Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) sudden hard starting

[BDudley]

I've looked in the archives but did not find this particular situation. My truck suddenly began having hard start issues one afternoon. If I just attemp to start it without going through the pre-start (summer time) it will crank for 15-20 seconds before starting. If I wait for the prestart (let pusher run and grid heaters cycle) it cranks immediately like it used to do without the prestart.

I'm running a holley blue as a stand alone pusher. My mileage has not gone down and I do not see any signs of a fuel leak. The hoses are 1 year old and show no signs of letting air into the system. Once it cranks it runs great. I will do the hard start thing even if I attempt to crank it immediately after I shut it down. The vp44 is 1 year old, the bullydog torque pup is turned off.

Any suggestions? 1998. 5 24v 5spd drw upgraded to 235hp vp44, performance injectors from Red Oak Diesel Clinic. running stanadyne performance formula fuel additive.

 

[BWagnaar]

Did you change the overflow valve when you did the pump? Its a check ball in your return line that prevents the VP-from draining out. It might be letting some drain out and letting the pusher pump run longer will prime the system again.

 

[BDudley]

I did install a new valve. But that sounds like a place to look. I was thinking the check valve in my pusher may be bad and letting it drain back to the tank.

 

[DFerverda]

Mine did that last week, i replaced the battery's and that didn't help. It ended up being the starter, put in a new one and it cranks and fires in less then a second now.

When acting up , i had to crank it for about 10 seconds .

Put a meter on the battery's and see what it pulls down to when tring to start the truck, mine pulled down to 9 volts, that is why i thought the 3 year old battery's were going.

The starter sounded fine but would not spin the motor fast enough to fire right away. The new starter fixed the problem. The truck is a 98. 5 and just under 200k on the clock.

Dirk

 

[BDudley]

I believe I found the problem. While changing the fuel filter this weekend and inspecting for leaks I noticed a very small leak under the westach fuel pressure sending unit. The sending unit was a little loose, when I tightened it the tiny crack in the fuel filter housing turned into a big crack in three places. I removed the housing welded the cracks and re-tapped it. I still have a very tiny leak I think is caused by the hole expanding a little when I welded it. I trying some better thread sealant today.