won't start after new fuel pump installation

[susansbostons]

We had to put a new fuel pump in our 1998 1500 chevy silverado. the gas tank was totally empty when we reinstalled the tank. We can hear the fuel pump come on, but when we turn the key, the truck won't start. By putting a little bit of gas in the fuel injection body, it tries to start, but won't stay running. Is there any special thing we have to do to start a fuel injected engine after having no gas in it? Any help would be appreciated. Hate to have a truck down that we have to make monthly payments on and can't use!!!

[jeep_cj4x4]

did the truck run the tank dry or did you drain the tank manually? If you were driving along and ran it empty, there should be a bleed port on the fuel injection rail that looks like a valve cap on your wheels. Turn the key on and off 3-4 times then push the valve core to bleed off excess air in the system. You will get some fuel spitting out also. It may take 4-5 times doing this but eventually all the air will be out of the system and it will stay running on it's own.

I was just thinking while I was typing this, this procedure is if you have TPI. If you have TBI, I'm not totally sure how to bleed those. You might try looking for the same valve cap type of deal to bleed air. Hope this helps some.

[susansbostons]

Thanks for such a quick response. the tank was drained before the tank was removed. Unfortunately, we didn't know it was easier to undo the bed and just remove the fuel pump instead of removing the tank. Will keep trying to find the bleed off valve.

[susansbostons]

we found the bleed valve on this silverado. bled the line and it will only run as long as you squirt fuel in the throttle body. it looks like the fuel line goes into the top of the intake manifold. what else am i missing ???????????

[skipr]

I have a 1998 K1500 and I have already gone through this. under the hood is a relay/fuse box, on the side closest to fire wall there is a red female connector lead, and there is a valve fuel supply line going into metering body, I hav a pressure guage w/ air bleeder valve that screws right into valve on supply line, if u dont this I guess you can just push the pin on the valve to bleed off, then you need to hot wire the red lead (I went to the + battery post) and the fuel pump will run as long as u want bleed untill u get soild liquid flow, you find a gauge because u want to make sure u have at least 60 psi. a running pump does not always mean you have the pressure and volume needed to keep running. And dont put fuel down the throttle body it's an air intake only! the injectors are inside the manifold and go directly to the cylinders.You are just dumping gas into the engines vaccum.Good way to ruin the Fuel pressure regulator.

[RonB]

I just went through the same thing with my van. If your truck is supposed to have 60 PSI pressure, check to make sure you were given the correct fuel pump. The people at AutoDork gave me the wrong (low pressure) fuel pump. I almost went nuts before I went to their web site and checked the P/N against what they gave me.