Hello all, I need some guidance. My 2001 HO has recently taken to not starting well. It shows no codes and runs well, mileage is normal, power is normal etc. But it won't start until I show fuel pressure on the guage. At first all I had to do was bump the starter so my lift pump would run and as soon as it got pressure it fired just like normal. Now a couple weeks later it takes more cranking to get the engine to start after it shows fuel pressure. It does this with the engine hot or cold and it has done it with outside temps from 20-60 degrees. Here is the kicker though, if you shut the engine off and then come back in just a few minutes or immediately restart the truck it instantly starts. No waiting for the lp or fuel pressure or anything. It seems like the vp is draining itself of fuel to me but is this possible. Hopefully someone has experienced this. Thanks!

 

Tiny pin-hole in the fuel line somewhere, that or check valve at the tank is allowing fuel to drain back.

Only reason I say is that you have no issue when it was recently started.

 

That would be the first place i would look. Follow every inch of line from the tank to the motor. Its common to have a bad line behind the tank along the frame rail. Look for a wet spot on the line. It wont always drip. Mounting tabs that hold the line are also problem areas.

 

me three.... sounds like you're losing prime on the pump in the slightest degree.

 

Think of it like this.

Say for instance, you cycle the LP like 3-4 times before cranking? Would it make a difference? If air is introduced into the line, it doesn't want to purge unless the injection pump is cranked over, hence your attempts to wait for the LP not working.

I have no first hand experience with this condition. I can tell you from reading about a member on here battling a tempermental truck, it technically doesn't even have to leak (externally that is, like a spot on your driveway) to do this.

A hole in the line can allow air to reverse siphon (so to speak) the fuel back to the tank without actaully "leaking" per se'.

Good luck.
Fill in your signature (in "user cp") so when you come back to ask more questions people can tell the specifics of your rig.

 

At first all I had to do was wait for the lp to actually run and bring pressure up. Then a few weeks later I actually have to crank it some to get the truck started. So I should look in the lines from the tank to the vp for my problem first? Sounds good, after this started happening I installed a Holley pump back by near the tank like my last truck and I didn't see any problems in the lines from there forward. I will have to look the rest of the way to the tank too I suppose. Thanks for the advice!