Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Lost prime. Best way to get it back?

[Marek]

Left my '95 5spd 2wd parked facing uphill (a no-no, I know) with a quarter tank of fuel (also a no-no, I know) for a week, just went to move it yesterday and it won't start. Replaced ff 2,000 miles ago.

Two years ago I had similar problems starting, so I replaced the supply/return "rubber" lines at the fire wall with the kit from Larry B. Which worked just fine until yesterday.

Fuel shutoff solenoid it not retracting on it's own (coincidence or not?), but I've been pulling it up manually before cranking (yes, after I've turned and left the the ignition in the "on" position).

Usually when I park on an incline and have a hard time starting, I can push the primer on the lift pump, crank it, prime it etc... and eventually it'll start. Been trying for two days now, drained the batteries dead and still nothing.



So, from what I've been reading on the forum it sounds like I'm not even getting fuel to the fuel filter, since I don't feel or hear any fuel passing when I push the primer (at least 40-50 times).

Are there quick and easy points to disconnect the fuel lines from the tank and drop in a bucket of fuel, then priming and see if fuel gets to the filter that way, or... ?



Any other thoughts or suggestions? Cracking injectors?

 

[Missouri Mule]

Yes you could put the supply line into a pail but first try cracking open the supply line banjo bolt on top of filter then try primming again. Look at the banjo bolt to see when fuel comes out (air bubbles will come out first).



Then try to start. If not crack open supply line going to P7100 to see if it is getting fuel. If it is crack open and injector line,crank unit you get fuel out of it then try to start.



I would try putting 5 gal of fuel into tank the fuel senfing units are known to send false readings.



Your lift pump could be bad but I doubt it.



Fuel shut off solenoid: your fuel shut off solenoid relay mite be bad and depending on year your truck or you mite have burnt up the fusible link or blown a fuse.

 

[Marek]

Alright, I'll try that when I get home from work tonight.

Forgot to mention, I put ten gallons of diesel in the tank, and rolled it down hill a little while trying to start it. So it's sitting a little more level right now.

Thanks.

 

[MLee]

As mentioned there is 10mm bolt above the fuel filter in the fuel line, crack this a couple threads, push the primer botton, you should get fuel/bubbles coming out, tighten this down and just keep moving forward, breaking lines to make sure you are getting the fuel to the injectors. Also make sure with someone holding the solenoid in up postion that it is not droping because of low batteries. Make sure you fuel filter is tight, and not letting in air.

 

[The patriot]

If you have an air compressor, crack the bleed nut on top of the filter housing and apply 3-4 psi press to the fuel tank until fuel runs w/o bubbles.

 

[Marek]

Wow.

Well, got it running. Luckily my neighbor came over to help. Unfortunately, I'm still not exactly sure what happened. We were applying air pressure to the tank and just barely getting a few bubbles at first at the top of the fuel filter housing, then nothing. Tried it over and over.

Finally I checked the pre-filter, since it's the only thing between the tank and the lift pump, and sure enough it was packed with a black grit. Any one have any suggestions as to what it might be? Looked kind of like decaying plastic from the pre filter itself, or maybe gasket material?

Anyway, got that cleaned and back on, then we started all over again, pressurizing the tank and cracking the ff banjo bolt, then the injector pump banjo bolt, then a couple lines coming off the injector pump, then injector lines at the head.

Not sure why letting it sit for a week with low fuel would have all the sudden caused the pre-filter to clog. But it seems like cleaning it out is what allowed fuel to finally get to the pump.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Much appreciated.

 

[The patriot]

IIRC it's called asphaltine. Or something like that.

It's normal for the latest greatest formulation of diesel. :{

Dont be to worried about it. Nothing you can do about it.

 

[GAmes]

Left my '95 5spd 2wd parked facing uphill (a no-no, I know) with a quarter tank of fuel (also a no-no, I know) for a week

Those things by themselves will not result in an engine that won't start. I am sure it took a long time for the prefilter to get clogged, I only check mine about every 100k miles, and then it rarely has anything in it. In your case, timing was the culprit. It would not have started if you had parked it nose down with a full tank of fuel.



At any rate, I recommend you get a fuel sample analysis. Asphaltine has been in diesel fuel since day 1, and is too small to be picked up by the pre-filter. Those of us with canister filters see it as the black color when we change out filters.

 

[Marek]

Never gotten a fuel analysis. Is that something a local shop could do, or do I send away for it?

Also, I noticed today a tear in the shutoff solenoid boot. It's not retracting when the key is switched to the "on" position. Just ordered a replacement boot, relay, and fuse-able link, but I'd like to take it off and clean it. Are there any springs, pistons, gaskets, or other surprises waiting to pop out and ruin my day when I pull it?

Thanks.

 

[hsmith]

Piece of cake. Spring, yes, but no big deal. I prefer to use the boot, but some do just fine without it.

 

[GAmes]

Just switching the key to on will not pull up the plunger. It should go up when you go to the start position. I have been running without a boot for several years, probably close to a half million miles. When you remove it the only tricky part to warn you of is the little hairpin clip that holds the plunger to the fuel arm. I use a pair of needle nose and make very sure I do not get distracted.



There are several web sites that advertise fuel sample kits. I guess you just have to pick one, I only heard of fuel sampling recently myself. Before you do that check out the rubber fuel line from the tank. Is it old or not rated for diesel and deteriorating?

 

[fest3er]

... Asphaltine has been in diesel fuel since day 1, and is too small to be picked up by the pre-filter. Those of us with canister filters see it as the black color when we change out filters.

And one might be surprised by how much of it can accumulate on a filter and still have fuel flow through the filter. Can you say 'media warped, no pleats visible'? Sure. I knew you could.

 

[Marek]

"Before you do that check out the rubber fuel line from the tank. Is it old or not rated for diesel and deteriorating?"



I'll take a closer look in the morning, but what I remember seeing is hard lines from the tank running along the frame, then switching to fuel hose right at the firewall (which I replaced a couple years ago with the kit from Larry B. ) then going back to short sections of hard line to the heater/prefilter, etc...