Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Is there a such thing as vapor lock on diesels?

[K_Arts]

Ok guys. . I am having a strange problem that I can't seem to troubleshoot.



If I have have to do some driving around town, I have noticed that the warmer my truck is, the harder it is too start. Prime example, I left work today and my truck started on the first crank. I got home, grabbed the wife and went and grabbed a bite to eat. When we started my truck in the driveway after the warm drive home, the truck started on probably the 3rd or 4th crank. We grabbed a bite to eat and when we left my truck didn't start till about the 10th crank.



Is there a such thing as Vapor lock on our trucks??? What's going on? I suspect it is my alternator not charging my batteries up to par... but what do you think? I have brand new Optima red top batteries... and so I am hoping they are fine. This problem is what led me to get new batteries. I suspected my old ones were bad, only because I could put a battery charger on them and after a little bit of charging my truck would again start on the first crank. What should I do????



Thanks guys



Kev

 

[78repowerwagon]

My 12 valve was acting kind of like that. It would be running fine down the road then get to a light and it would start missing. Shut it off and it was a bear to start. When it did start, it would blow blue smoke and miss bad. It was sucking air when it got below 1/3 tank. Fixed that and all was well.

 

[K_Arts]

I can say that I'm not sure if my truck is sucking air... but I never go below half a tank.



I just thought of it... could it be my lift pump going south? I don't have a fuel pressure gauge... (That's next on the list). . but that would totally make sense.



Kev

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

kevin

there is a tsb for hard starting out there. once you get it your lift pump will only run for a second and then shut off to help with warm starts.



jim