No fuel to injectors.

[ccc]

I have a 1997 K1500 Silverado with a 6.5 turbo diesel with egr system. Three years ago I had the local Vo-Tech school overhaul the motor and they replaced everything, including having the injector pump rebuilt and the turbo rebuilt. I parked the truck two years ago due to fuel cost. About a month ago I decided to get the truck running so I put new batteries in it and added fuel conditioner. The container for the conditioner was in the bed of the truck and I didn't notice until I had poured several cups in the tank that the plastic bottle had cracked letting in water and wind blown "junk" which I was putting in the tank. I then tried the easy way and added some good fuel conditioner. I tried to start the truck and it started and ran for a bit and shut down. I went through several fuel filters before I gave up and dropped the tank. I cleaned the tank and I replaced the sending unit to get a new strainer in the tank. I then replaced the lift pump. I put 15 gallons of red off road fuel in so I would know when I had purged the system. I put a clear line on the water drain and purged the line. I then purged the top of the fuel filter. The truck started and ran for about five minutes. I drove it about 100 yards and it died as if it had the key turned off. I scanned the codes and it had a code for the egr and the glow plug relay. I tested the glow plug relay and it stays on for five seconds before shutting off. I tested the glow plugs for continuity by putting a test light on the positive terminal of the battery and grounded to the spade of the glow plug with the line off and it lights. I tested the line for voltage at the spade and it has voltage. When I take off the fuel line from the first injector on the drivers side, I am not getting fuel. I also tested the fuel shut off solenoid by powering it from the battery and it is clicking. I tested the circuit and it energizes when I turn the key on. I have fuel coming out of the fuel return line. I have three pmds and I have tried all of them. One is mounted on the pump and I have a remote mounted pmd. I tested the remote harness for continuity and it is okay. I tested the ground on the pmd, I tested the power to the pmd. I can not get any kind of current indication from the B and F line of the pmd harness but I don't know what I should be getting. Hard to believe all three would be bad. I disconnected the optic sensor, no luck. I replaced the ecm with one from a salvage yard (exact same numbers on the sticker) with no luck. I replaced the fuel relay in the fuse block, I cleaned all the terminals on the fuse block and checked all the fuses. I removed and cleaned the ground on the back of the head, as well as the battery terminals. I am getting fuel to the pump, but not to the injectors. any thoughts?

[rameye]

One thing you didnt mention is if you are getting a positive fuel supply to the injection pump. I mean 3-5 psi at the pump??

If so then flow it...

I assume you may have done this...but the question begs to be asked.

[ccc]

"One thing you didnt mention is if you are getting a positive fuel supply to the injection pump. I mean 3-5 psi at the pump??"

Thank you for your help, I didn't do a pressure test because I 1) don't know how and 2) don't have any equipment to do so. My skills are pretty limited. I do have a good fuel flow coming out of top of the filter though. When I crank the engine I get a steady flow of fuel through a clear hose hooked to the top of the filter. I also get a good flow out of the return line out of the pump.

[rameye]

Are you aware that there are 2 different electrical sytems that power the pump?? One during cranking...one for engine running.

It is possible that the one on the cranking circuit is operational...however when the power transfers to the feed via the oil pressure switch, that circuit is not getting power.

Might explain why it starts than shuts off soon afterwards.

I also would verify fuel flow to the injection pump...pop off the fuel line and run it into a soup can or whatever is handy. I think you need to verify fuel is actually getting to the injection pump before moving forward.

Just fishing around here..

[ccc]

Keep fishing Rameye I need all the help I can get. I knew there was some kind of dual system. I hard wired the lift pump to see if that would do anything. I ran a hotwire from the battery and the pump ran but it didn't make a difference so I put it back like it was. I can pull the line at the pump instead of the filter but I thought that since I was getting fuel out of the pump at the return line that I was getting fuel through the pump and past the fuel shutoff solenoid, is that not true?

[rameye]

You would think...however we things are getting hinky I step back and go for the obvious...I have been tricked so many times be not checking things I knew were Ok...or so I thought.

I would keep that pump hardwired and operating while you troubleshoot,.... rules out any pump/electrical issues.

Verify good flow to the injection pump. (good flow will equal adequate pressure in most cases)

You say you have fuel coming out of the bypass circuit on the pump....any air?? Note mine hardly moves fuel thru the bypass...never checked while running either.

With the exception of the fuel shutoff solenoid thats the mechanical stuff...It is clicking loudly?? It can also fail.

If you airlocked the pump, depending on pump health you could have a dickens of a time re-priming it- I drop all the injectors off the fuel lines on the easy side and do 30 second cranks followed by 2 minute rest periods. After 2 minutes total of solid cranking you should see something dripping out of those open lines.

Note: keep that lift pump running thru the whole procedure..

Note: This assumes you have purged all air from the top of the filter and the line to the injection pump as well as the T handle line.

Be slow and methodical...no skipped steps...some pumps I have found are way harder than others to get fuel to flow.

While we are at it...put a clear line on the top of the fuel filter and check for air in the line...flow a gallon into a bucket...seeing as you did mess with the lines air can be getting in.

Heck while we are here...loosen up/ remove the fuel cap...pulling out all of the stops!


see what happens....now we are long lining!

