I know. Another post on starting problems. I am new to diesels but my issue is that upon leaving work yesterday afternoon I started the truck which is a 1988 F350 7.3 N/A diesel. It started quickly then stuttered and died. I finally got it started after numerous tries and it ran fine the rest of the day. This morning I started it to go to work and again it started right off, stuttered and died. This time it would not restart. I finally gave up and jumped in another truck to go to work. On the way home I will buy a new fuel filter and change that before going any further.

What suggestions are there if I still have the same problem after the filter change?

Also I do not have an owners manual for this truck so I do not know what type of warning lights are on the dash. Only thing I have seen is Engine and Rear ABS lights. The WTS light and Water in fuel lights work properly. What other warning lights are there on the truck and where would I find them?

I will continue to search and read all the posts as I can to look for more info.

Thanks

 

You have air intrusion through the return lines I'm betting. They are the lines that run between each injector, get an injector install kit and that should have everything you need.

 

I wondered about that as some of the lines look rather old and cracks starting. I will have to fix that up. Thanks

 

Well, new fuel filter didn't help. Once I get it going it runs great but it acted the same way this morning. It fired right up on cold start and after 2 seconds died like it is starved for fuel or something. After driving for a while and then shutting it off for a coffee stop it will restart just as it should but I do get a raw diesel odor in the cab. More investigation to do while looking for suggestions.

 

Again check the return lines anywhere they are wet they are leaking, and once shut off they leak air and allow the fuel to bleed down. If you want to save your starter until you get the lines replaced just bleed the filter before you try to start it.

 

Ok. I just installed a complete return line kit on the engine this morning. I have one injector that I couldn't put new o rings on because the fuel line was frozen in the nut and if I would have tried to loosen it any harder I would have twisted the end of the fuel line off. So for now it stayed as it is and just got new lines installed on that one. I also serviced the CDR valve while I was in there. We will give it a week and see how it does. Thanks for the advice. That was easy.

 

Start soaking that injector nut with some PB Blaster for a week or so then give it a shot

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try. It still started hard this morning. After cranking it just a bit I checked the schrader valve on the filter and there was no fuel pressure there. I suppose it could still have some air in the system to get worked out but I was wondering if the fuel pump could be a bit weak adding to the problem. I do have an electric one here I could put in the system to try.

 

You can do the electric pump but make sure you bypass the old one so you don't fill the crankcase with fuel. Pull it out and get a block off plate for a small block chevy and it will plug the hole nicely.

 

if I decided to go with elec pump could I leave mechanical pump on for a spare and just plug lines?

 

You could leave it own,but I don't think it will last long at all without it pumping fuel through it.

 

If you want the back up get another electric pump and put it behind the seat, however my mechanical pump lasted 213k and I put a new one on when the motor was out for head gaskets, you could do the flow test on it. IIRC it's 1pint for 3sec of cranking as discharged from the bleeder port, if I'm wrong on that someone please correct me.

 

I believe the flow is 1/3 pint in 10 sec. of cranking.

 

What farmert said.

 

Thanks guys I will put that in my things to remember pile.