This issue has occurred twice in the past week...
Truck runs great, with no signs of common-rail issues (I say this having no rail pressure gauge). However, twice in the past week when I have started the truck, it has started "sputtering" and sounded like it is "missing" real bad in general (the first time it did this, the engine bay was SUPER load and it sounded like the starter was still active until I shut the truck off...sounded like an electric unit running at a very high RPM). I re-started the truck and everything was fine....I chalked it up as a goof...
The second time was a few days later (this past Saturday), started the truck up and it started sputtering again. Shut the truck down, and restarted it again...sputtered again. Shut it off, and the only thing I really knew to do was drain the fuel filter thinking this might help. Let it sit for a minute and it fired up just fine (again, runs great...).

So my questions is...what could this be a sign of and or causing this intermidiate sputter from start-up? My "novice mechanical skills" have me concerned that this might be:
1) water/ air in my fuel line
2) lift pump issues (although I have seen no issues of engine surge and or failure in throttle response)
3) GOD help me if this is an injector issue...

Truck has roughly 95K on it as of today.
As always, ANY help in this arena would be MUCH appreciated! This one has me stumped...

 

When you drained the filter did it have any water in the fuel?

 

Didn't have a chance to check...I was literally draining the fuel in the infield of Lowe's Motor speedway during the Nascar race saturday night. I just drained it until it was a slow "trickle"...
Does what I'm describing sound like water in the line/ fuel? (I know all diesel has some water in it)