[ccc]

It was worth a shot! I hard wired the lift pump, pumped a few liters of fuel out the line where it goes into the pump. AND I am getting a LOT of fuel out of the return line when I open it no air either place. Opened all the injector lines at the injectors on the drivers side, cranked the motor as suggested, thirty seconds crank, 2 minutes rest. After five or six cycles of this, I still don't have any fuel coming out of the injector lines. If you put your finger over the outlet it will get wet but there isn't enough to drip.

[DaveBr]

Have you checked to see if the fuel shut off solenoid on the injection pump is working? If it isn't you won't get fuel to the injectors no matter what you do.

[rameye]

Assuming that the electrical system is intact..the PMD is a known good PMD..( do we have a ground wire off somewhere) and the injection pump main fuel solenoid is healthy..I agree with Dave...look at that fuel inlet solenoid on the injection pump.

Although I have never replaced one ...I understand that they are field replaceable.

Keep at it.

[ccc]

I have not pulled the solenoid but I have checked the harness to make sure it is getting current and I energized the solenoid and it clicks. I bought a DS4 pump from a salvage yard off a truck that blew a head gasket so I could look it over and see where everything was. I took the shutoff solenoid off it to see how it works and when I put electricity to it, it makes the same sound and feel as the plunger moves back and forth. I suppose the rubber stopper could be off.....

[rameye]

Its man made...it can fail..

[ccc]

Ooops. I have a problem. Looking at the spare pump I have, It appears the fuel shutoff solenoid would send all the fuel through the return line if it was not operating. It has voltage and it was clicking, though not robustly, so I decided to change it since I have the spare one from the salvage pump. There is a hex head on the top of the solenoid that fits a ½ socket. Instead of unscrewing the solenoid as it did on the spare, when I applied pressure the cap on the top of the solenoid sheared the four small rivets that hold it in place and cut the wires off that feed the electronic components. The body of the solenoid is a tube that is rolled over at the top. A flat plate with the ½ head is under the rolled edge and held in place by the four rivets. Once it breaks loose it is useless. I then took off the top half of the intake, the fuel line and the return valve to make room to use a large pair of water pump pliers. I can deform the body of the solenoid with the jaws of the pliers and despite my best efforts I can’t get the solenoid to unscrew. I even moved all the rubber and plastic out of the way and put a torch on it to loosen it but it hasn’t helped. If I didn’t have a problem with the solenoid before, I do now!

[More Power]

If using heat, be sure to have a fuel-fire rated extinguisher at the ready. Apply heat to the aluminum housing just below where the solenoid screws into the injection pump. Then do whatever you have to do to unscrew it - counter clock-wise (channel locks, vise-grips, pipe wrench, etc...)

Heat will expand the aluminum slightly, relaxing its grip slightly on the threads of the solenoid, and heat may loosen any thread locking compound. Be careful.....

Jim

[rameye]

Now we are having fun!

[CedarGrove]

I apologize in advance...

It's only funny until someone gets hurt...Then it's hilarious.

[ccc]

Rameye wrote "Its man made...it can fail.. " Yep. All the tests I did suggested the fuel solenoid was functioning properly and I don't know if it was the solenoid or what I found under it but good news, the truck is running. I even got to use my two favorite tools, vice grips and a hammer! After heating the pump with a torch for a bit, I was able to hammer the vice grips and break the solenoid loose. After it was off, I put a small magnet into the inlet (mostly because I bought it today!) and came up with a small piece of metal about the size of a small match head. It is circular and flat on both sides. It looks a lot like the rivet heads I sheared off but I coudn't see any way it could get through the solenoid. Anyway, I put the spare solenoid on and the truck started. I ran it for about a half hour, shut it off and restarted it so I think maybe it is fixed. Thank everyone for your help, it gives me the confidence to take on more than I would even think about doing if you weren't there and so willing to help. Now I can move on to the 4wd system!

[rameye]

Good for you CCC...

Thats was a brain teaser...I felt bad making you check out that solenoid that appeared to be operating...felt worse when you broke it..

The way you said that overflow on your pump was cranking out fuel made me think it might be that....like I said mine hardly moves any fuel when the engine is off and I pressurize the feed line.

Your on your own with 4wd...somebody else I'm sure can hook you up!

Lots of good folks with good knowledge on this board.

Enjoy your truck

[JohnC]

I felt bad making you check out that solenoid that appeared to be operating...felt worse when you broke it..

If you want to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs... ;)

[AllThumbs]

CCC, your my hero! I'm a newbie at these things too and just plugging along has worked out in the end.

I'm currently air locked. The pump runs when hot wired but not with the key. I have been doing other things and don't have to start it now but will try once I have the other things screwed in place.

Congrats on grinding it out.

[ccc]

Thanks Allthumbs but the truth is, the hero’s are the folk in this website that help others (like me) through this stuff. Truth be told, I’m not even an enthusiast, I’m just broke! My fondest wish was to make this someone else’s problem, I just couldn’t afford to. Wanna hear something funny? After I got the truck running I found when I drove it that it wasn’t shifting right, didn’t want to come out of first gear etc. Two days crawling under and around on it - and it dawned on me, I had the 4wd push button on 4low! Oh well, I guess I can claim it is because the 4wd won’t engage that I didn’t think of it, anybody buy that?