Help me!!! need help with diesel

1988 F-250 with 7.3L diesel

im not a diesel guy, this is my pastors truck.

Symptoms: The truck takes 3-5 tries to start, runs great for about 30 seconds, then dies.

First died at random a few days ago at a stop light. He got it running again and kept his foot on the accelerator when he stopped at each stop to keep it running until he got it home. Ive tried to keep it running by running it at high rpms, but it still dies after ~30 seconds.

We've read online that this is what happens if the fuel shutoff solenoid goes bad.

Question #1: how do we test that the solenoid is bad?
Question #2: where the heck do we get a new one from? we called napa and they dont stock the part, and i cant find one anywhere online...


Thanks for your help!
-Rob

:banghead: noone knows????? any help or suggestions is appreciated!! :-)

:popcorn:

First check to see if youre getting an ample supply of fuel to the injector pump. These engines have a mechanical transfer pump mounted on the block, that supplies fuel to the injector pump. It is mounted on the right side(from the drivers seat), beneath the alt. Follow the line up to the fuel filter, take it loose and spin the engine. You should get a full stream of fuel at cranking rpm. If your getting fuel to the filter, check the output side going to the injector pump. When was the last time the fuel filters were changed? Could be something that simple if youre lucky. LOL There is a little valve on the inside of the filter housing that looks like a valve stem. Take the cap off it, and depress the valve core while spinning the engine, or while its running. This will let any trapped air out, it should have no bubbles, just a clear stream of fuel. The solenoids on the injector pump give very little trouble, but you can check to see if its working. With key on, pull the wire off the solenoid and touch it back to the terminal, you should hear it click. If not, check for power at that wire with the key on. Just a few things to check, but i`d put my money on the transfer pump, or fuel filter. I have seen the filter in the tank stopped up also.

In addition to the checks from the other post you might try and switch tanks and see if the problem stops. I have seen the sock in the rear tank detiorate and the debris gets stuck between the suction line from the tank to the switching valve on the frame rail on the drivers side about midway along the frame. Just another place to look if it is not a filter or lift pump. I can get you a solinoid for your injection pump if you need one. I have a diesel fuel shop in Texas. Any of your fuel shops should be able to get one for you, tell them you have a DB2 injection pump ( Stanadyne ) and they can get you what you need otherwise let me know. Hope this helps------Road Hazard

thanks for the replies, will check this week or weekend and get back to you.

-Rob

sorry for the late reply guys, its been a long few weeks (see my post history about my impala)

my pastor ended up just buying the injector pump (i told him not to) its installed and motor still wont run. it starts once a day and smokes a lot for only about 20 seconds, then wont start anymore. if i depress the schrader valve on the fuel filter mount when cranking the motor acts like it wants to start, but never does. ive tried bleeding at the injectors, bleeding with the schrader valve, and with no success. air always seems to be present. switching tanks does not help. i disconnected the supply line and found the rubber gasket to be deteriorated. replaced and still no start. the stream from this line when cranking pulses fuel, no fuel, fuel, no fuel and i thought this was normal? when i took the line loose it wasnt full of fuel, and this baffled me.

help!

-frustrated, annoyed and pissed for this and other reasons
Rob

Hey blue
You are correct, the stream of fuel coming from the transfer pump will pulse with every revolution of the crank. When i said a full stream, i meant when it pulses, a full stream with no air in it. Sorry i didnt clarify that. Have you changed the filter?? When you do, i suggest changing to a different style filter. The stock cartridge type filter and the bottom housing have several gaskets and seals that can leak and let fuel drain down , get air in the system, and cause hard starting. I suggest using Wix part# 33417. Its a direct replacement canister style, with a drain valve. Keep the bottom housing from the stock filter if you like, but you wont need it for this filter. This is the only filter i will use anymore, it eliminates alot of hard start problems because of leak down. Also, if the diaphragm in the transfer pump is bad, or has a pinhole in it, the pump may pump but not at the correct capacity, and the fuel can leak down causing hard start problems. It can leak to the outside of the pump, or leak into the crankcase. Tattletale signs are either fuel on the block in the area of the pump, or a constantly overfull crankcase. Also the rubber supply line to this pump can crack and suck air. When you change the fuel filter, always fill the filter with fuel before installing it. This will eliminate alot of cranking to bleed the air out. If you put it on dry, youll wear the starter and battery out trying to bleed it.LOL

HELP!

it still isnt running......


ive checked for leaks/cracks/etc and everything seems ok. prior to this mess the fuel filter WAS changed, and no it was NOT filled with fuel per the chiltons manual. ( i just checked it tonight and its only half full of fuel, is this normal?) ive checked the supply pump and all seems normal.

my questions: should the filter be prefilled with fuel, and should it be totally full of fuel?

is there anything else to check?

someone suggested to me to try to bypass the filter and supply pump and try to gravity feed the injector pump and work my way backwords if it starts; anyone tried this? anyone have any better ideas as to how to isolate the problem?

please help, the truck hasnt moved in over 2 weeks....

thanks for your help so far uncle bubbles!

Hello blue
Please reread my post above(#7) , the filter must be filled as full as you can get it before installing it. If your filter is only half full, the air is preventing it from starting. You can take the valve core completely out of the schrader valve to speed up the bleeding process, but you MUST get all the air out of the system. I dont recommend bypassing the filter to feed the injector pump, it doesnt take much trash to damage one. You can use an electric pump to bypass the mechanical transfer pump, but you still must get all the air out.

yeah i saw you said that in your post, i just wanted to verify especailly since the chiltons said NOT to fill the filter and i cant find anything official on the subject from Ford. I will definitely try to fill the thing up as much as i can and let you know what happens

-Rob

guys-

just wanted to post the fix. got it running last night

even though the fuel pump (supply pump) pumped fuel when i disconnected the line going to and even after the filter, somehow it was indeed bad. After replacing the pump and cranking for about 20 seconds it fired right up. thanks to all that gave suggestions, and im sooo happy its running!


-Rob