Truck not starting

[86F3504x4]

OK, heres a new one for me.
Lately, the old truck started to turn over a little slower than usual.
I need to change the return lines. If I park with the nose pointed uphill, it gets air in the lines and takes a while to start.
Earlier in the week I had to park uphill in my driveway for a couple of hours. I went out to start it/turn it around, no start. Charged batteries over night, gave it a whiff of start fluid, I know, started right up.
This morning I go to a job, park nose down hill. Finish the job, no start. Not even a burp! Tried sarting fluid, nada.
Call AAA, they jump, nada. Had 2 trucks hooked up nada. Starting fluid, nada.
Not even for second.
It cranks over but just won't catch. Appears to be not getting fuel, but won't start on starting fluid.
HELP?

Update: It was the starter. With the new one installed, it spun the motor like nobodies business!!
Thanks for all the help everyone!!

 

[Jbevs]

My fuel pump was bad, and starting fluid wouldn't really do anything.

 

[gatorman21218]

crack a few hard injector lines and crank. verify you are getting fuel at them. also check if there is fuel in your filter.

 

[86F3504x4]

I changed the filter and was trying to bleed it when the batteries went flat.
After the jumps, I was getting fuel out the bleeder.
This is the first time in 7 years the old girl let me down.
I'm home now, had to get towed. Gonna charge up the batts and see if I can't figure it out.
Thanks for the input guys!

ETA: After I charge the batts, I'll crack an injector line and see whats up.

 

[Agnem]

I changed the filter and was trying to bleed it when the batteries went flat.

Reason #1 for why everybody needs to ditch their mechanical pump and go electric. Bet you didn't disconnect your glow plugs when you were cranking it either.

 

[icanfixall]

As posted above... Installing an electric lift pump and removing the mechanical lift pump will change lots... First off all you need to do when a filter is changed is turn on the ignition switch and wait for the new electric pump fill and push out all the trapped air in the filter. Its that easy. Now if you have the mechanical pump you need to crank the engine plenty usually and that takes the batteries down... Running the batteries low will burn up your starter... As the voltage gets lower and the cranking gets slower and slower the amps go up... The amps create plenty of heat from the starter calling for more voltage but nons there.... A slow turning starter is the best way to burn up a starter fast.... I'm thinking you have some trapped air thats in the injector hard lines... Crank for 10 to 20 seconds and stop.... Then crack open some easy to reach injectors. Listen for escaping air or see fuel.... Do this cranking and bleeding till its nothing but fuel with no bubbles... Please hold the throttle wide open during this purging... That will allow more air and fuel to pass thru the system.... At idle settings very little fuel is used or burned and it will take much longer to purge....

 

[gatorman21218]

Not to derail this thread but is there any way to install an electric lift pump as a prime only pump? I would rather keep my mechanical lift pump but youre right its ******* it when you have to crank and crank to bleed it.

 

[86F3504x4]

Update
2 new Interstate batteries and it still cranks slow. Sounds like a small block chevy with the timing advanced a little. Not as fast as it was doing last week.
I loosened the 2 most forward injector lines and a little fuel looked like it dribbled out after cranking.
Bought a new can of starting fluid and gave it a blast...nothing. Not even a threat of combustion.
It was running fine before I turned it off, no rough idle, missing, smoke, etc.
Headgasket? Injector pump just took a **** after working fine?
I'm concerned that it may be engine problems.
Oh, manual glow plugs.

 

[Jbevs]

Like I said, when I didn't have any fuel getting to the injectors it took a LOT of ether and a LOT of FAST cranking to get it to fire once. I think you are not getting fuel through to the injectors. I don't think a small dribble of fuel after a fair amount of cranking is an indication of a lift pump working properly.

To Gatorman- An electric can work alongside the manual with just a few t fittings so they are plummed alongside each other rather than in line with each other. Then just wire it on a switch and Voila! E-pump only when you want it.

 

[jayel73]

I just installed an electric pump with a switch. I leave it off other than if I need a prime.
And run on the mechanical.
Dosen't seem to hamper the flow any.

 

[Knuckledragger]

Sounds like a fried starter. Pull out some glow plugs and turn it over. if it spins fast, maybe not the starter. If it still turns slow, the starter's your first problem. As long as you have the GP's out, might as well take a compression check, too.

 

[86F3504x4]

Sounds like a fried starter. Pull out some glow plugs and turn it over. if it spins fast, maybe not the starter. If it still turns slow, the starter's your first problem. As long as you have the GP's out, might as well take a compression check, too.

Thats kinda my thinking. I'm gonna put a clamp on amp meter on the pos.to starter and see how may amps it draws.
I read somewhere that it should not exceed 500 amps.
Anybody have any input?
Thanks

 

[Goofyexponent]

Ok, first....check the grounds on the block. This is the cheapest and easiest route to go so check them first. They bolt on to the front of the engine block on with side.

If that checks out and the grounds are removed and CLEANED then reinstalled, check the battery cables at the batteries. I know you have new batteries but make sure that the battery terminals and cable clamps are SHINY when you install them together.

Then go on to the starter. Check for tightness, and make sure that the contacts are CLEAN....ALL OF THEM!!!

So you have cleaned and tightened all the connections, and it didn't cost you a dime. NOW move onto having the starter load tested. Once you have determined that your starter is giving you the gried THEN replace/rebuild it.

As for the fuel filter change.....did you fill it to the TOP with fuel BEFORE installing? This is a habit I got into with oil AND fuel filters....takes the wait out of priming.

Unthread your filter and check to see how much fuel is in it.

It's not COMPLETELY ful? Check ALL the lines for ANY dampness along the frame...it's an indication of a fuel/air leak. Once you have determined that there is no leak on teh hard lines along the frame, check ALL the injector caps and lines.....any wet ones?

It could also be an injector slobbering and losing prime.....Any smoke at startup? What color and how long does it last?

When you check the injector nuts to make sure there is fuel, also make sure that your fuel shutoff solenoid is getting 12 power. Tien your key on and pull the wire on teh RIGHT HAND SIDE of the pump off (DRIVER SIDE) and listen for a click. No click, no fuel!

My truck has two 850 or 900 CCA bateries....and when it's cold, she will use it ALL. WELL beyond the 500 amp limit. These engines are big, heavy and have a SUPER high compression ratio....21.5:1 IIRC....that takes a LOT to spin at 300 RPM on a cold morning!

I hope this is of some help, and hopefully you figgure out what the problem is.

 

[86F3504x4]

Update in original post.
Thanks!