Not quite a 911, but close.

[79jasper]

I always crack them all and hold it wide open. Once it's running, I'll crack them oneat a time just to be sure.

You say you changed this pump....
Where's it from?

Also make sure the fss is getting power. I know you said you're getting fuel to the injectors, but that could've just been shaken out of the lines.

 

[dirtbiker]

The FSS is getting power. The pump was rebuild by Midwest Fuel Injection, as they are 20 minutes from here, in the north suburbs of Chicago. It was running well and starting easily until now, when we tried to turn the fuel up.

 

[79jasper]

When you plugged the block heater in, could you feel heat from the engine?

 

[dirtbiker]

Yes, definitely. I am positive the block heater works. I had smoke coming out the tail pipe a little bit too, but it just didn't want to fire.

 

[79jasper]

Well the smoking means you're getting fuel. (Unless it's coolant, but that's very unlikely)
Now you need heat and compression.
You have heat with the block heater and glow plugs.

For compression, you need it to be spinning fast. Do you have it on a charger or try jumping it?

If it's a 5 speed, I bet you could pull start it pretty quick.

 

[dirtbiker]

Yeah, I am sure it isn't coolant. Anyhow, the batteries are charging currently and I did try jumping it with the other truck, but my jumper cables are a bit small/worn and didn't do it. And it's a 4 speed, but I wasn't sure if pull starting it would work very well. I had it cranking pretty fast, and my battery charger said the batteries were at about 13.4 volts when I last tried it. I think maybe if they charge up to 14, it will start. I just don't know how much of a difference ~.5 volts would make, because every time when I go to start my truck and am cycling the glow plugs, my volt meter reads about 10 and then 12 when the glow plugs shut off.

 

[wildman7798]

It is really the amps or cranking amps you need. It is nice to have a charger that will put out between 10 and 15 amps - about an hour on that size charger will bring most useable, 50% charged batteries back to a hot state. If you are in the 1 to 5 amp range on the charger you are probably looking at cooking it over night. The glow plug system uses a huge amount of power, it is akin to shorting about half your battery cable to ground for 8 or 10 seconds every time you use it. Your battery voltage should be over the 12 volt mark if the battery is "hot" or fully charged.

 

[dirtbiker]

Well it's definitely got over 12 volts. Does anybody know what could've gone wrong? All I did was take the cover off, drain the fuel out, and feel around a bit until I found the allen head. Could I have poked something and done something? I really appreciate any help here guys, because I need it.

Thanks

 

[Bashby]

I'd say it's either mot cranking fast enough or glow plugs aren't working. Have you double checked them? Have you tried tow starting it?

 

[TWeatherford]

Are your glow plugs manually controlled or is the controller working them? If controller, how long are they on for? If they're not on long enough, like 6-8 seconds, that could be the problem, especially if a few are dead.

Are you getting a steady stream of thick smoke every time you crank? Whenever I was re-priming mine, and I saw that, I'd glow it (push button control) and it would start right up.

Make double sure you have constant power to the FSS. It could be barely connected, and let enough fuel to get it to smoke, but cut out again before it starts.

 

[dirtbiker]

It's definitely cranking fast enough now. The glow plugs are on the controller, which was replaced just a few months ago. They usually stay on for 8-10 seconds I think, maybe a bit shorter than 10. The glow plugs were replaced with brand new ZD9's a few months ago as well. As for the smoke, I don't think I would call it "thick", but it's a steady stream. I put a wire with an alligator clamp on the FSS with constant 12v power and heard it click and it still wouldn't start with that.

 

[dirtbiker]

When I tried turning up the fuel, it would not move, to the point that the allen was twisting. Might I have stripped it or something? It really did not want to budge. I am concerned that I messed up something inside the pump, since it is being so difficult to fire now.

 

[dirtbiker]

IT LIVES! I can't for the life of me understand why it took so many repetitions to get it primed, but after four or five more, I unplugged the GPs, gave her a shot of the forbidden juice, and it struggled back to life. Went for a five mile ride, and it runs as it did before, so I guess we did not damage the pump. It is supposed to be in the 30s here tomorrow, so we'll see if she springs to life then. Thanks everybody for all of the suggestions. It makes this group AWESOME!

 

[texcl]

I've replaced injectors and IP's on several different diesels and have found the best way to purge the air is to loosen the injectors and when the diesel starts coming out tighten them while the other guy is cranking it over, just make sure you don't get caught in anything. I did that last night after installing new injectors and she started right up. If I replace an IP I always fill it with clean diesel before cranking, otherwise that's lots of air to purge and many IP's won't lift fuel with that much air in them (like old bosch IP's).

 

[icanfixall]

Many times injection pumps will take lots of cranking to purge the trapped air. Now if the fuel filter does not have the air bleeder set up to the return lines its going to be more trouble to purge the air. thats because all the air must not travel thru the injection pump and pressurized side of the system. Very little fuel is pushed thru the injecters so it has to be sent thru the returns at the injecters. An electric lift pump speeds up this process. Mel told me if the fuel is seen going out the top of the injection pump the engine will fire right off. Hope this helps to better understand the fuel systems on our engines.