samiam4

Guys,

Got any suggestions? So I took my truck out and it was ~ 14F so I thought it would be OK. Fuel is recent, and I drive it often. I'm in Texas so we did have ~1 F which might cause a fuel issue. It ran for some time and then died- restarted and it died again 10 ft later.
So with everything being sold out- I read online how the Class 8 guys suggested dumping out 1/2 the filter and filling with Kerosene. I couldn't find Kerosene, but the closest thing is mineral spirits. So I added Mineral spirits and when I did the filter- it was maybe 20-25F. I added a gallon to the tank and waited. So today it's 35-40F and I charged the battery inside. So it's warm and fully charged. I put it in and heard the glow plugs cycle. NO NO start.
Tried twice. Now the battery is definitely low again.

Tomorrow is going to be warmer- but is there any suggested things to do? I will recharge the battery. Any chance just unplugging and give it a few shots of ether? Replace the fuel filter? If the filter is clogged, then the same issue could be the tank filter?


Michael

Michael

oliver foster

I know nothing of mineral spirits, but I have heard of using Kerosene or even a little bit of Gasoline if it is very cold.

DO NOT use starting fluid without disconnecting your grid heaters. You do not have glow plugs on a 1st gen, you have grid heaters that heat the incoming air into the motor. Grid heaters can ignite the starting fluid with the heat they produce and cause an explosion.

Do you have fuel at the injectors if you crack the lines and crank the motor over?

It might be an air sucking problem caused by the slightly thicker diesel at the cold temps.

If needed a new filter filled with some fresh diesel, warm [room temp - not heated] if possible and checking that you have fuel at the injectors, should get you started.
Obviously charge the battery

14 degrees should not cause diesel to gel, so I think you might be dealing with an air sucking issue not a gelled fuel.

Maybe somebody knows something a mineral spirits, I do not.

samiam4

oliver foster

When I say sucking some air, I mean pulling a little air into a bad connection or the like between the engine and the fuel tank.
In the cold weather as the fuel gets thicker and the rubber hoses and seals get harder and seal less effectively air starts to get around weak links. Picture loose clamps, old dry cracked fuel lines, less often but can be a culprit, cracked nipples on the fuel sending unit.

I have had that issue with my '95 that runs great all year, that will run out of fuel on days when it hits -15 or worse. It will suck air for somewhere...After a few winters of this I replaced every connection, hose ,clamp, ETC from the motor to the fuel tank. It has not acted up since.

samiam4

I can replace all the lines and clamps back to the fuel tank. Just needed direction! Would a low pressure lift pump improve pumping over the diaphragm style? Clamps I usually replace w the Nora style clamps off Amazon.

oliver foster

The LPHV lift pump would be an upgrade, but if your old OEM style LP is working fine, it is not needed.

cougar

Four things to make sure are working for cold weather. 1, fuel heater. 2, grid heaters. 3, KSB. 4, Block heater. Also, give it a little throttle when cranking. The operators' manual tells you to do that. With my trucks, 20° seems to be that magic number. Below that I make sure it gets plugged in for a while. Any time you break the fuel system, bleed it, starting at the lift pump. I never trust fueling stations to get the winter fuel out on time, so I add heating oil. How much depends on how cold. Some states are tax crazy and dye everything. A way around that is with kerosene (but I don't recommend it) or find a fueling station that has both #1 and #2 on road diesel.

samiam4

Ok,

So how's best to bleed them? I can crack a diesel injector loose. I just looked and there is a evidence of leakage as the bottom 1/2of the lift pump has a fuel/dirt crust or oil dirt.
I noticed you included ksb? Its going into the 50s today.. i purchased a new filter and I can give it a go.. I. In texas, so we never have #1diesel.
I think Oliver's comments on air are spot on. If I can get it started and home. I'll address the issues.
perhaps it's best to disconnect the grid heaters and not use battery power. It's more for emissions right?

Thank you all for suggestions! Yes, I use the block heater when it's at home. Here, I started it and she died going out of the neighborhood.
1) fully charge battery
2 bleed fuel to filter
3 crack a fuel injector line
4 crank

How much does the ksb matter? Maybe it's bad.

samiam4

So I'm reading the manual on the ksb. It doesn't give a test for the switch? Says I should hear the solenoid energize.

primed the filter w an injector line loose. I see fuel dripping from the pump. I'm guessing, this is not normal.


M

oliver foster

I answered your PM about this, so I will not type it all out again.
Let me know if you have other questions and I will help as I can.

oliver foster

Yes, you should be able to clearly hear the grid heater relay click on, then off again 10 secs or so later, IF it is cold enough.

samiam4

She runs. Air in the system. I didn't prime the system well enough. I'll look closely at renewing the factory fuel hose and whatever the connection is at the fuel tank.
55f, and she runs. Lots of air in the system. Bleeding a few injectors helped a lot.
Now when I was pumping the lift pump lever, at one point I was getting drips somewhere around or of the ve pump. Normal? I was thinking it might be time to reseal the pump. Need to see if the ksb is working.


Michael

oliver foster

Glad to hear the idea of really focusing on bleeding the air out of the system would get it running for you.

Like I PM'ed earlier, if that VE pump keeps leaking a bit, order up a re-seal kit for it for about $30.

cougar

It helps to use the search function Need some help bleeding this pump....Please... - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums See line 12.

samiam4

I'll follow-up,

Oliver was right, I had air in the line. I think the hose from the metal line to the lift pump might be original. It shows evidence of not being tight. I installed an updated lift pump and trimmed the ends so the hose would be tight.
I bleed the air and I'll try and see if the ksb is working.
Michael