It's not that uncommon for this to happen, even if you put things back to stock like Ford had it. The fuel in your tank must run uphill to reach the hose, fill the filter, then reach the pump.

The easy options are fill the tank with fuel or take the hose off the back of the filter, or the back of the fuel pump, and try and siphon the fuel out of the tank through the fuel line. Once you get fuel to the pump, it will take care of itself.

Some have had luck pouring fuel in the fuel filter bowl under the hood so the air is pushing fuel back into the tank when the key is turned on and provides some sort of vacuum to pull the fuel through the lines. You can also try filling your new baldwin filter with fuel to see if that helps the pump when the key is turned on.

Another easy option if you have access to an air compressor, is take the line off the back of the fuel pump, stick an air nozzle with a rag wrapped around it (to close of the neck at the fuel cap) and blow about 20 psi air into the tank until you see fuel coming out of the line.

I know this can be frustrating, but you've almost got things put back together now. Just take a deep breath and think about how much money the dealer would have charged you to do the same things. Then get the fuel flowing and enjoy your handiwork.

Remember to cycle the key to on for 20 seconds, back off for a couple of seconds, then back on 20 seconds about 4 or 5 times after you've got fuel to the pump. This will refill your factory fuel filter bowl and purge the air from the lines.

 

Ive been trying the compressed air thing for about 15 miniutes with no luck.

 

Shouldn't take but a minute to get the fuel flowing. Have you closed off the opening around where your sticking the nozzle in? Are you just blowing air out of the fuel line?

Just to be on the safe side, how many gallons did you dump in to make a 1/4 tank? Any chance the suction tube came out of the mixing chamber when you were putting things back together?

 

make sure Batteries are good also I ran mine out with the fuel pump. Also I filled my external filters and my filter on the engine cycled the key a couple of times and cranked it...

 

Ok, heres where im at now.... I dont have a mixing chamber as I did the mod. After I posted last I filled it to about half a tank. I was useing a rag to hold the air in the tank.... I took the line off where it connects to the pump and no fuel was at the pump. I put the air hose in the tank again with this line off and it took about 10seconds for the fuel to start comming out of the line. I put the line back on the pump and then took the line off of the out side of the pump and turned the key - No diesel. Then I tried the air line back in the tank with the inlet on the pump and the out of the pump with no line to see if I could get the compressed air to blow fuel through the pump- No air or diesel came out at this point.
I had the bowl on the engine full the entire time I was doing all of this. When I took the line off the inlet of the pump the bowl stayed full. as soon as I took the line off of the outlet of the pump the bowl started draining.
I dont know how the pump is suppose to operate, but I cant force air or diesel through it with or with out the pump powered up. I now have the pump off of the truck and Im thinking maybe its bad? HELP!!!!!!

 

I would hook jumper cables to the posts of the pump and see if you can pump anything with it in your hand...I pumped the fuel out of my tank like this using a battery charger.... also try blowing backwards through the pump to clear any clogs that are in there...should be easy to tell if the pump is working with it off

 

Should I be able to blow air through the pump with it off? As in is it a pass through or is it sealed when its not powered.

 

I don't know exactly how the pump is assembled as far as air going through the inside in the proper direction. I do know there is a check valve to prevent the fuel from flowing backwards through the pump which is why the bowl drained down when you disconnected the outlet side.

There has been a lot of debris go through the pump based on your original description of the fuel bowl. Before I spent the money on a new pump, do you have any wiring laying around where you could hood up power to the pump on the work bench, stick a small hose on the inlet side and see if you can get it to pump any fuel that way?

if you shake the pump around can you get any dirt or debris to fall out of it?

 

Ill go try that now, however, I am kinda scared to reuse it if I can clean it out and get it working. I would hate to put a "repaired" fuel pump on my truck. Guess I couldnt be any worse then cleaning a filter and reuseing it, huh? LMAO

 

I would just try blowing air in both sides to see if you can get it to break free...I have a good pump but it is in Idaho and would take a couple of days to get to you...

 

Ok, at first when I tried blasting air through it it wouldnt move, but then it made a "bust free" kinda noise and shot some diesel out and air started going through. As of now the pump is hanging from the inlet fuel line and the wireing harness under the truck. When I turn the key it sprays fuel. Guess the pump was stuck..... Anyway. the pump is out right now and I am debateing what to do. Do i put that one back in and hope for good luck, or do I shell out the 150 on a pump? I dont really want to spend the money, but on monday I was about to trade it in and get an 08 so I didnt have to deal with it, so in the scheme of what I didnt spend 150 isnt bad. What would you do if it were your truck?

In the past two weeks:
Tires-$1200
Alignment-$400
Balljoints/bearings-$1000
Fuel system up until now- $300

..... and then water pump and transmission with in the past few months......

 

I would go with what you got...Ill bet it will be good, do you have a recovery plan (buddy to come tow you) if it breaks down..... I still bet it will be good

 

shoot relooking at your post you dang near have a new truck anyway

 

Not really, and I make my living with this truck, so I cant take to much more of not having it on the road.

 

Tough call but everybody I have ever talked to that upgraded has always told me not to. You have put a lot into the truck, I have seen a lot of guys beat on them fro 300k plus in the mountains of Idaho pulling trailers over rough ground without many issues......