OK folks, I need some input. I have searched quite a few threads and didn't see what I am looking for unless I am just too dang tired.

I left NC about 5pm Fri evening for what should have been about a 5.5 hour trip to PA (ended up being 7). The truck was running super as usual and I was motoring along well. I stopped around Bluefield at a rest area on 77 and when I got back in the truck it just cranked and cranked. it wouldn't even attempt to start.

I thought I was going to have to get Larry from DTR to rescue me.

I tried removing the RP gauge from the rail and the MP-8, heck I even put smarty back to stock and she still wouldn't crank. I must have tried for 30 minutes or more. Finally I said the heck with it and hooked evrything back up and jumped in and gave it a few more tries. Finally I just held the key to start and figured eventually the batteries would die. Well after a constant 30-40 seconds of cranking she fired up.

I drove the rest of the way and never shut it off and the thing ran super, got great mileage and seemed normal.

I did notice it seemed like my rail pressure was quite a bit more erractic than usuall. sometimes it was jumping 3-5k at a steady cruise and when pulling away from a stop it seemed way less linear than usual if that makes sense.

When I got here, I shut it off and tried it again. it started but is taking longer to crank for sure. I will try it in the morning. So would a bad/going bad FCA do something like this? does it have anything to do with starting?

oh, I have plenty of low side pressure if it matters.

thanks folks

 

I hear that the two can be related. There also was a long crank TSB out, I don't think that it would apply to this, tho...

I have my stock one if you want my OL to send it to you so you can trouble shoot it... just send it back...

 

Ok I must be tired. There are a bunch of posts about the FCA. sorry guys. It seems like it could probably have something to do with it. I will read more tomorrow.

Madhat, I may take ya up on that if I have too. I appreciate it.

 

No worries. Just PM me with your addy, and I'll have the wife send it to you when she gets a moment...

 

are you sure your lift pump is working??? Drain the fuel canister and see if just cycling the key fills it up... these trucks will run without a lift pump but might take some cranking to get the FP up enough.

 

Ron,

What was your rail pressure during cranking? Low rail pressure will make it difficult to start the engine. And that can be contributed to a number of things, like a dead or dying lift pump, stuck FCA, injectors bypassing too much fuel, etc....

MikeyB

 

My low side pressure shows 22psi and I can hear the pump working fine and I can feel the pulsing in the line so I know the pump is pumping. I need to look at it more though because I am picking up the low side pressure off of the fitting that comes with the glacier kit on the back of the bowl. That means I am picking it up before it goes through the stock filter and the 2micron filter. I have been wanting to change that.

As far as rail pressue, unless my new gauge is not working right, I have never seen pressure while cranking. As a matter of fact even when things were normal, my gauge shows no pressure until the trcuk is running for a few seconds and then it shoots to about 6k. I just asssumed that was normal.

so I should see movingment on the rail presssure gauge during cranking? it is a new (couple months) dpricol gauge. I have to leave in a few minutes to go start putting the race car motor together so I hope it starts.

Thanks guys

 

ok truck fired right up like normal. leaving to work on race car. I will report back later. I hope it continues to start.

 

The gauge won't show pressure while cranking.I have a new fca you can use to verify if its faulty or not.I'm not very far from you.I'll send you a pm with my number.

 

Might also want to check the relief valve on the rail..I was chasing a long crank issue and found it to be the rail valve blown. Capped it off, and started perfect ever since.