So,

after all that dancing around about my great veg system in other threads, I had a major mal-function today.

Turns out I didn't vent the veg tank.. at all. so as I was running on that tank, I was creating a big vacuum. Still starting and stoping via the diesel lines (with a switch in the cab)

As I was driving along today, going downhill on pavement after 4wheelin, doing about 35mph, I just lost power. as in, engine died, lost power steering, etc.

After checking for obvious air bleeds, I tried cranking it. turned and turned, didn't catch.

I manually turned the alternator and hit the priming pump until my thumb was numb. still cranked, didn't catch.

I popped the fuel line off right in front of the injector, sucked it, got diesel, put it back on, nothing.

Everything was going great, then all of a sudden, it just stopped. If the fuel lines are fine (which they gotta be with all that!) could it be between the line and engine.. .the injector pump or something else?

thanks for any insights,
Tys

 

ok have you checked teh Shut off Selinoid? Are you getting fuel from the bleeder at teh top of the fuel filter?

 

That stupid little push on elec. connector on the back of the pump will wigle loose and/or corrode. If you were out playing it probably just came loose.

 

would either of those situations kicked in while I was going down the road? that seems strange.

I'll go check though.
Tys

 

Well it's more of a case of would it kick OUT. And yes, it could. If the wire falls off the shutdown solenoid you end up with no fuel. Like Chrisreyn said, I would make sure your shutdown solenoid is working and has power first. It's the solenoid at the rear of the pump and faces up. The one on the side is the KSB solenoid for cold starting. Then make sure you have fuel at the bleed screw on the fuel filter. It's on the filter housing. It has a little groove machined in so that with just a few turns it will vent air and fuel. That will tell you if you're getting fuel THROUGH the filter.

 

So, definitely getting fuel out the bleeder screw.

the fuel soleniod has both electrical dealies connected... when you say 'rear of the pump' you mean injection pump, right? that's the one that's got two different electrical connections coming off...(one with dark blue wire, one with lighter blue) and they're both on today and when the truck just shut down.

also, when I opened the bleed screw, the lift pump (manually) did a nice job of spurting fuel out... so that means that thing still works, right?

Tys

 

hmmm.

Just trying to think out loud here. I don't know why not venting your veggy oil tank would kill the injection pump. Veggy oil is considered to be more lubricating than diesel, so I wouldn't worry about grinding your pump up. Are you filtering the oil before it hits your fuel filter? You can still get fuel through the filter if its plugged...but not enough to run the engine.

You can pull the shutdown solenoid out, remove the plunger and spring, and reinstall the solenoid. This would totally rule out the solenoid. Sometimes the little tip can break off the plunger. The plunger can also get stuck. Wanna can have more details about that. If you do this you then have to use the shutdown lever on the side of the pump to kill the engine.

I notice from your pics that you have some switching valves. Is there any chance one of those isn't working? And are your hoses rated for fuel? Of not, maybe they're coming apart?

 

Just because there connected doesn't mean there is good continuity. I would recrimp the ends and clean and grease the spade terminals.

 

Yup. Start simple. Check that solenoid for 12-ish volts with the key on. Just becausae the wires are connected, doesn't mean there isn't a short upstream.

 

Long shot but it could be an ignition switch. i don't know how reliable these switches in the 1st gens are but I have seen it happen in other stuff. Check for the 12 volts. No much to go wrong with a diesel.

 

I'm still running totally clean soybean oil, this is my first batch, so there's no filter problems (two inline filters and a brand new 'normal' filter)

and, my switches are working, as I can hear the click in the pollack valve when I switch from veg to diesel.

I'll go check the wires again more closely.

scratchin my head,
Tys

 

Make sure that you are set to run on diesel and the fuel filter is primed, primer pump is pumping diesel through bleed screw, etc. (I think you did all that already). Disconnect both wires from the shut-down solenoid, and jumper a wire from the battery + to it directly. You should be able to hear it "click". Try to start the truck. If it still does not start, crack an injector line, and have someone else crank the truck over. You should get a serious spray (be careful, do NOT let the spray contact your skin).

If you don't get a spray, you either still have a bad solenoid, some kind of fuel starvation, or the injector pump has died . . .

I don't think that this necessarily has anything to do with the veggie conversion -- keep that in mind as you trouble shoot, so you can keep an open mind.

Good luck with everything!

 

Where ya at on this Ty? any luck so far?
it sounds like we can elimanate the lift pump as the problem, and the fuel filters/switches..
have you re-crimped the Shut-Off Solinoid wires? look at my gallery for how I fixed mine...
have you cracked a line at an injector and cranked it to see if you have fuel under pressure there?

 

Thanks for checking Chrisreyn,

I had to bail on it by about noon today, as I had to get back to the city and do work and such. Now I'm about 60 miles from my truck.

The wires and connections look real good, but I'll check your page on crimping the wires.

Next steps (Sunday):

- bleed the injectors

- check the electrics at the solenoid with the pointy tester thing,

- pull the solenoid??

and I hope, put a new battery in.
Tys

 

If you have an ammeter, it would a better job testing the voltage reaching the selinoid , I beleive it should be between 11.3 and 12.5 volts at the selinoid.
Often the push-on connectors will become loose, or get corrosion in them that interfers with making a good connection, a ring fitting would solve this.
IF you get a good reading and crimp down or replace the connectors, have soemone turn the key into the run position without cranking the engine. I beleive you should be able to hear teh selinoid "click" if it is good, if not then you may have to pull it to test it..

If it IS good, I would then crack a line at an injector and crank it over, see if you have fuel under pressure there. If not, the IP is probably the culprit.
If you have fule under pressure there, then its time to start looking elsewhere for the problem.