I'm new to the forum & have a question about the step to diagnose a potential fuel pressure issue. I just bought a '99 2500 CC 4x4 w/ Edge EZ, Banks Monster Exhaust, BD 5psi LED, BD Brake, BD 47RE, Firestone Air Springs, Auto Meter Pyro/Trans/Boost pkg & I don't know what else....It has 84k miles & seems to be in excellent condition.

The 5psi fuel pressure warning light will do one of the following: Not light at all (all systems go); flash intermittently; light & stay light until engine warms up. I changed the fuel filter & that solved the issue for a few hundred miles. Now it's at it again. What is the next best sequence of diagnostics & system improvements? Change the filter again?

 

I failed to mention that there does not seem to be a discernible loss of power under "normal" conditions.

 

It's probably your lift pump going bad. If you changed the filter, I'd bet money this is your problem. Stuart

 

Change your lift pump, upgrade fittings (big line kit), and add a fuel pressure gauge so you know before it gets this bad in the future.

 

Check the pressure with a pressure tester. 5psi at idle is low. sounds like probable bad sending unit. I've used a clip-on manual gauge from snap-on to check mine before.

Good Luck

 

Who makes a good / inexpensive replacement pump? Is a "pusher" pump a good option? Don't want to go crazy here - not looking for more HP unless it's a side benefit.

 

Unfortunately there is no good/inexpensive pusher pump. I've done lots of looking on this site and I just sucked it up and ordered a FASS HPFP as I need my truck to work and do not want to mess around with OEM lift pumps.

Just my .02

 

I had the same thing happen. Installed a warning light kit and a few days later it started flashing. Lucky? I have the intank pump. I bought a $40 fuel pressure tester and put it on the schrader valve. Sure enough, only about 5psi at idle.

I immediately parked it and went and bought a holley blue and 14' of 3/8 fuel line. Mounted up the holley on the frame in front of the tank and ran the 3/8 line from the top of the tank, to the holley, to the banjo on the fuel filter. I powered the holley of the same power wire going to the intank pump. It was already relayed off the factory lift pump signal wire.

Bled out all the lines and fired it up. Fuel pressure was at 20psi idle. I didn't like it that high so I removed the pressure spring on the holley and cut about 1 1/2 coils from it. Now my pressure sits about 18psi at idle before the fuel filter. Also pulled the fine mesh screen out of the holley.

Truck seems to have a little better throttle responce and no more low fuel pressure. The whole setup cost me about $150 and a nights labor.