Hello everyone! I haven't posted in quite a while but now I have a fun issue. I was having a hot hard to start issue once in a while over the past 2 months. Maybe 4 out of 20 hot starts. Cold it fires right up. A little history of what I've done lately. Just over a month ago I replaced the upper and lower oil pan gaskets so no more leaks there (that was a fun job to do). 3 weeks ago replaced the stanpipes and dummy plugs on the passenger side and also the icp sensor (everything OEM of course). The original ones were in good shape other than the o-rings were a little flat. Before they were replaced the IPR was 22.8 % at idle. Afterwards it dropped down to 21.6%. I drove it around for a couple hundred miles and everything was working great. So before doing the drivers side we drove to the mountains. On the way up the highway I started noticing I was having to push down on the pedal to maintain the speed (uphill grade). I looked at the gauges and saw the IPR% was 84%. I vaguely remember the ICP was around 1,000 maybe. Found a place to pull off the road right away and as soon as I let off the pedal it died. Let it sit for a few minutes then tried to start it. IPR 84% and ICP was 5psi and never got higher. Called a tow truck.
Took it all apart and replaced the drivers side standpipes/dummy plugs, replaced the ipr with a spare from 7 years ago, while I was there decided to replace the HPOP with a CNC Stage 1 and J-Tube . The other HPOP was the reman from Nov 2015 (almost 100,000 on it!). Rebuilt the turbo with new seals and bearings. Batteries have been on trickle charge and maintenance mode for the past 2 weeks so they are good. Yesterday buttoned it up, primed the High Pressure oil system with that test battery lead on the passenger fender. I did 4 20 second bursts. ( same as when I did the passengerside standpipes/dummy plugs which fired right up afterwards). When I went to start it the ICP wouldn't get higher than 40 psi. I pulled the oil filter and cranked, the bowl filled in about 5 or so seconds. Pulled the connector off the ICP Sensor cranked and no start. The ICP read 1200 PSI and IPR 64% defaults i guess. Pulled out the icp sensor and cranked with that test wire and oil started flowing out, it didn't shoot out but oozed out with a steady flow. I haven't air tested yet but have the fittings ordered and will be here on Tuesday. One more thing, when I pulled the ipr valve the screen was perfect with no holes or debris inside. Other than the much needed air test anyone have any other suggestions? Truck has 298,500 miles with all original fuel injectors. Thank you in advance!
Edit: Forgot to add it pulled a P2285 Injector Control Pressure Sensor Circuit Low. I'm thinking thats when I cranked it when it was unplugged. I also replaced the icp sensor with the old one that was working and had the same result.

 

Fuel bowl filled, can you check how much fuel pressure is there?

 

Thank you for the reply! Sadly enough I never bought a fuel pressure gauge. I just ordered one and will have it Wednesday. In the mean time, I'll check a little later to make sure the bowl is filling up.

 

I removed the upper fuel filter and it was full of fuel. I replaced the fuel filters about 6 weeks ago and the upper one still looks brand new. I pulled the oil filter again and it was dry. Is that normal? I was cranking on it this morning so I know oil was in the housing. I just checked again, cranked the engine with the test lead and the oil filter housing filled up in a few seconds but I noticed some bubbles in the oil as it was filling. The bubbles were there yesterday too when I did this. Maybe just the air still in the system?

 

Do you have ficm sync

 

Thank you for the reply. Yes it has FICM Sync.

 

Kinda hard to make these engines just die while driving. Yours sure sounds like the way my truck died when the HPOP blew crud into the IPR. Have you tested the IPR or used a known-good one? An injector wouldn't usually cause it to die, but maybe under load, if it was losing pressure at the oil rail and leaking over to the other injectors so multiple failed. I've also had mine die when a fuel line came loose at the bowl, and when I lost connection at the batteries.

 

Thank you for the reply. I don't think this is a fuel issue (knocking on wood as not to jinx it any further.. lol) since I have hardly any IPR Pressure. I had to pretty much keep the pedal to the floor to keep it running. I did change out the IPR with a know good one, replaced the HPOP and still won't build over 40 psi. Big leak somewhere. I am really thinking either the standpipe or dummy plug seal blew since this hapened a week after i replaced them. I torqued everything to spec too. They even soaked in an oil bath for 4 days prior to make sure they were ready to install! lol I should get the fittings delivered today so I can do an air test and figure this out. Injectors have almost 300,000 miles on them so I'm thinking the orings are shot. Maybe with the passenger side standpipes and dummy plugs with new seals put a little more pressure on those old injector orings. I'll give it some air later this week and see what happens.

 

Update; I did an air test tonight. I plugged an adapter in the ICP port which is convenient since this issue started a week after the standpipe and dummy plug was replaced. When I released the air i watched as the guage climbed to 150psi (I made a hose with a shut off lever and presure guage) and I could hear air rushing out at the same time. I took off the oil filler cap and did it again. It seems like the air is rushing out almost as fast as its going in. Its dark now so I'll remove the valve cover tomorrow and pump air in it again then report back. I'm kind of worried as to what I'll find. It sounds like a big leak. lol

 

Are you closing the IPR valve? You have to do that for the test when using the ICP sensor port.

 

Hey Mark! Ahh no I didn't. I have materials to make a switch to do that. Will the air rush out like that as soon as you apply air if the IPR isn't closed?

 

Howdy Jonathan! Yes, the air will rush out pretty quickly.

 

Well Mark, I removed the turbo and ipr valve today. Installed the test ipr fitting and let the air run. Same thing as yesterday air was rushing out the oil filler tube almost as fast as it was going in. Nothing was coming out the drivers side valve cover. Just the passengers side. Started to remove the valve cover and the weather went south. 2 more bolts and its off. I am really thinking either the standpipe or dummy plugs are the issue. I'll find out when it stops raining. Thank you for the help.

 

Do you have the old Snap To Connect fitting? There should be enough pressure to stay running once started. However, if you don't have an upgraded STC fitting and it parts while you're driving....

 

NONE of the '04's use the STC fitting. It is '05 and up that do ....................




Of course the J tube off of the round aluminum HPOP might be leaking.