Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Fuel Selenoid Woes

[RedRamer]

Trying to get that darm fuel selenoid off in the driveway and I find that the selenoid shaft is rusted to the fuel pump level.

(That little shim in the rubber gromet at the end of the rod is rusted to the lever shaft)



I see 2 bolts that hold that fuel pump lever to what seems to be a small fuel pump shaft (that shaft must be connected to the pump stem).

the top bolt has a nut at the end but I can't tell what the bottom bolt's got.



If I take those 2 bolts out, am I asking for trouble?



thanks.

 

[R.E. Miller]

Redrammer,

Fear not, you can take out those bolts and get that thing out of there, the bottom hole is threaded, and the top hole is the only one with hardware.



Russell

 

[illflem]

Do be careful if the rubber boot on the bottom of the solenoid is rotted out, it's what holds the innards together, parts can fly once the rod is disconnected from the lever.

 

[R.E. Miller]

Good call Bill.

Yea, forgot that little bit of info. The first time you play around with one of them, and it flys apart: First you feel like followed by

:-{}

Russell

 

[RedRamer]

Thanks.

Here' as recap and some new info in case someone else runs into this situation.

The shaft of the selenoid was rusted onto the swing arm of the injection pump. It's a pressed in ball joint which was rusted and jamming the movement of the swing arm, which held the selenoid in the open position and othertimes would not allow the selenoid to fully open the inj. valve.

Luckily, the swing arm is bolted to another arm that is attached to the injection pump shaft (on/off valve).

There are 2 bolts holding it, the top one has a nut in behind which can be grabed and the bottom bolt is treaded into the inj pump shaft.

Once those come off the swing arm fits through the selenoid holder.

I punched the shaft out of the ball joint, cleaned it / re-greased it all and put it back in and it's like new. Actually starts a little faster. Rubber boot was like new so no flying parts!!

 

[redram]

Glad you had a relatively simple fix - but this brings to mind that an ounce of prevention is worth hours and dollars in repair work.



I work in maintenance area of large production facilities - this sounds like a lack of attention to some of the smaller maintenance items that can lead to higher repair costs.



In addition to changing engine oil, air filter, fuel filter regularily,

I would recommend a once a year (or for you in the snow belt) a once before winter and once following winter maintenance day to lube with a penetrating spray (with a corrosion inhibitor) to lube all the linkage and cable areas on your truck.



This might help alleviate future problems.

 

[illflem]

Good call red. I used to work on Mercedes quite a bit, part of the oil change cycle service was to lube the throttle linkage pivots, all twenty something of them. I use aerosol white lithium grease to take care of my Dodges.

 

[RedRamer]

you're right.

On the trip it went south, I was knee deep in slush and salt.

Has there been a dealer along the way, when I lost my power, cause the valve was not fully openened, it probably would have cost me a new seloid valve.

Spray grease eh... good idea.

What I did was slide a "safe" around the joint andf filled it up with grease before wirewrapping it to the shaft