This is my first post to this forum. I have 98 24valve that had a fuel leak on top of the fuel filter heater. I fixed the fuel leak, reprimed the filter and fired for two seconds then died. I cracked the injector lines to get the air out of the lines and have fuel to all of the injectors. The truck will still not fire, acts like it wants to start but won't. I have good fuel pressure to the pump and no codes until switching relays. Codes 1688 and 1689 came up only after playing with relays. Any help would be appreciated.

1st off, welcome. 2nd, the codes would tell me your VP is gone. 3rd which relays were you messing with and was there a problem with any of them? If the key was on while messing with them I believe it is possible to set the codes if you pulled the fuel system relay, not sure though. Have you tried clearing the codes? 8 times out of 10 when someone opens the fuel system and it does not want to start there is typically air still in the system.

I think the key might of been on. We cleared the codes and still no start. We tried for 2 hours and still no start. It acts like it wants to start but no fire. I have tried to start again and no codes back up. Is there another way to get air out of system if that is still the problem? Could it be the connections on the ECM or Crank Position Sensor since they had diesel all over them from the leak? Switched fuel relay with horn relay to check the fuel pump.

Edited March 26, 20178 yr by Rob lint
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I doubt the diesel fuel messed the up the ECM or crank sensor. Is it trying to fire at all? a random cylinder now and again? I would say you still have some air. All you need to fire is fuel and compression. I had to change my lift pump couple years back and it took a couple hours of cranking to get it to finally fire off. Are you cranking it with some of the injector lines loose?

Good to hear the codes did not come back.

 

Keep trying, make sure batterys are staying charged. You can try a tiny shot of starting fluid, just don't over do it. If you're getting fuel to come out of the lines, that means vp is pumping it. You can try to hot wire lift pump just to get it going too. 

How much fuel is in the tank? My friends truck died, would not start. Fuel gauge showed 1/4 tank. Put 10 gal of fuel in, it started right up. Fuel gauge is off by 1/4 tank.

I do get some puffs of smoke like one cylinder wants to fire. I had to convert to intank fuel pump when return line rusted off the top of the tank. I will crack the injector lines again and try cranking some more. I will also try a little shot of starting fluid. I will also hook a fuel pressure tester to double check fuel pressure.

Edited March 26, 20178 yr by Rob lint
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Make sure you're getting fuel out of all lines at injectors,  if it's only few and not all, your vp might be gone.

Make several bumps with the starter to prime fuel filter and keep it full before cranking, that and good battery charge and like @Dieselfuture said just a squirt of starting fluid should get you going.

Last I checked I had fuel coming from 4 of the 6 lines that I could crack. We got fuel out of the third injector fairly quick and the others took a while. The fuel did look a little frothy like there was a lot of air in the fuel. The it started to run clearer.

I'd say it takes me a good 30 seconds to 1 minute of cranking to fully bleed the lines.

Before you wear the starter out trying. I've ran into some like this. Just unhook your grid heater trigger wire (one off of each relay). Then with the turbo face exposed get one person cranking and then a second person to fire a very small split second burst of either at the turbo. This might be all it takes to get it to light up. I've seen even my truck do this where you crank and crank its firing on one cylinder but nothing more. 

 

Might want to check your starter too if the starter brushes are getting short then it might only be running on half a starter. Bad battery cables could be a cause too.

Edited March 26, 20178 yr by Mopar1973Man

If you can crack 3 or 4 of them it should be enough to get it started. it does sound like you still have some air in there. Sounds like you are close. A little starter fluid like @Mopar1973Man says will help but have to disconnect the grid heaters. They can ignite the vapor in the intake system and make a real mess of things. Definitely check that in tank pump pressure. They can go south rather quickly and with out a FP gauge you will never know until it is to late.

4 minutes ago, dripley said:

Definitely check that in tank pump pressure. They can go south rather quickly and with out a FP gauge you will never know until it is to late.

 

 

That would be a good idea... If there is no fuel pressure the VP44 will struggle to pull its own fuel and might not ever prime the high pressure side.

I put new contacts and plunger put into starter from LarryB. It turns over the motor like a champ. I check and clean battery connections regularly. Sounds like I just need to push a little more fuel thru and try the starter fluid. 

Checked fuel pressure, came in at over 10 psi. Cycled fuel pump twice to make sure plenty of fuel in filter. Cracked in succession  #'s 1,3,4,and 5 injector lines and cranked over 6 different times and only got fuel out of #3 and #5 injector lines. Unhooked grid heater and tried the starting fluid, would run on that then would stall out. Did that procedure a couple of time. Recracked #1 injector line and still no fuel. Didn't mess with any relays this time and still no codes. I am at a lose. Had wifes car hooked up to batteries to make sure of good power.

When you tried the starter fluid did you have the injector lines opened or closed?

Closed. 

Remember you need 4,500 PSI to make a injector pop. So when there is fuel coming out is it just dribbling out slowly or coming out with good force on the open lines? 

It shot out of the #5 then dribble out of the others that got fuel. 

So... What I would do is crack like #1 only, close the other 5 lines tight. Then do the ether trick again and leave the one line open. If it starts then you can close that line when it does start. It will be messy but it should get it started.