Out of the blue, truck will not start. Basically stock with an Edge chip gauges and a Air Dog lift pump, 167,000 miles. Ignition on, I see a slight movement of the fuel pressure gauge. Will spin with no fuel pressure showing, not even trying to start. Ignition off, then back on again and the lift pump will run with 15 pounds for around 10 seconds, even with the ignition off, it still runs, then shuts off. Seems to repeat this. Try and start again with nothing. Once I spun it, more than I like and it did start, but do not like abusing the starter like that. It did start normal throughout the day, then next morning, back to nothing. No fuel leaking anywhere visible . Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

On my 01 the oem lift pump would run for 10 or 15 seconds at key on. If you bumped the starter for just a second it would run for 30 seconds. Never used an air dog or fass so unsure if they act the same way. I would think so if they are being triggered by the oem pump wires. If you park on a hill try parking it nose down and see if it continues if it doesn't then you may have an air leak in the fuel system.. Many times these vehicles get an air leak which will allow the fuel to run back to the tank. You may not see a leak. Look for dampness. Also the fuel is used to lube the injection pump and as such it returns warm fuel to your tank. Warm fuel as it cools down is going to create a vacuum and if it has the opportunity via an air leak it will pull the fuel back into the tank, which you could check by just cracking open the fuel filler cap upon shut down for the evening that would prevent any vacuum on the fuel system.. Also check the fuel lines as they come out of the tank. Many over the years have found those fittings to leak air as time goes by. I cant remember which year those fittings changed from steel to plastic but the steel ones over time will slowly but surely rot away and get pin holes in them. That goes for the hardlines along the frame rail from tank to just short of the lift pump
Beyond that your lift pump may be taking a dump and check your fuel filter. There is also a prefilter in the bottom of the pickup assembly in the tank that could be getting clogged. Though that requires removing the tank or lifting the bed to gain access and if nasty I would expect that to cause problems all the time.

 

Assuming you have the AirDog connected to be triggered by the lift pump relay, you won't see fuel pressure while the starter is engaged. The computer kicks out the pump while the starter is engaged. Once you release it, then it will run for a period of time (even if the turn the key off). Since you have good pressure while in the prime cycle (running after the starter is engaged), it's most likely a small air leak. Since it won't even start to begin with, I'm thinking the leak is probably closer to the head. Possibly a leaking o-ring on a connector tube, or a loose fitting that secures the tubes. It doesn't take much. You might see a little damp spot around one of the lines going into the head. Another easy area to check would be the fuel filter to ensure it's tight. The '99s have a different setup than my '01, but I've had a small gap in my fuel filter cap give me issues with leaking back before.

 

A big thanks to AggieJustin and BarrG for giving me a direction for my fuel issue. All my fittings showed no sign of leaking, so I changed the spin on fuel filter for the Air Dog, bleed the system thru my 3/8 hose off the VP44 with snubber for the in cab fuel gauge and external fuel gauge, and started right up. Also started up the next morning as normal, so pretty my problem is resolved. Yall have a great day!

 

I might be off course a little bit but I have similar issues. 24 valve cummins with Fass fuel pump installed at fuel tank. When I am parked overnight on flat ground. Morning starting is Key the switch till pumping stops, key the switch and bump the starter, when the pump stops bump the starter the third time and she fires right off. I ask around about the starting issue and was told that "Dirt Dobbers" fill the fuel tank vent with dirt which plugs up the vent. The quick fix is to loosen the fuel cap to allow air to enter and it fires right off. It works for me. If it is parked with the front end pointing down hill it fires up right away. If anyone has the proper solution to cure this issue please inform me, I would appreciate your advice.