Just like the title says, I was driving down the road and it just suddenly died. BTW this is a '92 Dodge D250 with a 5.9 L intercooled TD. It acted like I had just turned the key off, though I hadn't. Yes, the low fuel light was on but if I was running out of fuel then I expect it would have sputtered a bit first. Anyway, it just shut off and I coasted right into the gas station. I put some fuel in, hand pumped the lift pump about two dozen times, then cranked it but it wouldn't start. I tried to start it a few more times but then my battery became low.

I called the tow truck and while I was waiting I loosened the banjo bolt just past the lift pump and then hand pumped the lift pump and I was getting fuel there. I tightened that one back up. Then I thought there might be a problem at the fuel line just as it entered the injection pump. After all, there was a twist in the line there (from the previous owner) and I thought perhaps it was taking in air at the fitting and it could have trashed my IP. Just to check, I loosened that fitting and pumped the LP and I was getting fuel all the to the injection pump. I tightened it back up and hand pumped the LP about a dozen times.

By now a guy was there offering me a jump. I gladly accepted and tried to start it but after about 6-8 attempts it just wasn't going to start. At this point I'm thinking "oh crud... I hope I don't have a bad IP"

Next, the tow truck arrives and attempts to jump me. After several attempts, still nothing. He sprays a small amount of starting fluid "just a snort" into the air filter. Then I crank it again, and it acts like it wants to start, but sadly it doesn't. After about 6 more attempts like that (I voiced my reservations but the tow truck driver told explained to me and assured me that the starting fluid won't damage the engine IF only a very small amount is used) each time it acted like it wanted to start, but didn't. Sadly, it had to be towed home.

All this happened a month ago. Meanwhile, thinking it was the IP and knowing I didn't have the money to replace it, I have been driving my other diesel ( '94 GMC 6.5L K2500 Suburban). However, not being one to give up, I picked up a new fuel line today and installed it (thankfully I have a Cummins parts/service center only minutes away from my house).

I've been doing some searching and reading on some older posts and the sticky and I'm starting to suspect the fuel shutoff solenoid. Am I on the right track? What could be wrong with my pickup?

 

Check and make sure the fss didn't just come unplugged. You can also put power directly to it from the battery and try to crank it.

 

I looked at my FSS and it's the type with 2 wires. I checked them and they were securely fastened. I'll go out there and put the meter on them tomorrow. At what point should they be hot? With the key in ON position?

 

Yes the wire should be hot when the key is on.

 

I made a wire that plugs to the FSS and clips to the battery terminal, for an old 12V that the wiring was HACKED up on.
I plugged in the FSS and started her up.
When I was done with the truck I pulled it off again.
Try that and see if it will start.

 

Your situation is a bit different, but I recently had a no-start condition caused by a small air leak. When it wouldn't start, I would crack open the #2 injector and it would start up. I had no fuel leak, so I had to pressurize the fuel tank to find it. It was a cracked inlet fitting on the lift pump, good luck...Mark

 

Mark~ I hope it's not a small and hard to find air leak. That would be so irritating.

All~ It was terribly hot outside and the sun was beating down on me like Iraq. I had to bungee a tarp over the truck as a makeshift tent. I turned the key to ON position and tested the connecters. The blue wire (left) had voltage but the other one (rear) had none.

 

I ran a wire directly from the battery to the FSS, cranked it and it still won't start. While I was there I noticed a loose connection going to that cylindrical component on the bottom left of the IP. What do I do now?

 

It still could be the fss, may be stuck and not working properly. I had one do the same thing. The cylinder piece you speak of sounds like the ksb. It isn't your problem

 

I got the good ol' 4" angle grinder with a metal cutoff wheel. Then I cut through about 2/3 of that pesky little bracket in the rear of the IP. Then I just bent it back & forth until it broke off. I got a 15/16" wrench but it's still really difficult to get a wrench on this thing.

 

Try a cold chissel and hammer to tap the fss out.

 

I did what taterfarm said before and it workd great. Remove the fss and take out the plunger and spring then reinstall the fss. There is a manual shut down lever on the side of the pump to kill the engine. Locate it before you start it so you will be able to shut it down once it is running.

 

Torch thecwrench and bend it.

Or. .

If you don't mind taking the ip top off, then use a 24mm socket - grind one side of it to gain clearance from the ip body.

 

Got the FSS out, finally. I had to unbolt the air intake and bend it out of the way. Plus a little piece of the throttle linkage needed to be popped off. Then I undid the little nut on top of the FSS and removed the terminal connectors. Using the 15/16" wrench I only got about 1/8 turn but it was enough to break it free. I unscrewed the rest of the way using a long needle nose pliers with a 90* bent tip.

To make a long story short, I removed the FSS and gave the lift pump two pumps and saw fuel coming out of the hole where the FSS was. I removed the spring and plunger, then replaced the FSS, pumped the lift pump about 2 dozen times, and tried to start it... and tried, and tried, and tried. Nothing. I examined the plunger and it had no cracks, tears, or damage of any kind. The spring looked fine too.

So what do I need to do now? Lets assume I ran it out of fuel. Could I have damaged the IP? Do I need to reprime the IP or the fuel injectors?

 

Did you at any time so far try cracking the injector lines? It's almost weird how you can have good fuel at the pump yet it won't push through the IP til you take the resistance out of the other side.