I need a bit of help and not just mentally

[tgallmey]

New guy here. Not my first IDI but the first I've torn down and fixed up. The truck is the one in my sig, a '94 factory turbo CCLB. I bought it in January and it was a hard start then. I figured it was a combo of dead GPs and a bad lift pump. When I was redoing most of the truck mechanically I replaced those things and it's still a hard start. It has to crank 5 or 6 times before it'll fire then it'll die right away. You kick it over again and it will fire and stay running. I've been building this truck to be reliable and so far that's a huge issue in my trusting it. If you shut it off and turn it over again it'll fire right up. It's when it sits for awhile is when it won't fire. Awhile meaning a few hours. It sounds like to me that the fuel isn't staying up in the lines. I've tried another lift pump but it still does the same thing. Could it maybe be a cracked fuel line somewhere? I've also changed the copper line from the lift pump to the filter with no change. Other ideas? My Ranger is dying so I really need this thing on the road soon.

Next is my biggest headache so far. So much so I should have put this first. Exhaust... Does anyone make a complete 4" turbo back kit with a 3" downpipe for my truck? Just looking for a straight pipe with a single exit. Turbo should help keep it quiet enough. I can find them for PSDs but I can't for the IDIT. I would prefer cheap. Winter layoff is coming and i'm already over budget with this truck. More or less I'm running out of money for this thing. Chasing fuel problems and other odd and ends are nipping at me. The only thing I haven't done is call an exhaust shop to see what it would cost to build one. I will be following what a few others I've seen on here do which is cutting off the flange on the elbow too then maybe put the downpipe directly in instead of playing with flanges. Unless you all think it's required otherwise. I'm not looking for anything fancy. The exhaust is just rotten and I might as well get rid of the restrictions that Ford forced onto us. If no kit exists what would I have to do to adapt say a Diamond Eye PSD exhaust to work?

Also 4" or 5"???? Pros and Cons?

 

[laserjock]

Yes. Sounds like classic air intrusion. If you've done return lines and caps, check the olives at the fuel line connections. They should have been done too really if they weren't.

For exhaust, I don't know that there is a ready made solution in a box. I think R+D sells a 3" DP conversion elbow if you don't want to make your own. From the DP back, a OBS PSD exhaust should work fine.

Hope that helps.

 

[tgallmey]

I don't remember replacing the olives so it's a possibility. Does anyone make a kit for this or should I look for a fitting shop? I've done so much to this truck I can't even remember all of it haha. I'm not seeing fuel anywhere though so could this still be the issue? Also yes I already did the return lines and caps.

I figured I can make OBS PSD exhaust work but I didn't want to eliminate the possibility that my google fu is weak first. Somebody made a 3.5" set but it was twice the cost of a Diamond Eye PSD kit and didn't have a downpipe. I was considering the R&D elbow but after I figured out how they did it I'll just do it and save myself $210+shipping. I have a spare turbo so I was gonna rob the elbow from it to chop up. I already split the turbo kit up because my crossover pipe was junk.

 

[laserjock]

Injection shop would have the olives. On here typ4 or Agnem would have them.

Expect to do some bending and tweaking to the firewall to fit that 3" DP.

 

[tgallmey]

A little gentle massaging with a sledgehammer is expected. The stock pipe was a PITA let alone trying to cram a 3" pipe in there

 

[IDIoit]

when I did my 3" DP, I used a piece of 3" black pipe with a piece of 4"diameter, 4" long cut in 1/4's

then welded the 4" to the 3" where I could use the block as leverage and bent it, not hammering it.

worked great, and no hammer marks.

 

[Knuckledragger]

I don't remember replacing the olives so it's a possibility. Does anyone make a kit for this or should I look for a fitting shop? I've done so much to this truck I can't even remember all of it haha. I'm not seeing fuel anywhere though so could this still be the issue? Also yes I already did the return lines and caps.

Air intrusion will not show fuel leakage, it introduces air into the system. Somewhere. Olives are a prime suspect. Sometimes just a small tweak on the nuts will do the trick.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Those little olives are found at most any hydraulic repair shop. I've got them and can mail them to you. PM me for address. Cost $8.

Anything over a 3-1/2" exhaust is a waste of money. My 99 PSD is 3-1/2" straight piped, plenty big enough. A PSD exhaust system should fit your truck.

Where are you at in Indiana?

EDIT: You need two 5/16" and one 3/8" olives tubing size.

 

[IDIoit]

Anything over a 3-1/2" exhaust is a waste of money.

performance wise, you are correct Bill,
however the personality of your truck is really the only thing in question.
I have less than 150 into my 3" DP and 4.5".
I love the way it sounds. for less than the price of a muffler

 

[icanfixall]

Air is getting into your fuel system and causing fuel to drain back from the filter. the fuel system needs to be tight as.... Look at the filter and see the inlet and outlet lines. Those brass fittings have these olive seals in them. they harden over time and leak air in. Think of the fuel system as a straw. You put a finger over the suck end and lift soda out of a glass. Let the finger off and it drains out. Same thing happens with our fuel lines and systems. Might try tightening those brass fittings a little. It wont hurt to try. If they are tight then you already know someone before you figured this out.

 

[gandalf]

I don't remember replacing the olives so it's a possibility. Does anyone make a kit for this or should I look for a fitting shop? ...

An olive kit? I really don't think they are that complicated. You don't need a kit, just olives. Several people here have mentioned them, but none have told you what they are. I'll find my picture, which has been in the forum a number of time.

This is the hard line between the fuel filter and the IP. The arrow is pointing to a brand new olive. The old one is still on the hard line, and has taken the shape of the inside of the nut holding things together. It seems to me there are upward to half a dozen olive in the system.

 

[tgallmey]

Those little olives are found at most any hydraulic repair shop. I've got them and can mail them to you. PM me for address. Cost $8.

Anything over a 3-1/2" exhaust is a waste of money. My 99 PSD is 3-1/2" straight piped, plenty big enough. A PSD exhaust system should fit your truck.

Where are you at in Indiana?

EDIT: You need two 5/16" and one 3/8" olives tubing size.

Just outside of Fort Wayne. I'll PM you as soon as I figure out how haha

 

[tgallmey]

Awesome info guys. This helps a ton. Which Olives do you folks think would be most suspect? Part of me doesn't think it'd be on the high pressure side. Just the fittings between the lift pump and the IP?

 

[laserjock]

They are all suspect if they have never been changed. If air gets in anywhere, the fuel drains back to the tank and you have to reprime the system every start.

 

[riotwarrior]

Welcome

Search is your friend.....your topic is thoroughly and repetatively covered here.

Read stickies

Read tech articles

Check lift pump feed hose from frame to lift pump...olives....check valve in Ip....

Fix 1 issue .....in other words make it start and run reliably.....then mess.with exhaust.....what good is exhaust if it dont run?


JM7.3CW Eh!