I switched trucks and went on. Not had a chance to trouble shoot anything yet.

Anybody want to hazard a guess as to what the leak could be? I'd been noticing a light film of diesel in that area but not enough to investigate - until now. Ran fine when parked...

Thanks,

 

No, mine sat for 3 years and it cranked fine! It was probably running with issues. Sounds like you need to investigate. Might be easy.

 

The two issues (leak & no-start) could be totally unrelated.

Tonight I'll verify the fuel solenoid is energized. Seems like it would be since fuel drips from the IP. But not a whiff of anything from the exhaust.

 

If it’s leaking from anything and has been sitting for a month it might have lost prime.

 

if it's leaking fomr the block side if the pump it's the advance piston cover. pump got to come off to fix time to reseal the pump. Ken

 

That's the culprit right there the o-ring can and does dry out and leak and you have to remove the pump to get at it .. you might make sure that the FSS has power and is working on the no start situation

 

Pull the AFC cover and then the fuel pin. See if there is fuel in there. If there is, it's coming from the little pin that follows the fuel pin. They get gummed up and the o-ring leaks.

 

Manually pump the lift pump.

Your leak is also a vent, so it should prime up pushing out air. Try starting it again.

 

So last night I tried again - without doing anything else first. Turned over several times, nothing. But on the second try, fired right up like normal. No stumbling or missing like if it had lost prime. But I guess if the pump had lost prime but the lines were still full that's what it would do right? Fuel pressure stayed at 10psi. Guess I screwed up my opportunity to troubleshoot.

Weird

But I do know I do need to remove and do a reseal now probably, unless it's at the fuel pin like Cougar mentions.

Thanks guys for your advice and experience.

 

Have you tried a jumper from the battery to the fuel shutoff solenoid? It's possible you have a flaky ignition switch in addition to the leak.

Edwin

 

I think you re-primed it with your starting attempts. I have one truck that does this too - it helps to manually prime it. No stumbling once it finally starts.

My thought is if air is purged from the main pump body before it gets pushed into the lines, it avoids the stumbling.

IMHO, take care of your pump leak.

 

Edwin, My intent was to troubleshoot by first checking if I had voltage at the fuel shut off but couldn't resist trying to see if it would start first and that's when it did.

I think u2slow is on to the problem. Slow leak cause it to lose prime over time. Can't remember the last time I drove it. Maybe two months or more.

The truck never doesn't start so when it wouldn't light and I saw the fuel dripping, my mind immediately thought pump failure...

As always, thanks guys for helping me think it through.

 

kensmachine and nonrev have most likely nailed your problem. Mine developed a leak there as well.

 

Probably so!
Guess it’s time to look that sticky up and order a seal kit...

 

Pretty sure that's my problem. Last night while it was warm I manually pumped the lift pump until the IP started dripping and it fired right up.

Anybody recommend a good gasket kit or do you all just piece them together? I figure I might as well replace as many as I can while it is off.

I found some good stickies on the pump but none on removal and re-installing. I assume the FSM covers that but not checked yet.