OK guys time to share my problem to see what you guys think...

I have developed a hard start issue (My feelings on this are but mainly lol). It was happening about 1 a week for the past 6 weeks or so. Only time it would happen was after a very short .5 mile run from school to home and truck sat in driveway (by the way my drive is very steep if that were to make a difference). I would turn the key for about a second and I know immediately that it is going to have and issue. (Normally truck starts faster than I can turn the key, well almost). So I let the truck prime for about 5-10 seconds and then turn key again, starts within 5seconds of cranking. No rough idle, smoke or anything, truck is ready to run.

So the previous has happened about 6 or 7 times and really getting on my nerves. Day before yesterday I guess I decided to try and find a fuel leak somewhere... I noticed that the VP return line was dirty with and oily type grind. I felt around and sure enough there was a little drop hanging at the first bend in the line... I tightened the banjo which was pretty loose and primed the system and didn't see/feel anymore fuel.

Well yesterday afternoon through the torrential downpour I went and picked up my gooseneck from my grandpa, was about 100miles round trip. Backed my trailer and truck up into my driveway and left it there overnight. About 1pm today I went to fire it up and no go first turn, so I figured it was happening again... So I let the pump prime and turned key again, truck fired again in about 5 seconds, but this time I was getting horrible idle and TONS of white smoke!!! I mean lots truck wouldn't rev and was stumbling and bucking... I jumped out grabbed the ol 19mm and cracked a few lines... idle smoothed out and white smoke reduced considerably (not sure if it had to do with bleeding lines or not)... Truck was still at a good constant haze at idle (not white normal smoke). I killed the motor and fired it again, idled smooth, still a little haze at idle... Drove to class and she ran fine, fired great after class....

-Fuel pressure great, 1 pump runs on startup around 10psi the second doesn't run until oil pressure is present, then I have around 22psi
-drained water in fuel canister and no water present this morning
-been a while since the fuel filter change, but fuel pressure has not fluctuated
-Oil level not raising, no diesel smell that I can see
-water level normal, oil line on the overflow tank same as it has been since HG blowage
-No codes to suggest VP failure, only overfuel code associated with Smarty, speed sensor(I get every now and then), companion, and code from me adjusting high idle too high

So any ideas?? Injector leak down? When the VP was changed out the overflow pressure thingy was not changed... could this be leaking too much pressure off or allowing air back into the system while not running? uhhh....

 

HUM....you cant take the " " out of the equation.....but i dont feel this is your issue just yet.

You need to do what i keep telling Tyler to do by he wont do! Test with some clear line on the pressure side of the pump and also on the return side. This will let you know if you are getting air into the system after you kill the truck and let it sit. Normally you will see the air rush in at start up that usually does the "hard start" deed. SO might not hurt to bring some help.

You are using 2 Carter pumps. Both of these have a top gasket that is depended on even tightening of the bolts to seal the upper half of the pump. If these are somewhat loose...it will suck air. OR not prime. I had this one bite my donkey a few years back.

The relief valve on the return is not a likely source for the prob....but i would change it if you didnt when you did your pump. Unless it sticks open, i dont see this being an issue.....mainly its got filtered fuel going through it...and if there was debris causing it to stick open.....you have other issues....

If ya want.....call me tonight on this...i have a few other testing ideas that you can try...but will take too long to type out here.......

 

Thanks for the response, I will pick up a piece of clear 1/2" hose tonight and find some of those JIC fitting thingy to run from the filter to the pump... (what size are the vulcan kit fittings 8 or something). The return may be a little more difficult. I have the stock hard line still, I guess I could hook up a banjo with a nipple run it through some clear hose into a bucket or something??

If the pumps are sucking air then I will see the air in the feed hose to the pump correct?

 

The return should be even easier....I think some trucks had a rubber line held with 2 spring clamps......BUT some had a full steal line too....so......that might be a tough call (Come to think of it...that might have been the pressure line....).....you can always cut the line and then when your done.....get some oil resistant fuel line and hose clamp it...its on the return...so its low to no pressure.....

 

Ya was just thinking cut and replace myself... Mine is hard line all the way to the tank... Another q Where would one get those JIC fittings readily? as well as 1/2" and 3/8" clear diesel compatible fuel line?? Or will any clear line have to be removed after the test?? Figured I could leave to test over some time... I'll cut the return line about a foot back and place a clamp a clear line to it and use a banjo fitting with a nipple at the return outlet of the pump.

 

Sorry another thought.... Would it be beneficial to run tap after where the VP return and the head return meet? See if any air is coming from the head?

 

well.......the clear line will just turn yellow over time......and i bet you could run it for quite some time. We use it on our test stands here and never seen much of an issue with it...and we only change it because of the color issue.

My VW has a clear line going into the pump....kinda cool really......can see all the air that gets sucked in to the pump under normal operation.......needs a FASS! haha.....

As for the JIC....man.....you are on your own on that......OR call Eric Cordova.....he has anything you want....if you tell him you are a friend of mine.....he will charge you double...so watch out!

 

See...i got to sit and think about some of this stuff....haha.....i would start with the pressure side first....that is more than likely where you are sucking air.......if the check valve opens...it would back flush though your pressure side anyway. As for the injectors......they are easy enough to check after every think else has been elimiated......

 

It ain't the fact that I won't do it it's the fact that I don't have the time, place, or money to do it. I have to borrow people's driveway's so I can work on my truck and it's kinda hard to do that all the time.

Brian, this is what I've been dealing with except that I never have any white smoke or rough idling at all. It takes a good 5-10sec of cranking but once it lights it idles smooth as a kitten. It doesn't do it when parking down hill either. Parking up hill it's worse. Let me know how it works for you and where your problem is.

 

Well downhill was worse for me by far.... That is hen I had the rough idle and smoke!

 

Considering air travels uphill in a liquid....that is strange.......

 

Charlie's stuck on the side of the rode in grand junction, colorado with a dead VP44. It coughed and sputtered and died. Got the 1688 code is what he got.

 

I sure hate to hear all the trouble falling on our N. Texas DTR members. We lose Rob. Charlie is sitting on the side of the road in CO. Brian is having fueling problems. Tyler....well he is a problem in and of himself.. <jk>

Rowland had to pay a big fine for playing with his truck on the highway.

Tonight im involved in a car wreck at work in the squad. Idiot pulls into an intersection as the arrow turns from green to yellow and because im behind him he panics......and stops. Locks em up. I guess he thinks im going to go write him a ran red light ticket......couldn't be further from reality. Anyway, I had taken my eyes off of him just for a split second and look up and there he is stopped in the road. I slam on the brakes but it's to late. Wham! Then the 2nd wham when a Durasmack powered wrecker "Whams" into the rear of me............and he is wondering the same as me what is that fool doing stopping in the middle of the intersection for no reason!

Anyway...im ok. But I will get charged with the wreck because my car did the hitting from behind!

Wrecker driver went to jail though......due to a Probation Violation out of Tarrant Co.

 

Great...really making me look forward to coming home tomorrow.

Either I'm going to have truck issues when I get back to the airport....or I won't even make it back to the airport at all. I'll end up getting stuck somewhere between NYC and DFW.

 

May as well stay there in NYC a while. DFW is a big lake right now. We are getting all the rain we missed over the past 2 years, right now.....