No start after filter changed.

[Joseph Davis]

1990 ford F250 7.3 IDI changed fuel filter and top off with fuel. started ran for one min died. cracked lines cranked for day still no fuel, hot wired IP still no fuel in lines. Pump has fuel pressure lines opened still no fuel. got any ideals.

 

[Big Bart]

Put a battery charger on the batteries. Unscrew the fuel filter, refill to the brim, and replace. Tighten all the lines and try to start.

If it does start just let it idle 4-5min and see if you can get the air out of the lines.

If not

1) Check fuel pressure at the schrader valve on the fuel filter housing. Should get 2-5psi while the starter is cranking. (Lift pump pressure.)
2) Crack the lines at the injectors and crank till fuel starts to come out. Then tighten them up and try to restart.
3) Make sure your glow plugs are working.
4) A long shot but if you hit the tank switch it might of gotten stuck between tanks.

Tell us from there what you know and we can dig in a little deeper.

 

[BrianX128]

If you have a mechanical lift pump the fuel level can "fall" down the steel hard line and take forever to pump back up. I've got a little bottle full of diesel and took the line off between filter and lift pump on side of engine and primed it to lessen cranking times after opening fuel systems.

 

[Joseph Davis]

Glow plugs are good, lift pump good 4 psi; I was thinking about opening the fuel plate at adjuster for IP and seeing if the air is trapped in the chamber there. or using a can of starting fluid?

 

[Joseph Davis]

Starting fluid only works if you have diesel in line, so back to cranking

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It's not the best thing to do, but it can work in a desperate situation. If you have a manual transmission, you can have someone chain another truck to the front of yours. Leave the key on and pull it around. When you have enough speed built up, 10-15 MPH, let out on the clutch with the transmission in gear. Sometimes that can get a stubborn engine started when nothing else seems to work. I don't highly recommend this, an that's why I put the disclaimer first.

 

[miles1400]

99% of the air will be trapped in the filter head, it is the highest point in the fuel system. did you have any fuel leaks before changing the filter?

 

[Joseph Davis]

Yes filter started leaking from fuel filter drain. Going to spin off filter and put in some ATF in and crack lines and start cranking it again, and pray. I also cracked the line to IP at top of housing and got oil there no air. this truck has always been a hard starter after messing with fuel system. has a new IP a year ago with injector and she run good.

 

[Big Bart]

It always helps to have a battery charger to help the starter turn as fast as it can.

Make sure to fix that fuel drain leak, that would not be helping.

But try filling the fuel filter and trying to start a couple times and that should help.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Joseph Davis]

Found the Problem! rust from the fuel tanks pugged up the screen in the line from the tank switching station. I put in a glass screen filter on each tank so hope that will solve the problem because now I know where to look. just got enough fuel to pass pressure test but on long cranks no oil to burn. probably why the fuel drain on filter was dripping got rust stuck in it. Thank for all your reply! Next project is going be new Tanks

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Those aren't fun but they sure are worth it.

 

[Cubey]

That's why new fuel tank selector valves say to put filters before them, or warranty is null and void. I found that the glass kind leaks, or at the one I got did. I put a pair of $4 metal can ones from AutoZone and put one on each tank supply line. Even with the 5/16 hose barbs, they don't leak at all on the 3/8 hoses.

 

[Joseph Davis]

The glass fuel filter you can see and wash out the rust with WD-40 and air hose before they get plug. Now it going to become part of regular service until I replace both tanks with plastic ones. And thank you Big Bart for sending me to the right location "(4) A long shot but if you hit the tank switch it might of gotten stuck between tanks)".

 

[Cubey]

The glass fuel filter you can see and wash out the rust with WD-40 and air hose before they get plug.

But having leaking fuel isn't a good thing. I kept tightening it up but I didn't want to go nuts and break the glass, so I just took it off and put it in a parts box as a spare. I can't have it dripping on the ground, I need to keep and use every drop in my single digit MPG RV. The bad, weeping mechanical pump it had made a noticeable drop in MPG.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I have used one of those in the past. It wasn't on a diesel, but it didn't leak. Give it a try. If it leaks, then you can decide what to do from there.