Archived Dead on the road HELP!!

[JoeyJ]

Got a weird one.

Just went through a bad lift pump and some air leaks a few weeks ago and truck has been doing great.

On a business trip and went out to the truck this morning and it cranked over and would fire briefly (like the issue above) tried to prime it but it has plenty of fuel. I had to go to meetings all day so had someone pick me up for the meetings. Got back this afternoon tried to crank it and it cranked right up. I shut it off and when I went back to crank it literally 2 minutes later itwas a no go. While I was under the hood looking for anything out of the ordinary I noticed that the upper radiator hose was completely colapsed. I opened the radiator cap to relieve the pressure, plenty of coolant. It was in the low 40s last night but I don't think that had anything to do with it.

I've got to head home in the morning so any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

[JoshPeters]

The upper hose being collapsed sounds like a bad radiator cap. It's not drawing back into the system.



The no start... . It sounds like your fuel supply/return lines. I don't know anything about your previous work/post. So please expand so I/we can further help.



JP

 

[JoeyJ]

Thanks Josh,

Here's the link to my lift pump string for more info on my previous problem.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169376.

I would swear it's a fuel issue if it hadn't have run after sitting all day. Then to not run 2 minutes later. If I pump the primer button you can hear it pumping through I'm guessing the overflow valve. I haven't cracked any fitting to check for fuel, just going by my previous experience of priming these and the sound once it has fuel to the injector pump. I wondered if the cold weather (cold for CA) may have been an issue as I removed the pre heater but it doesn't seem likely that low 40s high 30s would have this kind of effect.

 

[JoshPeters]

Out of everything you did on your previous project, I didn't see the supply/return lines. That's where I would start.



I've replaced them once on my truck, and I think I'm due again.



JP

 

[Grey Wolf]

Joey go with Josh's suggestion

 

[JoeyJ]

I replaced the return line during the pump replacement. What I'm hearing here is that it has to be a fuel delivery issue, right?

I had planned to replace the overflow valve just be safe, anyway.

It's about 34 degrees here right now so I'll try to get under the truck to get a feel for what it's going to take to replace the feed from the tank. Any tips would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[JoeyJ]

I've been PMing with JoeG regarding this and he brought up the fuel solenoid relay as a potential problem, as well. Just thought it was important enough to mention here for those that read this later.

I quote Joe:

The ONLY electrical thing involved with starting is the fuel solenoid. The fuel solenoid is another thing people insist on replacing when it is not the problem. The next time it refuses to start leave the key on. Then check to see if the fuel solenoid rod has pulled up. If it has not then pull it up and try starting again. If that works (don't turn the key off, just twist it to start) then something is wrong. The most likely culpret is the fuel solenoid relay. It is the larger of the two on the firewall on the engine side of the master cylinder. The other possible cause for that is the blue wire on the positive post of the battery. It may be loose or corroded or broken. There have been cases of the fuel solenoid boot cracking so that it gets tangled up in the linkage and prevents the fuel solenoid from working properly.

 

[wcjp]

I replaced the fuel solenoid boot with a new one from LarryB on my 96'.

 

[JoeyJ]

Well JoeG did it again!!

It's the fuel solenoid relay or power feed wire (I'll post which one, later). I was able to manually engage the solenoid and she fired right up. I'll be able to make it home today without taking my truck apart in the Ramada parking lot, lol.

Thanks to all that took the time to help!!

Joe I owe you dinner someday when our paths cross!

Thank you TDR, I proudly display my TDR sticker in my back window!!!!

 

[JoshPeters]

Great call Joe!



I was thinking about this on my way to work too, and thought the same thing. I just didn't get the chance to post till now.



Happy to hear your on the road again!



JP

 

[JoeyJ]

Yep... made it home... ... ... ... it was driving me nuts that it cranked that one time after a day of sitting and then wouldn't crank right back up. I asked Joe what if any electrical was associated to the fuel delivery system. I've been starting to get electrical gremlins lately, like an intermitent short somewhere in the A/C compressor circuit and the air bag light/parking brake light syndrome. Got to get the service bulletin for that one and take it into the dealer. Also gonna yank all the connectors and give em a nice cleaning and coating with dielectric grease.

Any one got a part number for the fuel solenoid relay in case that's it?

Thanks again!

 

[Joe G.]

You can go by Dodge and get robbed big time with the part number. Over $50 for it the last time I heard. Might be more because my hearing is poor anyway and shorts out when people try to rob me. Or you can buy relay on the bottom of this page for less than $10:

http://www.alliedelec.com/Catalog/Indices/Products.asp?sid=456CCD8077B0617F&N=4294966797

 

[JoshPeters]

Or for $15, you can do what I did and eliminate the electrical all together. I used a Choke cable from the "help" section at my local parts store. All you have to do is find a way to either Pull or push the linkage up. Not terribly difficult. I think I spent an hour on mine!