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sucking air in fuel line? How to test

Old Mar 27, 2010 | 10:51 AM
  #1  
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From: Rockford IL
sucking air in fuel line? How to test

I have done a lot of work on the fuel system on my truck and I cannot seem to bleed the air from the supply line of my new ISS PRO gage.
I am also getting an occasional miss at idle that was not there before the:

rebuilt injection pump install,

lift pump install,

and fuel sending unit install.

When replacing the sending unit in the fuel tank, I had a LOT of trouble removing the lines when I dropped the tank. Those hoses took a good stretch in the process and I am thinking that the problem is coming from those lines being damaged.
I have replaced the oring washers between at all banjos.
How do I test the airtightness of the system?
I put a gage on the line right before the injection pump and cranked the motor to get the lift pump to come on, I have 20 lbs. up until the lift pump goes off and then the pressure drops off immediately. I figure to check this I will have to find a way to plug the return line. I really dont think i have a way to plug that line, most of my on hand fittings consist mostly of flare.

I hooked the gage directly to the bottom of the fuel filter which gave me mixed results. I drained the filter housing so as not to make a mess. I accidentally did not get it all the way closed and was able to get 20 lbs reading on the gage. Once I realized that the drain was open (so much for not making a mess) I tried it again and could get no more than 3 lbs on the gage.
I did not understand that at all, thinking I had air in the gage line I broke the connection and made sure there was fuel in the line, still 3 lbs. Could this be the filter huosing filling up again?

Any ideas for me?

thanks...gary
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 01:14 PM
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From: lyman, utah
Originally Posted by phal
I have done a lot of work on the fuel system on my truck and I cannot seem to bleed the air from the supply line of my new ISS PRO gage.
I am also getting an occasional miss at idle that was not there before the:

rebuilt injection pump install,

lift pump install,

and fuel sending unit install.

When replacing the sending unit in the fuel tank, I had a LOT of trouble removing the lines when I dropped the tank. Those hoses took a good stretch in the process and I am thinking that the problem is coming from those lines being damaged.
I have replaced the oring washers between at all banjos.
How do I test the airtightness of the system?
I put a gage on the line right before the injection pump and cranked the motor to get the lift pump to come on, I have 20 lbs. up until the lift pump goes off and then the pressure drops off immediately. I figure to check this I will have to find a way to plug the return line. I really dont think i have a way to plug that line, most of my on hand fittings consist mostly of flare.

I hooked the gage directly to the bottom of the fuel filter which gave me mixed results. I drained the filter housing so as not to make a mess. I accidentally did not get it all the way closed and was able to get 20 lbs reading on the gage. Once I realized that the drain was open (so much for not making a mess) I tried it again and could get no more than 3 lbs on the gage.
I did not understand that at all, thinking I had air in the gage line I broke the connection and made sure there was fuel in the line, still 3 lbs. Could this be the filter huosing filling up again?

Any ideas for me?

thanks...gary
i use a dirt devil vacuum to pressurize the tank (hook the hose to the exhaust side of the vacuum) put it in the filler tube of the tank with a rag wrapped around it...if you have any leaks, you should see them as the tank pressurizes
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 08:19 PM
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From: lyman, utah
Originally Posted by phal
The only thing I have is a home vacuum. Any danger of over pressurizing anything?

thanks..gary
not with a home vacuum
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 09:35 PM
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From: Rockford IL
uh, I mean shop vac

Looks like I am going to have to use the shop vac, nothing else in the house I can reverse the hose on...
thanks Johnh.
...gary
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Old Mar 29, 2010 | 06:54 PM
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My fuel pressure also drops after the LP stops runing, i did not think that was a bad thing. I bet if you run the truck you will know if you have a air leak. mine seem to run with a miss if i had air in the lines.
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Old Mar 30, 2010 | 08:30 PM
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From: Sacramento, Ca
Use a clear piece of tubing before and after your lift pump. Make it long enough to put a 3 inch hump in it. Put the hump up and start, watch for air.
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Old Mar 30, 2010 | 09:08 PM
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You don't have to bleed the lines of the ISSPro gauge. I run mine direct with no isolator & haven't had a problem.

My fuel pressure goes to 15# measured at the VP input. It drops to 0 after the pump shuts off. Perfectly normal.

My fuel line was leaking at the T fitting at the back of the head where the return lines meet. Easy repair (installed 3 rubber seals that look like 1/4" of fuel line $8 each) with the stock filter removed. Climb under the truck & see if your fuel lines are wet.
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 09:11 AM
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From: Rockford IL
Great Idea

Originally Posted by wmcclay
Use a clear piece of tubing before and after your lift pump. Make it long enough to put a 3 inch hump in it. Put the hump up and start, watch for air.
There has been some great ideas for checking for leaks in the fuel lines given here.

You guys are a great at figuring this stuff out!

The whole thing that started this thread was that I could not stop the wild swings in my fuel pressure gage.

I put the truck back together after the failed attempt to check the fuel pressure and took the truck for a drive. On a fuel stop, I found that I had diesel running off the back of the engine. I eventually found out that even though I had cranked down the injectors after bleeding the air out, that one of them was leaking.

I am not sure if I fixed something when I put it back together or whether it was the loose injector, but the gage quit the wild swings.

I drove the truck to work for the first time friday with nary a hiccup in the run.

After losing an injection pump, lift pump and a fuel sending gage in a short period, I have started regaining confidence in the truck again.

Thanks for the help!

gary
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