Hard Starting

[KTM265]

I have a 95 6.5 Turbo and I'm having trouble getting it to start...124,000 miles, stock motor. It will start and idle for about 1 minute, then it spurters and dies. I then have have to crank and crank for it to fire off...gives a big puff of whitish smoke and fires up. Generally it sounds like one cylinder will fire and then another....etc...until it takes off.

Right now I'm thinking change the glow plugs and see if that helps, next would be the glow plug controler. Am I thinking correctly with this?

[Robyn]

Before you spend any $$$$$$$$ do this.

The thing is suffering from air "Poisoning" Air in the injection system most likely

Ge the thing running, get a small container and place under the water drain hose up front by the belts.

Open the petcock and observe the flow of fuel from the hose into the container (Or lack of)

The engine should stay running and not falter.
If the engine dies and or little to no fuel come out, your lift pump is bad or the Oil pressure switch is bad.

OPS is located behind the glow controler down behind the LH head. Not hard to change.
These switches do two things, operate the oil pressure gauge and power the lift pump.

If the lift pump is not working the issue you describe can and does occur.

Try this too.
To check to see if the pump will run, with engine OFF place key in ON position, shift tranny to D turn key to start position, the starter wont operate but the lift pump should Whir away BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ as long as the key is turned to start.

The lift pump activates during the start cycle off of the starter circuit and then once the engine has oil pressure ther OPS takes over supplying power to the lift pump.

A failed OPS forces the transfer pump in the IP to actually suck the fuel into the IP.
This is very hard on the transfer pump and will over time cause damage..

The fact that it starts then dies after a short tells us that the glow plug system is fine.

The glow plugs are all in and done with within the first 10 seconds or so after the engine starts.

Why is it dieing???? If the fuel filter is not fresh, make it so.

Air getting into the system is also a possibility.

Check the Lift pump (opening drain and checking for fuel)

Change filter

If still doing it, connect a clear plastic line to the return line from the Injection pump to the return line. ( make a clear jumper)

Now run the thing through a start up and allow the line to fill with fuel.
Do another start a while later and observe, if you see a lot of air bubbles you need to find where they are coming from and fix it.


The hard start after the dieing is indicative of an air problem.

Keep us posted

Robyn

[KTM265]

Once it is running, it has no issues until it sits for several hours again... It's only during cold starts. Not sure if that helps direct some...

I'll try what you said here and let you know what I find...Thank you.

[KTM265]

Update... My lifter pump was not working. I replaced that, updated the fuel filter...problem solved. Now I have an exhaust leak so time to update that.

[Wing Nut OOA]

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/6548/31958837.png

[94blue]

Same problem I just started having. Anything special to swapping the lift pump regarding fuel flowing everywhere?
Thanks 94Blue

[KTM265]

Same problem I just started having. Anything special to swapping the lift pump regarding fuel flowing everywhere?
Thanks 94Blue

Evidently GM did an upgrade on the fuel filter system...completely different so check to see if yours has been upgraded. You can check the pump first too to see if it's running...see if it's getting power to the pump before you replace it. Follow the instructions below...

[94blue]

Mine is a 94, stock, 4x4, 2500. Yes the pump is there and I'm changing the filter too.
Where is the R & R list you mention?
Thanks,