I have a 1990 D250 with an automatic. The truck has always started on the first crank. This morning it started as usual then the idle went real low and the engine quit. Now it only cranks without a hint of firing. I was going to change the fuel filter, after I took it off I pumped the manual lever on the fuel pump and nothing came out. Shouldn't fuel come out?

 

check to see if you have power to the shut down solanoid, if should have fuel out the pump but takes a bit to get it up there, also check fuel lines good.

 

How much fuel in the tank? What is the outside temp?

 

Where is the shut off solenoid?
Tank is 3/4 full temp 65.

 

mine's ('93) on the injector pump with a wire running to it, ...if you hot wire it when off you'll hear it click if it's working

 

I found the solenoid, Ihave power when the key is on. I loosend an injector line and cranked but no fuel came out. I am charging battery and will check it again with some cranking while I watch injectoe line.

 

If you crack the lines and you have fuel but it dose not smoke it is the solenoid. It will alow some fuel but not enough pressure to pop the injector, no smoke no fuel. take the solenoid out (takes a 15/16 crows foot wrench with the sides trimed down, you can also grind a 7/8 and make it work 15/16 is hard to find) and remove the spring inside and put the solenoid back in then oou will be in the pull cable kill club with a lot of us. The manual kill is the lever on the side of the pump, just run a pull cable inside the cab.

 

I cracked 2 lines and got bubbles then fuel. Closed those lines and opened 2 others got the air out and it was trying to fire. Opened last two and it fired up, closed those and it was good. Sure was nice to hear it rumblin again. Thanks for your help. I love this forum I don't post much but I read it everyday and usually find whay I need by searching. Thanks again

 

Ok now the question is why did you get air in the fuel system? With 3/4 tank and 65 degrees you should have not had a problem in the first place. It would make me nervous because you may be in the middle of a bridge or a six lane highway when it does it again. You have to have an air leak somewhere to allow the air in there.

 

ok a question mikeyy, was it running before you changed the filter or did you change filter because it wouldnt start ?

If you changed the filter because it wouldnt start then as rylon said you havent fixed the underlying problem. So first thing is to check all fuel connections make sure they are snug and check all rubber peices of fuel line. If it does it after sitting overnight theres good chance its letting air in and losing its prime.

 

Sounds like he had a plugged filter then got the air when he changed it. Congrats on getting it going again

 

The day before I noticed a lack of power going up a hill on my way to work. I assumed it was the fuel filter and was going to change it when I got to work. I got sidetracked at work and forgot about it. The next morning I was running late,the truck started right up but when I started going down the driveway the rpm dropped and it died. I guess the filter was plugged and it ran out of fuel. Today it started and ran great going back and forth to work.