ok, I've had my share of projects but this truck has been months of pushing a rock up hill basically - almost feels like its cursed! lol
The truck:
Ok, so got this truck to fix and flip - had a blown engine, so got a 'new' engine from a local pull-a-part that was guaranteed to run, even came with a 30 day warranty. Got it in an long story short I basically have the truck at the BARE MINIMUM stage to start. Basically the intake is on, and everything is installed that has any kind of sensor, but the cooling system is completely empty (no hoses even) and none of the accessories are hooked up. I had a cam sensor code, had to replace the reluctor wheel, now all I have is a #2 glow plug code which I'm not worried about right now. Otherwise no codes at this point. Turns over great. I have no flue what’s done to the truck tune wise since I’ve never even driven it (bought it blown up). Has an Airdog on it, have it drawing from a 5 gal bucket and returning to said bucket right now so I could verify that it actually moves fuel. All I have is a normal scanner that pulls codes and does some really basic high level live data reading. Problem is it wont read fuel pressure. However, for my track car I have HPTuners which will read live data on a chevy for all kinds of stuff, problem is that when you turn the key to start the truck kills power to everything to give max cranking juice. So not sure how to read the ACTUAL rail pressure just yet.
What I've done:
Got engine in as said, cranked over, sounded just like a dmax with no prime basically. Everything sounds good except for the main part…it starting. Again, no codes to go off of, so I went to the basic – fuel and air.
Air:
No air obstructions going into the intake manifold, not even a filter, just wide open. (Air filter is in the truck so I can hook up the MAF, just don’t have the intercooler stuff all hooked up).
Fuel:
Have the Airdog pushing fuel, got truck primed, little plunger gets damn near rock hard like it should. Bled the air out of the little bleeder screw on top of the OE filter housing. (new filter on the OE housing too). Have a lot of fuel from the check port too. You can leave the truck for a day or two, primer goes soft, turn the key to kick on the Airdog and within 1 second primer goes firm again and you crack the bleeder and no air comes out. So it is maintain a prime from what I can tell.
What I have tried:
I tried having a buddy crank it and crack a couple injector lines because I figured there was still a little air in it somewhere. (I’m a Cummins guy and this was the ticket 90% of the time, but my other LBZ, and LLY have NEVER needed that, but figured it was worth a shot). No fuel came out at all. So I back tracked and cracked the line on the forward side of the driver side fuel rail, again, had a buddy crank it, there was BARELY any bubbles. For a system that should have about 5,000psi on start up, there wasn’t anywhere NEAR that amount.
I then replaced the line into, and out of the CP3 with a section of clear hose to see what’s happening. When cranking or turning the key on (the primer is still very firm) the fuel in the line feeding the CP3 has a couple big bubbles in it that are NOT being pushed to the CP3? When I first hooked it up (clear lines empty) it shoved fuel through it right away, then basically compressed the air and stopped it seemed like? The return line from the CP3 had NO fuel in it. I haven’t had a chance to do the bottle test, but hopefully will tonight.
What I need help with:
I feel like the lift pump should be shoving fuel ALL THE WAY into the CP3 pump, not having ANY air bubbles in the clear line. So why do I have NO air from the filter housing bleed screw, but have a couple inches worth of air bubble in my clear plastic line? And why wont it push the fuel into the CP3? Could this be the FPR not allowing it? I was going to disconnect the FPR to make it go to 100% to see what happens next time I’m out there. Otherwise, I’m just about stumped… any ideas fellas? Also might try to start it on ether tonight - (I know there are mixed reviews on this approach, but its never had a negative affect for me.)
Sorry for the novel
The truck:
Ok, so got this truck to fix and flip - had a blown engine, so got a 'new' engine from a local pull-a-part that was guaranteed to run, even came with a 30 day warranty. Got it in an long story short I basically have the truck at the BARE MINIMUM stage to start. Basically the intake is on, and everything is installed that has any kind of sensor, but the cooling system is completely empty (no hoses even) and none of the accessories are hooked up. I had a cam sensor code, had to replace the reluctor wheel, now all I have is a #2 glow plug code which I'm not worried about right now. Otherwise no codes at this point. Turns over great. I have no flue what’s done to the truck tune wise since I’ve never even driven it (bought it blown up). Has an Airdog on it, have it drawing from a 5 gal bucket and returning to said bucket right now so I could verify that it actually moves fuel. All I have is a normal scanner that pulls codes and does some really basic high level live data reading. Problem is it wont read fuel pressure. However, for my track car I have HPTuners which will read live data on a chevy for all kinds of stuff, problem is that when you turn the key to start the truck kills power to everything to give max cranking juice. So not sure how to read the ACTUAL rail pressure just yet.
What I've done:
Got engine in as said, cranked over, sounded just like a dmax with no prime basically. Everything sounds good except for the main part…it starting. Again, no codes to go off of, so I went to the basic – fuel and air.
Air:
No air obstructions going into the intake manifold, not even a filter, just wide open. (Air filter is in the truck so I can hook up the MAF, just don’t have the intercooler stuff all hooked up).
Fuel:
Have the Airdog pushing fuel, got truck primed, little plunger gets damn near rock hard like it should. Bled the air out of the little bleeder screw on top of the OE filter housing. (new filter on the OE housing too). Have a lot of fuel from the check port too. You can leave the truck for a day or two, primer goes soft, turn the key to kick on the Airdog and within 1 second primer goes firm again and you crack the bleeder and no air comes out. So it is maintain a prime from what I can tell.
What I have tried:
I tried having a buddy crank it and crack a couple injector lines because I figured there was still a little air in it somewhere. (I’m a Cummins guy and this was the ticket 90% of the time, but my other LBZ, and LLY have NEVER needed that, but figured it was worth a shot). No fuel came out at all. So I back tracked and cracked the line on the forward side of the driver side fuel rail, again, had a buddy crank it, there was BARELY any bubbles. For a system that should have about 5,000psi on start up, there wasn’t anywhere NEAR that amount.
I then replaced the line into, and out of the CP3 with a section of clear hose to see what’s happening. When cranking or turning the key on (the primer is still very firm) the fuel in the line feeding the CP3 has a couple big bubbles in it that are NOT being pushed to the CP3? When I first hooked it up (clear lines empty) it shoved fuel through it right away, then basically compressed the air and stopped it seemed like? The return line from the CP3 had NO fuel in it. I haven’t had a chance to do the bottle test, but hopefully will tonight.
What I need help with:
I feel like the lift pump should be shoving fuel ALL THE WAY into the CP3 pump, not having ANY air bubbles in the clear line. So why do I have NO air from the filter housing bleed screw, but have a couple inches worth of air bubble in my clear plastic line? And why wont it push the fuel into the CP3? Could this be the FPR not allowing it? I was going to disconnect the FPR to make it go to 100% to see what happens next time I’m out there. Otherwise, I’m just about stumped… any ideas fellas? Also might try to start it on ether tonight - (I know there are mixed reviews on this approach, but its never had a negative affect for me.)
Sorry for the novel