Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 99 won't start

[lschultz]

Well I think it finally happened to my sons 99. He changed fuel filter like he has been doing every 10000 miles. He has around 150000 now and it won't start. You can hear the lift pump running but I don't beleive its moving any fuel. Cracked open one of the plugs on top of filter and ran pump but no fuel comes out it. Opened drain and what fuel he had poured in there ran out. Bumped starter and you hear the lift pump run but with the drain open no fuel runs out. I told him I think his lift pump when belley up. I would assume with a plug on top cracked open or the drain up and the lift pump running that fuel should run out. When I go to work tomorrow I will call the Cummings shop in Austin and see if they are open and get one. I have read all the problems people have with lift pumps and now its his turn.

 

[csevers]

He got 150k out of an oem pump? that is pretty good I am on #3 at 105k. Get a fuel pressure gauge installed pre and post and he can hold off on the filter changes till he sees some difference in PSI across the filter.



Craig

 

[MCummings]

Originally posted by lschultz

Cracked open one of the plugs on top of filter and ran pump but no fuel comes out it.

If you pull that plug all the way out, you should have an old faithfull. Fuel will pour/shoot out of it.



Sounds like the LP is shot. Get one from Cummins,, ~$130



Merrick Cummings Jr

 

[lschultz]

Well my son replaced the lift pump and we got it running. Had to bleed the air at injector pump and then wound up having to bleed it on #3 cyl. Could not find any pumps at shops here in Austin,they would have to order it,so he wound up getting one from the dealer in La Grange(they had 3 in stock). They sell for 250 but since I have bought 4 trucks and gonna be 5 and he will buy from them when he decides to get a new one they gave him a fair discount on it.

 

[lschultz]

Maybe again

Son came over last night to change his oil filter and replace his fuel filter. Replaced fuel filter and it would not start. Had to bleed air out at #1 and it started. Maybe it just got some air in system for some reason. But we are gonna put a fuel pressure gage on it and check lift pump again and see what it shows. Hope he kept the receipt from his last pump he replaced.

 

[Ncostello]

I bought a pigtail adapter plug and made a harness to hook directly to the battery. That way I can run the pump for as long as I want without bumping the starter every 20 seconds. I know it shouldn't have to be this way... but sometimes you cannot properly purge the air out without opening a plug an running the pump for a decent amount of time.



Even with a new lift pump (back when it was still in the OEM location)... my 99 was always very tempermental about filter changes. Sometimes it would purge right out and others it acted like too much air was in there and would not prime for anything.



One things for sure. When you run it constantly from 12V power... you can definately hear the difference in tone once it pickups fuel and starts pumping. Its rrrrrr versus RRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!. I'll run it for a minute or two after it picks up. All air is gone by then and it fires immediately.