Hey guys, My fuel guage has been reading a little funny lately and left me sucking air yesterday. I put 2 gallons in to try to get 300' to the station and the meter read Quarter tank!!! Anyone else having these problems? Too top it off I almost killed the Batts trying to pull prime. I can prime the kubota in my boat faster and easier than this truck. Anyone have any tricks outside of keeping the tank full?? I engaged the key to run the pump and cracked the drain at the filter to try to purge the air in the line but it did not seem to help. There would be a large release of fuel/air but then no steady stream of fuel. I thought the pump would push the line clear unless it's not in the tank and instead it's a pull pump,tank to pump. With the old 92'International I could pull prime by lightly spraying pb blaster into the air intake or dragging that wonderful maual tranny behind another truck. I do not want to try that w/ this 99'.Atomatic transmition sure makes it easy to drive and eat chicken but it does have it's drawback. When my pal's done w/ the 92' I'm getting it back!
Fuel on the island is running 2.25 a gal as opposed to 2.0 15 miles inland at the interstateand I'm nickle and dimeing in between trips inland. Any more sucking air is going to kill my batts, possibly injectors, starter, ect.Suggestions??
Thanks
cw

 

You can try putting clean fuel directly into the filter housing. Also there is a schrader valve (like the valve stem on a wheel) that you can depress to purge the air out. Opening the drain valve will only make matters worse, since the drain actually opens to the bottom of the filter housing (water is heavier than diesel). Hope this helps.

Max

 

Since you have a '99 that's good - they have an electric fuel pump. All you need to do is cycle the ignition key on and off every 15 seconds for a couple of minutes and the fuel filter bowl is filled up all the way. Then the only prime you need to get back is in the cylinder rails. You can go one step better by installing an external fuel pressure regulator. About $400-500.00 (I think). Or you can do what I did and install a very small oriface at the far end of the fuel rails and teeing back into the fuel return to the tank. That setup completly bleeds all air from the rails continuously. Recommend something about .2mm in size