Help--Fuel Dumping While Driving!

[ESchoon]

While driving on my way home today from work (50 mile commute) my truck start belching white smoke out the back. Cars behind me were having to turn on their wipers. Made it to my daughters day care and when I stepped out of the truck I could smell fuel. Looked under the truck and see/smell a puddle of fuel under the driver's side of the truck. Made it home (2 miles) and the low fuel light came on when I pulled in the driveway, I had over a half a tank when I left work.



I looked under the hood but didn't see where it was coming from. Any idea what would cause so much fuel to be dumping from the passenger side of the motor? Maybe lift pump, fuel filter??



Really need to find this fast since it's my only source of transportation.



Thanks!



Eric

 

[Steve Graham]

If you start it up and fuel is poring out from between the pump and engine block where you can't see it, the fix is a seal on a cover plate in the inside. I had this happen to my truck. To fix it the pump has to come off to gain access to the plate. IF you take to Dodge they will sell you a reman pump $$$$ for the fix. Find a friendly Diesel injection shop and they can pull the pump, reseal it for much less than the cost of a reman pump.



Or it could be the lift pump, I had that go the same way, on the road dumping fuel.



Or the real dumb trick is to leave the fuel filter drain open just a little and dump fuel that way.



Either way start it up, lift the hood and see wher the fuel is comeing from.



Steve

 

[cerberusiam]

If its the drivers side like you first indicated, check the drain valve on the bottom of the fuel filter.



Don't ask how I know about that.

 

[ESchoon]

If you start it up and fuel is poring out from between the pump and engine block where you can't see it, the fix is a seal on a cover plate in the inside.

Steve

This is my problem, looked like a water fall when running. I've never seen anything like it.



So about how much I'm I looking at to get this fixed by a local shop?



Really appreciate the quick response guys!

 

[Steve Graham]

This is my problem, looked like a water fall when running. I've never seen anything like it.



So about how much I'm I looking at to get this fixed by a local shop?



Really appreciate the quick response guys!

sorry, have no idea on the cost. My incident cost me a pump. Found out later about the cheaper fix



Steve

 

[cerberusiam]

This is my problem, looked like a water fall when running. I've never seen anything like it.



So about how much I'm I looking at to get this fixed by a local shop?



Really appreciate the quick response guys!

Actually the o-ring is accessible from the outside of the pump. You have to pull the pump to get to it though. A VE reseal should run a couple hundred. For $600 you should be able to get a rebuild if most of your hard parts are good. Prices vary but thats been in the ball park from what I have seen.



Good luck.

 

[ESchoon]

It's headed to the local Diesel shop tomorrow morning. If it's just the seal, they said 264. 00 plus parts and if the pump needs a rebuild it would be right at 1500. 00! :{ Hope it's just the seals.

 

[sdstriper]

To hell with that noise! A seal kit is under $20 if your handy. I have one I bought a few days after I got the truck, bought it on ebay for $13. That price they quoted you for a rebuild is twice what you can get it done for if you ship it off.

 

[paccool]

Sorta depends on if the labor is included in the $1500 price. I had the same thing happen about 4 years ago and told them to go ahead and rebuild it when it was out. It had lasted about 175,000 miles and figured it was time anyway. It was about $1500 then. Just got thru installing another one last fall looking for my low power problem with the twins.

 

[ESchoon]

paccool---the 1500. 00 did include labor, the pump itself was 1100. 00. I called PDR and they can sell me a modified VE pump for 1350. 00 with a 1 year warranty. So if the pump is bad, that will probably be the route I go.

 

[bgilbert]

I would go with a www.scheiddiesel.com pump before PDR. Cheaper too. I would clean things up real good and determine the source of the fuel leak(s).

 

[rlyons]

I wish i could get $400. 00 to R&R the pumps. Takes about an hour to do. These folks have pumps for $695. 00.

http://store.dieselcare.net/doinpu.html

My local shop quoted me $350. 00 to rebuild if I remove it.

 

[PToombs]

I would go with a www.scheiddiesel.com pump before PDR.

Jeez Bill, he doesn't want a P-pump! :-laf

 

[ESchoon]

Well they wound up wanting 2K to fix it. So I said I would be there tomorrow to pick it up. A good friend of mine knows a good diesel mechanic in a small town south of me so I will be hauling it over there tomorrow after work. He thinks (my friends mechanic) it won't be more than 3 or 400 to rebuild it.

 

[dpuckett]

Good move. I wouldnt give $1500 for a REMAN of my old pump, even if they DID replace everything inside. Local shop here can do a clean/reseal. / throttle shaft upgrade for around $400. WIsh they'd have replaced the springs while they were in there, but they said they looked fine. If you do get the pump rebuilt, get the springs replaced- they are <$50, and worth the money in fuel savings if something gets weak inside.



Daniel

 

[ESchoon]

Just an update

The pump turned out to be fine other than needing new seals. I should have the truck back by tomorrow! Oo.





Thanks again for all the replies guys!