Another hard starting 6.9L E-350

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Aug 8, 2007 | 12:58 PM

TurboE350

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Another hard starting 6.9L E-350

Hi,

I'm new to the forum but have owned my '85 E-350 4x4 turbo 6.9L for 11 years now. Recently it has been a hard starter after sitting for as little as 6 hours and definately after a day. It has all the symptoms of an air leak in the fuel system, starts but dies after a few seconds and then takes many minutes of cranking (yes in short bursts) to get started and runs fine after that. No obvious fuel leaks and my local RV/diesel mechanic says that system has fuel in it from the electric fuel pump down by the water separator and through the mechanical pump on the block up to the fuel injection pump.

His opinion is that the fuel injection pump has a solenoid in it that is letting fuel drain back, which is a $500 exchange part and 20 hours of labor to replace. I have seen previous discussions that the o-rings and bypass hoses being the major culprits and I think I should replace those before tearing into the FI pump. Just trying to get some other opinions before deciding on a $3000 fix or not.

TurboE350

Aug 8, 2007 | 07:26 PM

mhg

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From: savannah,ga

may get more info in the diesel engine forum

Aug 9, 2007 | 12:24 PM

pfogle

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From: Oak Harbor, OH

It could even be bad glow plugs. If the cylinders aren't heating up correctly before trying to start it will start hard.

Aug 10, 2007 | 12:31 PM

TurboE350

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Thank you both for your replies. I looked at the diesel forum and thought the fuel filter check value failure on the return line TSB sounded like a good place to start so my mechanic is going to look ar removing it while he replaces the fuel filter. He doesn't remember seeing a return line from the fuel filter but will look again.

The engine fires up immediately (what ever fuel is in the system) and dies and then needs to be cranked until fuel or fuel pressure (not sure which it is) comes back up.

If this doesn't pan out I'll move the question to the other forum.

TurboE350

Aug 10, 2007 | 07:12 PM

pfogle

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From: Oak Harbor, OH

That might even be a bad fuel pump in the tank. It sounds like the check valve is bad.

Aug 15, 2007 | 02:24 PM

TurboE350

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I have two tanks (stock 16G in front and 40G in the rear) and it does the same thing regardless of which tank is connected.

TurboE350

Nov 19, 2007 | 08:48 PM

E-350camper

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Hi,
I had the same "starts but dies after a few seconds " problem on my 6,9L and changing the injection kit and the glow plugs was the solution. It seems that air gets in through the injectors O rings.

E-350camper