Hey Guys-
My 97 lost all power and died going down the highway tuesday night. It would start up but run real choppy then die. I talked with a tech at the local dealship and he pointed me to the lift pump as the fuel shut off solenoid was working correctly. I replaced the lift pump tonight but can not get the truck to start and stay running. I've done both a high pressure (at the nozzles) and low pressure bleed (top of fuel filter while pressing primer) several times and the truck just won't run. Pedal to the floor it will fire after 10-20 seconds of cranking and will run super choppy for another 10-20 seconds but then suddenly cuts out and dies. Even if were not trying to bleed the lines, same deal, the RPMs rise then it just cuts out.

I have no prior experiece w/ diesels but it's my understanding it usually doesn't take this much to get the lines to clean up. We have been trying for over an hour.

All fuel lines from the tank are in good shape, no leaks that I can see. Does anyone have a methond for checking the lines for air leaks?

It almost feels like the parts dept. just got the best of me because the problem is just the same, only with a new lift pump....

Any help would be great, I'm not sure what to do next. Thanks

 

Here are a couple of things you can check. You didn't say if you had changed the fuel filter, if not that would be first. The next thing I would check is the overflow valve. And then if you haven't changed the fuel return lines they can be leaking air into the system but not show signs of leaking from the outside of the lines.

 

Also, you can bleed the air out of the lines much faster and easier if you pressurize the fuel tank - usually with an air nozzle stuck in the filler neck with something to plug/seal the hole.

 

Caution: no more than 10psi.

 

Sure you have fuel in the tank. Dodge's like to fall into "quarter tank syndrome". I've seen many level units fail over the years and they stop at 1/4 to 1/8th tank when actually the tank is empty.

 

I have done 400 miles since the last fill up, the tank should be good for almost twice that. I'm going to do the fuel filter this afternoon.
Any dea why it would just cut out and die? I could understand losing prime or running choppy from air in the lines but just dying all together has me worried.

I'd like to rule out the P pump since were getting fuel at the nozzles but is there any other tests I can do?

Does cummins charge an arm and a leg for the over flow valve? I'm kinda in a crunch to get the truck back on the road, I'm ready to take the hit ($$) and start throwing some parts at it.

Thanks guys.

 

Source for an overflow valve.

Precision Diesel Injection and Turbo Inc.
Marty Tompkins
888-734-7349
$40 + $7 shipping and handling.

 

You could put a pressure guage on the filter out port and take a reading. spec is 17 - 22 psi at idle (according to alldata) The overflow valve would be high on my list for culprits, but I prefer to test and identify before I spend a customers money.

 

any smoke, while running? like thicck white smoke,,, ive had that problem when the timing slipped!

 

Take the fuel filter base off and there is a screen in it that gets clogged up. Cummins sells a new one for less than $20.00. You can also clean it out and just put it back. I have had several towed in for that.