I just put a new gas tank in my 6.9idi 1986 ford f350, rebuilt all the injectors, replaced, all the return lines, caps, o rings etc, put a new metal fuel line on that runs under the oil pan, and put on two new 3/8 fuel hoses at the water separator on the firewall. I have been trying to start this truck for over 2 hours... I can't get any fuel out of the schrader valve on the fuel filter head and the filter is full with diesel (I filled it). The truck started and ran for about 2 seconds when I first started cranking. THe fuel pump on the truck is less than a year old. What could be the problem? Could I have installed the fuel lines wrong? This truck ran pretty well before I did all these repairs.

Thanks

 

im hardly a diesel mechanic but i dont see what else it could be but your fuel pump...or possible fuel hose routing problem.

 

Fuel tank selector valve? Enough fuel in the tank? Remove the filter to relieve head pressure and crank it. You have a ton of air in the lines.

 

Since it started and ran for a couple seconds, it seems your problem is that it has air in the lines. You have a lot of new line to fill up with fuel.

Can you refill the filter and try restarting? Runnning even for a couple seconds will pump a whiole lot more than starter cranking. Maybe have to do that a few times until all the lines are full of fuel.

 

Thanks guys, I will remove the filter and crank it.... I removed the valve core out of the filter head earlier and could feel no kind of pressure or anything against my finger. maybe I can route the fuel lines into a diesel can or something to test the mechanical pump. Then that would limit it to a routing issue. I really don't know, it seems like it should have started by now. No doubt on having tons of air in the system, I just went through pretty much all of the fuel system, I didn't expect starting to be this difficult though.

Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks

 

Sorry for the double post, The filter is full of fuel, which is why this is so odd to me. The truck still will not run...

It sucks that ford or international never put any kind of priming system on these trucks.

Thanks

 

i've heard of many people who installed their lift pump wrong and as a result broke of its arm. the IP will suck enough to run without it once its primed, which may have kept it running from then till now.
since you don't seem to be getting anywhere cranking it, i would pull off the lift pump, even test it by hand - should suck at the intake port when moving its arm. or maybe just go buy an electric lift pump, plenty of threads about that around here, those WILL prime your system in just a few seconds, even with air in the lines.

 

I ended up checking all the lines and everything in the system today. Tested for suction/pressure at the fuel pump. The point of failure turned out to be the fuel pump - I can't believe it, since I replaced it over the summer and only put about 50 miles on the truck since then. The fuel pump was contacting the eccentric on the cam correctly too. To expedite the bleeding process, I filled the fuel feed line with diesel at the water separator, and also loosened the fuel filter to ensure fuel delivery. I did not bother cracking injector lines, and the truck fired up fairly quickly.

Thanks for the tips and help everyone.