Powerhouse Ranch
3G Connoisseur
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2021
- Posts
- 1,526
- Reaction score
- 2,987
- Location
- PA
- First Name
- Luke
- Truck Year
- '80, '86, '88
- Truck Model
- C25, K5, V15
- Engine Size
- 454, 379, 350
Alrighty, bear with me. Keep in mind these old diesels are new to me and i'm learning as i go and doing a ton of research.
Now this truck had a fuel issue from day one of getting it. It was terrible to start and would start at high idle and then go down to base idle - would be lacking at times. Once you put it into gear and give it any throttle, dead. Never had it on the road yet.
Now fast forward a year and a half after waiting and the rest of the truck being worked on, here i am - saving the absolute best for last: my fuel issues.
So as per my thorough research, i upgraded my fuel filter housing to that of a 6.6L Duramax - got a Dorman from NAPA and a matching NAPA Gold, all which cost me more than i wished but regardless it is an upgrade from the factory brick. I've changed all glow plugs. Tested my "dog head" swap and everything works as it should. I just replaced the entire fuel tank and sending unit today and put some real fuel in it. The fuel that was in it has been in it for at least two years and i knew screwing with the filters that the fuel was turning/turned. Upon tank removal and inspection, I quickly realized it was the right decision. My batteries are good (12V swap) and they're on charge when I'm not cranking. I have a new starter on it and installed the support bracket from starter to block.
I had the pump apart two weeks ago (cover off) and it was full of crud. Snapped two of the three bolts off in the pump and had to drill and tap. Rust looking, algae, etc. Deep cleaned it all out. Let it soak in ATF for a day and a half. Reassembled. Got a new tank/sender installed and did the clear hose test from filter to IP and there is no air. I cracked all of the injectors and they're all getting wet from cranking, but not squirting as they should under pressure. I've read that the seeping is from the lift pump, meaning it works, but the IP isn't building pressure. I took the return hose off the top cover and apparently it should squirt fuel out as necessary and it never did. I have the smell of fuel from my exhaust yet no smoke of any kind. That's what pretty much did it for me today.
So i tore off the IP cover once again. Put 12V to the fuel cut off and it works perfectly. Put 12V to the return piston and it worked perfectly. Looked inside and saw metal flake roughly the size of a third of a dime sitting in there. Looked better than the first time i had it apart but still not the best looking. Found the 'metering linkage'? stuck in the wrong position (pictured in the ATF soak, don't know how i missed it). Worked it back and forth unit it was normal but clearly won't always spring back to full back and forth as it should. Which tells me that could be my stalling issue or why the couple times i did start it, it stayed running a little longer after key off. Video link attached of me actuating it. Help me confirm my suspicions. I've done pretty much everything i could do to try to avoid a failed pump, but the more i look at it, the more and more it looks like a bad pump. I'm thinking time took a toll on this, and sitting with bad fuel did not help a thing. Besides all of this, motor is the cleanest i've personally seen and has 72,*** miles on it. Thanks for all the help in advance, pictures/video will be in the next post.
Now this truck had a fuel issue from day one of getting it. It was terrible to start and would start at high idle and then go down to base idle - would be lacking at times. Once you put it into gear and give it any throttle, dead. Never had it on the road yet.
Now fast forward a year and a half after waiting and the rest of the truck being worked on, here i am - saving the absolute best for last: my fuel issues.
So as per my thorough research, i upgraded my fuel filter housing to that of a 6.6L Duramax - got a Dorman from NAPA and a matching NAPA Gold, all which cost me more than i wished but regardless it is an upgrade from the factory brick. I've changed all glow plugs. Tested my "dog head" swap and everything works as it should. I just replaced the entire fuel tank and sending unit today and put some real fuel in it. The fuel that was in it has been in it for at least two years and i knew screwing with the filters that the fuel was turning/turned. Upon tank removal and inspection, I quickly realized it was the right decision. My batteries are good (12V swap) and they're on charge when I'm not cranking. I have a new starter on it and installed the support bracket from starter to block.
I had the pump apart two weeks ago (cover off) and it was full of crud. Snapped two of the three bolts off in the pump and had to drill and tap. Rust looking, algae, etc. Deep cleaned it all out. Let it soak in ATF for a day and a half. Reassembled. Got a new tank/sender installed and did the clear hose test from filter to IP and there is no air. I cracked all of the injectors and they're all getting wet from cranking, but not squirting as they should under pressure. I've read that the seeping is from the lift pump, meaning it works, but the IP isn't building pressure. I took the return hose off the top cover and apparently it should squirt fuel out as necessary and it never did. I have the smell of fuel from my exhaust yet no smoke of any kind. That's what pretty much did it for me today.
So i tore off the IP cover once again. Put 12V to the fuel cut off and it works perfectly. Put 12V to the return piston and it worked perfectly. Looked inside and saw metal flake roughly the size of a third of a dime sitting in there. Looked better than the first time i had it apart but still not the best looking. Found the 'metering linkage'? stuck in the wrong position (pictured in the ATF soak, don't know how i missed it). Worked it back and forth unit it was normal but clearly won't always spring back to full back and forth as it should. Which tells me that could be my stalling issue or why the couple times i did start it, it stayed running a little longer after key off. Video link attached of me actuating it. Help me confirm my suspicions. I've done pretty much everything i could do to try to avoid a failed pump, but the more i look at it, the more and more it looks like a bad pump. I'm thinking time took a toll on this, and sitting with bad fuel did not help a thing. Besides all of this, motor is the cleanest i've personally seen and has 72,*** miles on it. Thanks for all the help in advance, pictures/video will be in the next post.
