[BIGBYRD4]

Last month I was having problems with the truck not starting off and on. I suspected the CPS and had it towed to the dealer to get the recall done. They put a new one in and I drove it home. I then drove it several times after that with no problems.

A week or two later I went to go somewhere and it wouldn't start. I gave it a shot of ether and it fired up OK and I went on my way. My daughter's boyfriend is a mechanic and I asked him about it and we went to the truck to check it out. It would not start until he gave it a shot of ether then it fired right up. After a few minutes, though, it started loosing power and would not stay running. It would cut off, but then crank right back up and repeat. I checked the fuel bowl to see if it was getting fuel and noticed the filter was looking kinda dirty. I got a new filter and, after another shot of ether, the truck cranked up and I ran a few trips to town and back, 40 miles.

Weekend before this one, I drove back to the barn and hooked up the 4 horse stock trailer so we could go to a show in Charleston. The truck ran fine when I drove back to the barn, while hooking up the trailer and driving back to the house. Saturday morning when we went to leave it cranked up OK because I had plugged it in the night before. She ran good for a few minutes then started running rougher and rougher until it acted like it was only running on 4 cylinders. I did get a very slight wiff of burned electrical smell and figured it was the UVCH. I also knew I had some glow plugs that were bad so this weekend we replaced both of the UVCH and all 8 glow plugs.

After replacing everything I tried to start the truck and the batteries were too weak so I put it on the charger and we tried this morning. At first it would just spin over so I gave it a shot of ether (glow plugs were disconnected) and it would run for a second or two then nothing. We did this for a couple of times to no avail. I looked in the fuel filter bowl and there was only a very little bit in the bowl. The filter still looked like new but there was no fuel in the bowl. There is also no fuel in the valley.

I will get a crow's foot tomorrow and take the fuel filter housing apart and I will also get a pressure valve to check the pressure. In the mean time do any of you have any other ideas or suggestions?

 

[Excavator]

check the fuel psi at the schrader valve while cranking. Sounds like fuel pump is bad. Fuel psi should be over 40 while cranking. Also check the hpop res to see if the oil level dropped from all the spinning but the problem seems to be fuel psi

 

[Jeep1947]

Check the under valve cover wiring harness. Pull the oil fill cap and smell to see if smells like burned electrical wires. It will run on one bank if harness is bad. Sounds like that is what you have.

 

[Excavator]

Check the under valve cover wiring harness. Pull the oil fill cap and smell to see if smells like burned electrical wires. It will run on one bank if harness is bad. Sounds like that is what you have.

He says in the post that he replaced them this weekend

 

[Jeep1947]

Sorry Jim post was lengthy and eyes are heavy been on this thing too long today. Thanks for catching me, think I will go to bed. LOL

 

[Excavator]

Sorry Jim post was lengthy and eyes are heavy been on this thing too long today. Thanks for catching me, think I will go to bed. LOL

That makes 2 of us :zzz:

 

[Believer45]

May be a simple question but here goes.

How long since the last oil change? You did not say and mine was having real issues that had me thinking HPOP, IDM or ECM. Just needed an oil change.

It had gone long (actually a lot long, but that is another story that is HERE)

Dave / Believer45

 

[BIGBYRD4]

It has not been more than 5,000 miles on the oil that's in it, but I am game for anything. Especially if it is cheaper and easier than a new fuel pump.

I will change the oil when I get home and post the results.

 

[Believer45]

It has not been more than 5,000 miles on the oil that's in it, but I am game for anything. Especially if it is cheaper and easier than a new fuel pump.

I will change the oil when I get home and post the results.

5K on the oil I would not bother changing. It should be fine unless it has been contaminated with something.

 

[BIGBYRD4]

Changing the oil did not help. But, hey, the oil needed changing anyway.

I put a pressure guage on the schrader valve while cranking and it did not move.

Since the fuel bowl is empty, for whatever reason, do you think I should fill the bowl with fuel and try to get it to run. At least run on the fuel in the bowl, anyway. I will probably try that tomorrow, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Does the fuel pump just go out like that? I have read the other threads with instructions and if filling the bowl doesn't work, I guess I will be replacing the fuel pump.

 

[427chevelle]

don't forget to look at the suction side of the fuel system. just because you have no fuel in the filter housing does not always mean the pump is bad.
the tank transfer valve may be acting up or you may have a vacuum leak on the suction side. (ex: crack in a fuel line will cause you to suck air). just a thought

 

[BIGBYRD4]

How would I check the suction side of the fuel pump?

 

[427chevelle]

If you have a mechanical pump the best way to isolate the suction side would be connect a fuel hose directly to the inlet side of the pump, submerge the other end of the hose into a fuel can filled with diesel and crank the engine. if the pump does not pick up the fuel you have a bad pump, if it does pick up the fuel you either have a restriction in the suction side (or a possible cracked hose allowing the system to pick up air) of the fuel system.

 

[tcgrmt]

I had an intermittent no start condition and it ended up being a leaking PCM seal @ the fire wall. I had pulled the connector to the PCM and it was clean. But the water was leaking down inside the PCM and was corroded inside.

 

[BIGBYRD4]

must be the fuel pump

Yesterday I tried filling the fuel bowl with fuel to see if it would start that way and either pull more fuel up or run the bowl empty. It did neither. It would not run and the fuel level in the bowl never changed. It would run for a few seconds on ether, but that was it. I had plugged it in on a time so it would be somewhat warmed up and I wouldn't need the glow plugs. The wierd thing is one of the prongs on the truck plug somehow got too hot and melted to the timer. I have used this timer numerous times before and never had this happen. I don't know what to make of that.

I tried the pressure guage again on the schrader valve and got nothing. I got up on the motor and looked good with a spotlight and I can see where there has been fuel leaking into the valley, so I am going to put another fuel pump in her this weekend.

Advance shows two pumps on their website, a Bosch unit for $75 and a Carter one for $82. Is one better than the other?

 

[Jeep1947]

Fuel Pump

Carter is the only supplier of this lift pump, don't know what is in the bosch package unless it is a Carter pump. Check to see if it is and get the cheaper one it is made by the same company. Hope this helps

 

[BIGBYRD4]

Woo-Hoo she's running like a top

I put the new fuel pump in this past weekend. Thanks to the daughter's fiance, who got the banjo bolt for me. My big fat fingers and hands would have never been able to get it started.

After a bunch of cranking and battery charging and more cranking the old girl fired up and ran like a top. With the new glow plugs, GPR, CPS, UVCH, starter and fuel pump the old girl ought to be good for another 300,000 miles.

Many, many thanks to everyone who posted their help. You guys are the best.