fuel issue advice

73idi88f350

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truck will run fine for a week+ then 1 day have air in fuel system, bleed it out then magically its back again.... some times its really hard to get it restarted right after you shut it off and it wont start right back up, like soon as it stops turning hit the starter again(operating temp)... i also tried letting it cool down 6-8 hours and thought maybe heat soaked ip,no difference. btw i am a mechanic im just new to diesels but ive owned this truck for about 3 years so i know most the basic stuff ive seen on here just cant find anything on this..


ive replaced every piece of rubber on the fuel system

new
motorcraft fuel olives
later style return line kit (brand bwd) greased orings and the caps "popped" on removed the hard line olive in the back and ran the ip to the first injector and brass T for return to tank.
fuel filter (fram not my fav but what was available)
beru glow plugs
2 new super start group 31 batteries
starters 1 years old turns over super fast all new made cables when starter installed

new 2 years ago was a precision fuel pump, now im wonder if this is my issue... ive heard its a reboxed airtex if thats the case i already know... im pretty sure i have the factory one, i was just gonna swap it back on...

now the other thing the injector pump is unknown along with the injectors.. but when it runs it runs great.

i have another ip i took off the old motor the truck had when i swapped it about 2 years ago that ive had bagged up.. but is also unknown.. ip rebuilds been on the list.. just aint got there yet.
 
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73idi88f350

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well i found my orig fuel pump. pumped it by hand and had suction on the first pump on fuel inlet...

got the old one out.. pumped it by hand 20 times no suction on fuel inlet.. installed the orig pump had fuel at the injector in about 4 cranks and it fired up.

guess my fuel pump was dead odd it was intermittent
 
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BDCarrillo

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Good thing you got it out of there! I wonder if it would drain the filter because the cam happened to stop with the arm partially depressed...
 

73idi88f350

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mine didnt drain the filter when i unhooked the hard line... im wondering if i had enough prime to cause flow to keep my truck running?
 

BDCarrillo

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The IP can draw fuel, but it's ******* it. The Fuel Filter light should have come on, since the IP is sucking from the filter head where the vacuum switch is.
 

73idi88f350

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see i dont know whats going on completely im using a 96 ps cluster with all wring swapped from a 92 idi truck into my 88 truck with the 96 cab and 95 f150 column for manual, so from my understanding with the wrong cluster i dont knwo what could be going on... only the speedo, oil press, fuel gauge work had a few other lights on i pulled the bulbs i wanna get the correct cluster but dont wanna spend the money cuz im ok with what i have.
 

73idi88f350

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but i do remember at one point the brake light would flash and i couldnt figure out what was going on with that and didnt seem to be related to the brakes at all. wonder if that was telling me the ip was sucking fuel but that stopped after changing a bunch of other stuff.. at the time seemed to be throttle related. more throttle longer light was on less throttle would keep it off..
i thought i might have been the brake switch in the master, nope
 

BDCarrillo

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Sounds like the right ouput for the filter light... but it's very odd to come through on the (e?)-brake light. If that light still comes on I'd suspect a wiring issue during the swap.
 

73idi88f350

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Sounds like the right ouput for the filter light... but it's very odd to come through on the (e?)-brake light. If that light still comes on I'd suspect a wiring issue during the swap.

The cluster is wrong it just happens to work enough to get me by till I get the right one


On a side note the fuel system primed up great last night with the orig lift pump and when I pulled the old pump off I had no fuel in the inlet side of the hose I tested both pumps by flexing the arm against my bench the one I'm installing sucked my figure on first pump one I took off wouldn't suck after 20pumps so I was like sweet found the issue

Tried to start it this morning before work.. Seems to have lost the prime again and wouldn't fire....

*** it ran fine last night when I was done even sounded better started right up after the work and then wouldn't this morning.... This this is driving me nuts
 

73idi88f350

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came home from work.. it just about fired right up................. had it running looking at all return caps.. dang rear one by the brake booster has the intake all wet.. guess im gonna have to pull it apart and see if it has a split oring.. i just replaced these
 

73idi88f350

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no split orings looks like the hose was causing a jaming action on the return cap got that fixed and swapped that cap to the front one, just in case it was the cap...

seemed to be fine.today i started it after work, starts up fine take it for a ride and it starts to become a dog no power grey smoke. i read somewhere that someone said they had to re tighten the olive nuts, so i pulled over left it running jump up and check the nuts on the olives. the one at the ip was about 1/2 turn loose. tigtened it up and kept driving.. and it straighten up, so time will tell...
 

73idi88f350

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and its now having a power lost problem.. only on cold starts, that i can tell... could this be the ip or a fuel supply issue? it will straighten up after a little of driving like yesterday i thought tightening the ip olive nut fixed it.. and then last week for six days it was fine then acted up Sunday and been since. the so called fuel filter light aint on(or my ebrake light if thats whats coming on)

im about to swap my other ip on to see if it straightens up. i just don't know what wells to try.. i know you guys/gals aint standing here to see my truck..

i already know not to remove the gear cover
 

jkholder09

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This may be off the wall but have you had any problem with the lifters, or base oil pressure.
I have replaced some lifters in these trucks and they had similar symptoms as in your post. I am not suggesting to throw parts at the truck but maybe you could check base oil pressure or get a manual gauge on it as a diagnostic. Do you ever hear any popping noises?
 

73idi88f350

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No popping or nothing don't think that has anything to do with it. Thanks for your help
 

73idi88f350

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I drove it about 20miles last night 10 one way sat for 3 hours then 10 back home. It was about 35degs last night seemed I start good and didn't act up but I drove it really easy and shifted way early compared to how I do drive it which is mostly like I sole it. Well not that bad
 

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