truck starts funny, if at all

[mjoppie]

my friends truck is a first gen, that sometimes wont start. after shutting it off, sometimes it will start right up or it might have to roll over for a while, hot or cold, dont matter. anyone have any ideas what it would be?? im a p pump guy so i look to you guys for some help. thanks a million guys







matt

 

[Simplysmn]

Maybe a crack in a fuel line letting air in when he shut's it off ? hummmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[mjoppie]

thats the first thing i said, but he said it does it sometimes but not others, so i thought i would see what you guys thought. it seems like i heard about sompthing like this before when i was browsing the 1st gen forum, but i cant remember what it was called. maybe im losing my marbles:-{} i just figured i would get some better info before diving into this truck.

 

[FourBarR]

fuel solnoid on the injection pump. when it doesnt start have someone watch to see if the lever on the solneoid moves up ,if not pull it up truck should start. Im not a first gen. but have had it happen on cummins in heavey eqpt. hope this helps.

 

[Rebel Ram]

On a VE you cannot see the fuel solenoid in action. It is all internal. Check for voltage at the solenoid wire with ignition in the on position. If yes then maybe have to pull the sol to check for proper opp. However, these tend to fail in the opposite manner. I. E. Will not shut off.

When he is having this problem and it eventualy starts, Does it gradually start to fire on odd cylinders or fire off all at once? If gradually I would suspect he is loosing prime somewhere. And not pre pump. If the pump has fuel it should fire even if the supply lines are dry. (briefly)

 

[DThibault]

My truck still does the same thing. I've figured out a few things. Its worse when it gets below half a fuel tank and much worse when I park it nose up hill. I have been told it is the fuel line from the tank to the lift pump and that is where I am going to look first when the weather gets warm enough. It will eventually start and run fine but it takes some cranking some days. Good luck and post what you find.

 

[mjoppie]

i am going to try and get over and look at it today, i will repost some of my findings, good or bad. i think today i am looking for line leaks, i hate doing that too.

 

[TWorline]

If it still has a diaphram lift pump on it that may be the culprit. I had an intermittent hard start problem for 2 weeks till I installed the "sexy piston lift pump" on my truck. If it won't start at all then it probably is the solenoid.

 

[RGramlow]

If it still has a diaphram lift pump on it that may be the culprit. I had an intermittent hard start problem for 2 weeks till I installed the "sexy piston lift pump" on my truck. If it won't start at all then it probably is the solenoid.

Where did you get the sexy piston lift pump?

 

[TWorline]

Where did you get the sexy piston lift pump?

I ordered it straight from Cummins, it along with all of the pieces for the install were on my doorstep the next night when I got off work.

 

[Nordby]

If not starting, or dying, crack an injector and turn it over. Confirm if foaming (air) or no fuel (shutoff solenoid, plugged filter, plugged line, plugged inlet at tank).

I had a gas cap (fuel filler cap!) on my first gen quit venting. So, when driving it would create a vacuum, or when the temp changed hot-to cold and the fuel contracted it would create a vacuum. Pull the cap and see if a vacuum is created. Add to that from the tank to the lift-pump inlet is pulling a vacuum and there are plenty of places to pull air instead of fuel. Check all those connections and lines. They won't leak fuel, so hard to find.

I've also had a hard start issue solved by tightening the "hidden" fuel line fitting between the fuel filter housing and the inlet of the pump - it is under the intake on the driver's side, above the tappet housing. You almost have to feel for it to know it is there.

Good luck,
jon.

 

[dpuckett]

Yup, and the injector lines are right in the darn way, too. I am tempted to run straight fuel hose with some AN fittings (or whatever they're called), but havent got that far yet.



Daniel

 

[DieselTim]

hard to start

I will add one more thing, it is a bit harder to check but I would check the pick up tube inside the fuel tank. If it is harder to start with less than half a tank or with the nose down hill then I would look inside the tank for a cracked line letting in air when it is sitting and therefor loosing prime.



Dieseltim