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Extreme Cold - Diagnose IP?

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Hello,

Just looking to bounce some ideas off of you guys.

My dad was driving the other day when we said the truck sputtered out while moving as if it had ran out of fuel, not a "dead kill" type situation - it wanted to keep running if that makes sense. It has been extremely cold here in NJ (around zero) for the past two weeks, everything is getting destroyed equipment wise.

I tried seeing if fuel came out of the bleeder and drain - both looked ok. Not gelled or anything. Fuel filter was one year old exactly but I installed a new one and it seemed to bleed ok. I did notice the stream was a little weaker than I remember.

The truck however will still not start. Not even a pop. The shut off solenoid seems to be clicking, although I don't know how to test it further. The fuel filter is new. The IP however is leaking like a sieve from the throttle shaft. Could this be the problem? It seems to have come up because of the extreme cold. When I bled the filter, I looked at the pump and it was leaking a ton of diesel. I still need to test the lift pump.

I was going to put a heater on the IP to get it to "summer temps" to see if I can get it to pop.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

Will
 

fitz

Member
268
13
18
Location
Mass
Let us know how it turns out.
I would think that any part that leaks out diesel could also let air leak in.
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Let us know how it turns out.
I would think that any part that leaks out diesel could also let air leak in.
10-4 on that. I need this truck to be as reliable as possible, so I'm going to replace the whole fuel system. I can't have it down, because it gets used almost as a daily driver. I'll keep you posted on the status, but it probably wont be until next week because we just got snowed in...

Will
 

Chaski

Active member
684
55
28
Location
Burney/CA
Pull off the return line from the pump and try to start it. If the return line is clogged it will stall the engine. Other possibilities include the plastic governor weight retainer coming apart and clogging up the return or something else inside the pump. The shutoff solenoid may be faulty, or other bad things. If you are curious take the top off the pump and take a good look inside with a flashlight. It should be clean inside, if there is any metallic stuff inside the blades of the lift pump may be toast. Fool with the shutoff solenoid on the top and test it with a battery. Most pumps don't have the old style plastic weight retainer anymore, but if it has not been rebuilt it may. Pulling the top is pretty easy, just be sure to install it correctly. When you put the top back on you need to have the throttle shaft in the idle position and place the top on at a diagonal moving from the front of the pickup towards the rear. This will ensure that you do not wedge it in a wide open throttle position. You might be able to get it running again without too much trouble, or you might have positive proof of some sort of failure that will require the removal of the pump.
 
Last edited:

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Pull off the return line from the pump and try to start it. If the return line is clogged it will stall the engine. Other possibilities include the plastic governor weight retainer coming apart and clogging up the return or something else inside the pump. The shutoff solenoid may be faulty, or other bad things. If you are curious take the top off the pump and take a good look inside with a flashlight. It should be clean inside, if there is any metallic stuff inside the blades of the lift pump may be toast. Fool with the shutoff solenoid on the top and test it with a battery. Most pumps don't have the old style plastic weight retainer anymore, but if it has not been rebuilt it may. Pulling the top is pretty easy, just be sure to install it correctly. When you put the top back on you need to have the throttle shaft in the idle position and place the top on at a diagonal moving from the front of the pickup towards the rear. This will ensure that you do not wedge it in a wide open throttle position. You might be able to get it running again without too much trouble, or you might have positive proof of some sort of failure that will require the removal of the pump.
Honestly, I'm just going to pull it and get it rebuilt and put a new lift pump in. I cant have this thing break down, and the parts are 30 years old at this point. The amount it is leaking from the throttle shaft is insane too. Especially with my NV4500 swap, zero leaks are allowed. I will try that stuff though.

Will
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
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113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
Honestly, I'm just going to pull it and get it rebuilt and put a new lift pump in. I cant have this thing break down, and the parts are 30 years old at this point. The amount it is leaking from the throttle shaft is insane too. Especially with my NV4500 swap, zero leaks are allowed. I will try that stuff though.

Will
That is your smarted move. You can do all that other work and still end up doing the IP rebuild. It works for me. Good luck. The fuel lift pump is just like any Chevy V8 it is just a little harder to get to. Not real bad but it is not as easy as pie. I changed one in an hour and a half in 20degree weather and snowing. It had to be done it was on a plow truck that was down on a lot and I had no other choice but fix it.
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
IP is out! Not too bad, it was just cold and the injector lines are a pain.

Two questions - I took the vacuum pump out and it looks like there was only half of the gasket that was left behind. I have no idea where the other half went, and I don't think it fell in, but if it did, could it cause any harm? Or just fall into the pan.

Also the IP gear - I pushed on it towards the front of the engine. Can it push "out" enough so that it could actually skip a tooth and change timing? I don't think it did but I need to make sure.

Thanks,
Will
 

Chaski

Active member
684
55
28
Location
Burney/CA
1) That might be worth a look with a bore scope. I thought they had an o-ring not a gasket.

2) You are fine on the gear as best as I can tell. I have pulled my pump without issue.
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
1) That might be worth a look with a bore scope. I thought they had an o-ring not a gasket.

2) You are fine on the gear as best as I can tell. I have pulled my pump without issue.
Glad to hear the gear isn't a problem.

Nope it definitely has at least part of a gasket. Don't have a bore scope, but I have a dentist mirror, I'll give that a go.

Will
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
When I changed my vac.pump it was a gasket.I think I found it listed as oil pump drive gasket.
Definitely a gasket was there. I was just worried that it might have fallen in the motor, but I don't really think that was possible probably fell to the back of the block. It is too tight of a fit coming out for it to fall in.

Will
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Update- Truck is running better than new! All new gaskets, lift pump, Accurate Diesel rebuilt IP, painted Detroit Diesel Alpine green. It starts, runs and sounds better than ever. More power too. I'd recommend this stuff for every CUCV owner, just due to age, these parts are all prone to fail and leave you stranded.

Will
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,552
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
Good Job. Glad you got it running. But Alpine Green? OK I can see that. I had a Camo engine in one of the first CUCV's I ever bought. It was a rebuilt engine and it was sprayed 3 color camo. That was for concealment if the hood was up. :)
 

Corvette1974

Member
493
1
18
Location
Upper Black Eddy, PA
Haha thanks - Yep I was going for the Detroit Diesel 2 Stroke look. If I ever pull the motor I'm painting the entire thing just like a factory DD 2 stroke.

Be careful with that camo engine, in the right environment, you might completely lose it ;)

It is still running like a champion, not even a single leak or problem. Rausch will be the test this weekend! Wish me luck...

Will
 
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