Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Dead truck

[kenny61]

3 days ago I stared my truck went down the street it started running rough and died. Pulled over and after cranking and hand pumping primer button , which never got hard, I got it refired and it ran fine until today. Went to start it and it ran rough and died did this a few times but just couldnt get it to stay running. . Hand prime will not pump up. Im guessing I either have a leak letting in air or its the fuel pump. the truck has 276,000. Whats throwing me for a loop is if I pump the hand primer I feel no suction on the inlet(I took the hose off). Do I got a pump issue or a line issue? regarding pump tick Im half deaf and proabably couldnt hear it if it was there

 

[kenny61]

and yes my solenoid is working

 

[GAmes]

Our pumps are really two pumps, the hand actuated one and the cam actuated one. 276k is close to the normal life span. Apparantly you don't have a fuel pressure gauge. That is the only way to determine if the pump failed other than replacing it. If you remove the bleed screw from the top of the filter do you get fuel, bubbles or nothing? If you get fuel, the filter is probably clogged. Bubbles indicate to me an air leak. Nothing I assume is a total pump failure.

 

[kenny61]

Everything but a fuel pressure gauge... . I put a new pump in but still couldn't get it started or any fuel to the filter. So I filled the fuel filter and it fired right up but had fuel pouring on the ground. I realized I didn't tighten the steel line to the heater assembly and tightened that and it started right up but still had fuel on the ground. and realized I didn't tighten the steel line exiting the pump. tightened that and it started right up. I park on a hill so will let it sit overnight and see if it loses its prime at least now I know its not the pump and I figured it was do for one anyway. I forgot about both steel lines because I had to stop and go inside and take care of some other stuff. . When I got the old pump out I noticed fuel behind the priming plunger boot

 

[kenny61]

Started this am. stumbled for a split second about 15 seconds after starting maybe a left over bubble. I guess another day or 2 to be sure but I think got it

 

[GAmes]

Ya, those pesky fittings. :-laf On one of my replacements I didn't tighten the 90 elbow into the pump enough and spent two days and quite a few posts on the TDR before I finally pressurized the tank and saw air bubbles escapng the fitting. A different pump required a new square cut o-ring on the inlet side steel line. TDR came through on that one pretty quickly.

 

[kenny61]

Fired right up this am with no problems. I was feeling confident till I saw your post about o-rings. . I changed this thing in the dark in the rain. I never saw any... Now im gonna be wondering... .

 

[GAmes]

If it starts right up you are in good shape. The o-ring is hard to see, it goes on the end of the inlet hard line and is usually reusable.