Sorry guys another "this time of year truck won't go" scenario

So Christmas eve I'm driving along and she's runnin fine. Then all of the sudden it starts losing power then completely quits. I crank on it and it turns over but no starting.

I drained the fuel/water separator and there was a little water in it, but not too much. I pumped on the prime button for ever and I don't think it's making prime. However I'm not too sure on that...I'm not sure how much resistance in the button is considered good. When the system is primed and ready to go, will the button be impossible to push in? Or will there just be alot more resistance like on an outboard motor prime bulb?

I did a bunch of searching on here, and found and read Joe G's writeup on our fuel system and their issues. It seems from what I'm reading that I could have a clogged intake in the tank, an air leak in the fuel line from the tank to the lift pump, or a bad lift pump . In searching I saw it mentioned that you could pressurize the fuel tank with an air compressor to try to discover any leaks between the tank and the LP, so I tried this. All the way to 15 psi and no sign of leaks.

I removed the bleed screw on the downstream side of the fuel filter and tried to prime it, pumped for ever and no sign of fuel. Re-attached the bleed screw and removed the banjo bolt from the input to the filter, coming from the LP. Primer button till I was blue in the face, no sign of fuel. Just for giggles I had my buddy crank the motor while I watched the banjo bolt, and under cranking I would get a regular (small) burst of fuel from the banjo fitting. It would be enough to fill the fitting to the brim then that fuel would drain down into the filter, then another spurt. I'm going to replace the fuel filter tomorrow just to rule that out, and heck its about time to replace it anyhow.

And now my main question...how much fuel should be coming out of the lift pump when cranking the engine? Is what I'm seeing about right, or should there be alot more?

Oh, and I'm ruling out gelling cuz it barely get's below freezing here, and then only about 3 nights out of the week.

Thanks for any advice guys, and terribly sorry on the long write up...figured I'd lay out everything I'd done already.

Cheers!

Ed

 

Doesn't sound like you're getting enough fuel when you crank it.
It should pump enough to make a mess in just a few seconds.
My next step would be to clean the prefilter
Instructions> http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/pre-filt_clean.htm

Problems like this are when a full time fuel pressure gauge could of warned you a problem was coming and made it easier to track down.
When you pump the primer button it doesn't get any harder but you can hear fuel passing though the overflow valve. Fuel should have come out the bleed screw.
See what happens when you open the bleed screw with the tank pressurized with air. If air free fuel comes out this is often enough to get it to start.

Last but not least, make sure you haven't run out of fuel.

 

Roger that...yeah I need to get a fuel pressure guage . I know I ain't out of fuel...I thought that at first (even though my trip odometer only said 430 and I normally go to 450-480 before looking for a gas station) so I put 15 gallons in it.

 

Make sure the fuel shutoff solenoid is open.

 

Yeah that was my first concern...the rubber is all shot from around it, but it's definitly working like its supposed to. I gonna replace the filter and clean the prefilter tomorrow, and if that don't do it, I'm reckon I'll have to pull the LP

 

The lift pump runs on the cam. If you are at the top of the lobe when trying to prime it, you won't get much of a stoke and very little flow out of it. If that happens, bump the starter and try it again. Like Infidel said, you'll hear the fuel passing through the over flow valve if its pumping.

 

same thing happened to me and it was my lift pump. it was a easy 30 minute install and the pump was only like 170 bucks. truck runs much better now

 

If you had gone to Cummins it would have been $79.

 

Wow I better go up to Hampton Roads to the Cummins place then! I'm afraid it my LP and the Dodge dealer wants just under $300

 

wow wow wow so can i order them from cummins online or do i have to go to a distributer for cummins parts?

 

I looked earlier today and seen em on Pure Diesel Power.com for $89 plus $5 for the two gaskets plus S&H...OEM lift pump just like what dodge will sell ya.

For cryin out loud how are these auto manufacturers in trouble when they are rippin a $200 +/- profit on some simple little pump?!? Their CEO's must have PhD's in accounting to screw up this bad! (no offence to anybody with a PhD in accounting!! )

 

wait i have a vp44 truck. are you talking about for the p7100 lift pump. i got mine at napa( yea yea i know) for 175 with a 1 year warranty. have the prices dropped in the last 2 years or did i get screwed on my lp?

 

Yeah mines for a 12v so it's for the p7100 IP. Pretty sure a 24v has a different LP. My buddy has your same year truck and his LP went out last year, and if I remember right $170ish was the best he was able to find. Not sure if he talked straight to cummins or not, though.

 

So I cleaned the prefilter, replaced the lift pump, and decided to go ahead and replace the rubber elbow going from the prefilter to the LP, and guess what? Nobody in this goofy town sells formed fuel hose! The by-the-foot stuff don't work cuz it cant hack that sharp of a 90 degree turn without kinking.

Anybody know of an online place I could buy a formed 90 degree rubber fuel hose elbow? I called cummins and they have it but I don't really feel like driving all the way back up to VA for an elbow.

I don't understand this town! 3 auto parts stores and not one of them has formed fuel hose! Back home it seemed every parts store had a selection of formed 90s and 45s! Ok rant off

Thanks!

Ed

 

Pay for it with a credit card and have Cummins ship it whatever speed you want.
Dealer has the hose also, costs around $10.