not getting fuel? (kind of long story)

[Smoker17]

long story short drove to the store running fine and the truck just died into the parking spot. I tried to fire it back up again and it would just crank and crank and crank over and wouldnt run. I brealy pushed it the rest of the way into the parking spot and went into the store got my **** and came out and tried starting it again just cranked and cranked finally started and wasnt runnin the way it usually does. It was idleing rough the tack was fluctuating and it sounded different. I put it in reverse and it died again , afre a little bit it fired up again and I just drove it home, on the way home it seemed normal again, when i got off the off ramp for my house it died at the light once again, got i fired up after 15 minutes and made it home but still not runing right and ideling rough, shut it off and it wont start it just turns over. I had a half a tank of fuel, the fuel filter was changed 6 months ago, hopefully its not that, pulled the injectors out and cranked it over and it didnt seem like they were squirting out the pressure they should be at all. I really have no clue to what the problem is. It seems like its not getting fuel before the injecter pump, is the actualy "Lift pump" the canister on the side of the block that holds the fuel filter? or is somewhere located after the tank or inside the diesel tank? What should I check or look for? this truck is a 98 24v with 85k miles on it I dont think anything should be wrong with is it is stock. I hope my injector pump or lift pump isnt fawked. What do u guys think? im thinking bout taking it to a shop. I know this is long bare with me here.

tia,

Smoker

[txastuff79]

the main line to your injection pump, crack it open. the turn the key on-dont stasrt it. fuel should come out. the lift pump pressures when key is turned on and will quit i think after like 15 sec. see if you got fuel there and go from there. you should here the pump buzz some when its working.

[Billysgoat]

Here we go........

First off, CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER!! It should be changed every 10,000 miles or at least twice a year, you have no clue how big a factor the filter can be in a stock fuel system. Now that I have that off my chest LOL

Grab a 19 and 17MM wrench and head to the truck, as txastuff said, crack the mainfuel supply line to the injection pump. If you do not know, this will be the line coming from the fuel filter canister, the other line on the IP is a return line. With the line cracked turn the key on, the LP will run for 7 seconds and then shut off, you should have a nice little mess of spilled diesel, if you do not go to the inlet side of the filter housing and crack that line loose, repeat. If you still have no fuel you have a bad lift pump and likely a dead IP as well.

If you have fuel present at the IP but not in great quantity, try opening the drain for the filter and turning the key on, if fuel is gushing out there much better than at the IP you have a clogged fuel filter.


You definitely have a fuel starvation issue, I HIGHLY recommend a fuel pressure gauge, at least one you can check the FP with when you do your oil changes etc.

[Smoker17]

thx for the info goat,

Itook the truck down to the dealership they found out it is the lift pump it isnt putting out any pressure, but said also it can throw a code to say the injection pump is done too, but wont know tell a new lfit pump is in. My truck has the lift pump that sits on the side of the block and they want to put the aftermarket one in that sits in the fuel tank, they also want like over 700 bux to do this. DO you know of any place on the net that I Can get a lift pump for way less than that and do it myself? Is the aftermarket lift pump that goes in the tank better than the one that sits on the block? Should I put in a better high performance pump if i plan on upgrading stuff later later? I looked on ebay there like 150.oo but dont know if its the same as the one on the side of the block. check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-DODGE-CUMMINS-LIFT-PUMP-5-9L-24V-Diesel-FUEL-ISB_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33555QQitemZ2601019 10853QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

another thing id rather spend 150.00 on the lift pump and have it actually be the injection pump (which is going o blow ass), then be in the whole 700 bux later and have it be the injection pump, you know what i mean? it amazes me that my truck only has 85k miles on it and I dont have any performance stuff or nothing i just drive the thing and this happens, crazy.

I really dont want to have to add 2 lift pumps, is this bs or not http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-5-02-Dodge-Cummins-BD-Diesel-Lift-Pump_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33555QQitemZ190078 018075QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V


Thanks in advance,

SMoker