Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) PITA Lift Pump Install

[Black-Smoker]

I put my fuel pressure gauge in on Saturday and low and behold my FP was 8 psi at idle and I could drag it all the way down to 0 at WOT . I called Napa this morning and they wanted 195. 00 for the pump. So then I called the Freightliner dealer and they told me they would sell it to me for 130. 00 and I could pick it up at Cummins. So I did that.



I got home tonight and started to put it in. I took loose the fuel filter and moved it out of the way then went to take the mounting nuts off the lift pump one came off and the other two just spun the studs out of the lift pump. Now I don't have to tell you its not very roomy down there but it was a PITA to hold an open end wrench and the socket with one hand and get those nuts off. Well I got the old one off finally and the new one back on but then managed to drop the inner sealing washer off the back bango not once but twice into the dirt .



By now it was completely dark and I found my self crawling around in the dirt with a 500 watt halogen light looking for the washer as one of the of the mounting nuts. Now its starting to get cold (well cold to me) low 40's I find the sealing washers both times but the nut is long gone. I finish up after finding a nut and hop in the truck and bump the starter and wait to hear the new lift pump fire up. Well thats right I hear nothing. This worked every time with the old pump. I go back under the hood and make shure all the electrical connections are snapped together tightely and they are. I try to test for voltage with my test light but can get nothing. I even unhooked the new pump and pluged the the old pump in to see if that would work and It still would not fire up. By the way once that wiring harness is clipped together it's a mother to get apart with one hand. I even went as far as to switch the relay out for the lift pump.



And of course the little lady was expectiing us to go christmas shopping tonight and keeps reminding me that this is taking to long. :-laf



By now I am a little more than frustrated and decide to go in and get another beer and think about the situation. After I finshed my beer I decided to try and start the truck. To my suprise after about 30 sec of cranking it fired right up and FP was a steady 16 psi. I dont know why the lift pump would not cycle on before i'll have to check it tomarow but it seems to work good while driving. I can still pull my FP down to 8 psi so I think some bigger fuel lines are in order.



Sorry for the long post just venting a little #@$%!



Thanks

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

NOTE TO SELF:



Self, when working on stuff out in dirt or gravel, lay some cardboard or similar UNDER the vehicle to catch dropped parts, tools, etc...



Failing to do that the FIRST time is understandable, but TWICE?

 

[Oil Burner]

dropped a washer in the dark on the last one I changed. looked for it for two hours, took everything apart and removed the fuel filter housing too, trying to get a better angle to find this thing. I was sure it was laying on the framerail or something. looked under the truck extensively, too. Then I gave up, went to the cummins shop and bought two of every banjo washer he had. This won't happen again!



Oh yeah, the next morning I backed the truck out to leave for a trip to upstate New York, guess what I saw while backing down the driveway? Yep, that washer.



Jason

 

[CEpp]

another note to self, self, dont start a project unless uve aloted the time a normal person takes to do the job x 2.

 

[Oil Burner]

Things can and will go wrong. Always make sure you have a back up plan, or in my case, another car to get to the parts store. No matter how good you are, you WILL find yourself in a position that you didn't anticipate or allot time for.



Normal person, what's that?



Jason

 

[RHARVEY]

Suggestion!

When you pick up the new lp. . pick up some of those banjo bolt washers. I have changed out enough fuel lines and lps that I have 18 or so in the tool box.



Rick

 

[SnoKing]

You were bumping the starter to run the fuel pump, right? SNOKING

 

[Sixpack]

You were bumping the starter to run the fuel pump, right? SNOKING

My thought EXACTLY... . :-laf

 

[Black-Smoker]

Yes I bumped the starter to run the fuel pump just like always. And yes I should have bought some extra sealing washers at Cummins instead of just getting four. :{ Trust me I will do better next time.

 

[KYLE4]

I had the same problem still pulling down to 8lbs I installed large fuel lines and Bd lift pump kit it's a pressure pump which works with stock lift pump inline I haven't been able to pull under 14 since then

 

[terrywerm]

A hair bit off topic, but related.



I used to use Gary's idea of placing a piece of cardboard under the truck when working on a dirt or gravel surface, and it worked well, but sometimes items would fall, then bounce when hitting the cardboard, and then ended up who knows where.



I changed my method to something that I found works VERY well - use an old blanket. Items don't bounce when they land, even after a long fall. The one I've been using is light blue in color, and you can see parts laying on it from a mile away. When it gets too dirty, I just take it to the laundromat to wash it, as my wife says it's too greasy to put into her new front load washing machine. Go figure!

 

[rweis]

I use an old use to be white sheet under the truck even in the driveway. Things bounce a little but easy to find. Oh and KNOW where the magnet retreiver is. When things fall and DON'T bounce then that's a problem. Found more than one thing in the steering suspension system with the magnet. Great for dropped wrenches too



Bob Weis