Help broke down out of state

[ColoradoColt]

I’ll keep this brief since my phone battery is low and it’s 110°. I was driving to San Diego from Tucson when the truck started losing power, throttle did nothing. When I pulled over the truck shut off. Now I can’t get it to start. I don’t have a fuel pressure gauge. No codes. When I try to start it, it just shakes really rough

[Alexio Auditore]

Check engine light on? Do you have a way to read codes?

Does your lift pump sound like it is turning on and running when you bump the starter? 

[ColoradoColt]

No check engine light. I have a decent scanner. I can hear the lift pump working. 

No codes

[jltait]

I'd crack the fuel line from the lift pump to the VP44 and verify fuel pressure to the VP44. If you have pressure to the VP44 pump, then go through the vp44 diagnostics on Blue Chip

https://www.bluechipdiesel.com/troubleshooting-quick-reference

Edited August 11, 2020 by jltait

[Alexio Auditore]

Something similar happened on mine, the lift pump just stopped working properly. the truck started shuttering real bad in town. Turned truck off then back on, ran fine for a bout 10 seconds, normal fuel pressure, then dropped to 0, lift pump stopped working again.  Turned out to be a bad lift pump, raptor 100, only 4 years old. Im glad it didn't push the vp 44 over the edge...

 

Its vital that you get a fuel pressure gauge on your truck when you can. Your lift pump can still "run" but may not be supplying adequate fuel pressure. 

[IBMobile]

Where is the truck now?

[ColoradoColt]

I was off I-8 headed towards San Diego. Couldn’t get it to start. I cracked the bolt at the injection pump to get any air out and it won’t stop coming out full of air. Against better judgment I tried some brake cleaner(since I didn’t have any starting fluid..still bad) and it started for about 3 seconds and died again. I Just tried again and now it’s running, been idling for about 10 min. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by ColoradoColt

[IBMobile]

If you're close to SD I might be able to help.

[JAG1]

18 hours ago, ColoradoColt said:

I’ll keep this brief since my phone battery is low and it’s 110°. I was driving to San Diego from Tucson when the truck started losing power, throttle did nothing. When I pulled over the truck shut off. Now I can’t get it to start. I don’t have a fuel pressure gauge. No codes. When I try to start it, it just shakes really rough

You really need to get a fuel pressure gauge and maintain at least 15 psi at all times. When I bought my two second gens I did not drive them until they were set up properly. Otherwise it's an expensive prospect causing a slow death to the injection pumps. You should be putting two stroke oil in the tank to help the low lubricity of our fuel these days and if you been running around with a weak fuel system you should dump in some 2 stroke oil to help it some anyway.

 

IBMobile is a good guy, I can confirm that, me and him probably drank all the coffee in Brazil by now. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by JAG1

[ColoradoColt]

Just woke up in SD. Truck started fine. Went and picked up a test gauge. Fuel pressure is 19-20 at idle. About 15-16 WOT. I haven’t used 2 stroke oil but I usually carry Diesel Kleen with me and use it at every fill up. Noticed my fuel gauge went to full for about 20 sec. Then back down to half. I was thinking, I was at exactly a quart tank when it died yesterday. Could that be a cause for it dying? Air getting in somehow when it’s that low? I always try to keep it above 1/4 but I missed my exit yesterday for fuel and figured 1/4 was enough to get me another 10 miles. 
 

I also just got done doing the fuel sending unit or in tank pump modification about a week ago for my airdog. This was the first time I hit a 1/4 tank. Maybe a line is loose or has a crack?

[jltait]

I have been skeptical about my fuel gauge, so I also track mileage with my tripmeter in addition to watching my fuel level gauge. I am sure to reset my trip at every fill up, then monitor it, just like I would my fuel level gauge. I'm wondering if you could simply have a bad sending unit and ran if out of fuel?.

But to answer the question, it is very possible to have an air leak at the pickup in the tank that could be fine until it gets down to a specific level, then picks up air. 

[SmokinGator]

I had this issue several years ago and found that the metal fuel line behind the tank had rubbed enough to wear through with a small hole where it ran along the frame.  I kept thinking I was running out of fuel because my gauge doesn't work (though I manage with odometer quite well).  Cut out and replaced with some rubber fuel line - problem solved since then until now. 

 

I'm actually having a hard start issue now after low fuel and am getting ready to run through and replace all of my fuel lines.

Edited August 12, 2020 by SmokinGator

[JAG1]

Diesel Kleen is bad news. You essentially reduce the lubricity and increase the score value outside Bosch specs. More slow death to the injection pump. If you got that in there you need double dose of two stroke oil to make up for it. We got guys running only 2 stroke for half million miles and their injectors are always in better shape with less carbon build up than most all other additives. You need 2 stroke because the injection pump was designed for the higher lubricity (more like oil) fuel we used to get.

[ColoradoColt]

Thanks for that info. Had no idea. Going to Walmart now to pick some up. Any specific kind of 2 stroke oil?

[JAG1]

Any of the two stroke is good as it is usually always the 'low ash'. You should see a slight mileage improvement.

[jltait]

I run the tiny $0.97 Walmart brand (Super Tech) bottle in a fill up, it's convenient to not have an unsealed bottle rolling around the bed of my pickup. 

[IBMobile]

Quote from 2ed gen, engine fuel article  Bosch VP44 Injection Pump Requirements:

Fuel Lubricity

Bosch back in the day when designing the Bosch VP44 injection pump they based the design off of Europian fuel standards of 460 HFRR or less. Just about the time the Bosch VP44 was being introduced to the Cummins engine the US fuel was not adhering to any standards. So even before ULSD (ultra low sulfur diesel) came to be the US fuel had numbers as high as 500-600 HFRR. After a whole diesel industry getting damaged by the fuel the US standard was made at 520 HFRR. But that not going to meet the Bosch standards of <450 HFRR. So hence, the 2 cycle oil concept was born to band-aid this issue.

 

It was found to achieve this requirement the best ratio of 2 cycle oil to diesel fuel is 1 oz./1Gal.  I buy the gallon size Walmart's Super Tech Tc-w3 Outboard 2-Cycle Engine Oil and store it in used 1 quart oil bottles.  A bottle fits in the door pocket and doesn't spill.  When towing the 5th wheel I will have up to 8 quarts stored on the left side in the bottom of the trailer for easy access during fill ups.   

Edited August 13, 2020 by JAG1

[JAG1]

Any pics of what your garage floor looks like after pouring 2 stroke in bottles all these years? 

Edited August 13, 2020 by JAG1

[dripley]

I got pretty good at pouring straight into 1 quart gear oil bottles. Then super tech went to the wide mouth gallon jug. Not as easy now. 

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

10 hours ago, ColoradoColt said:

Thanks for that info. Had no idea. Going to Walmart now to pick some up. Any specific kind of 2 stroke oil?

this is what most people get, ashless 2 stroke oil.   i just dump a quart in every fill up. id rather have a bit too much lube than less. gotta keep vp happy