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Hard Start Issue

cucvrus

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Modulator just has an O ring. I hope everything is well now. Make sure you do not have throttle shaft seals leaking on the injection pump. That can make it appear to be the rear main seal also. The leaking fuel washes it's way down the valley and the rear of the engine and appears black like oil from the crud it picked up along the flow route. Like I mentioned the leaks are never ending at this age and nothing short of changing all seals and gaskets will make it better. I said better. Nothing is infallible. Good Luck. Happy for you. My main concern was that my hose was not the issue. Looks like contaminated fuel has been the root of the problem. Major truck stops sell the best clean fuel, and diesel sitting around in jerry cans condenses and make moisture. Drive on. I knew the tailpipe was short to life.
 

ssdvc

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Checked the vacuum pump, pretty dry around the base, so that doesn't appear to be the issue. Valley looks a little a wet, but that could be from me fumbling around with the lines and such. Rear of valve cover gasket areas are wet, so I'll see if they need a little wrench twist on them. I will also run it later for 20 minutes or so and see if I can see any leaks of anything. I got lucky once fixing the fuel issue, maybe I'll be lucky again.

Eventually I will try and address all the age related weak points. I like the truck, but I like reliability even more. PM, PM, PM.
 

Mullaney

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Same with shoe strings being tied to the brake peddle when sleeping in the cab of a bucket truck.
After lunch, all relaxed, nodding off and it makes your "mark" high enough to easily do the dastardly deed. :cool:
 

ssdvc

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OK, I had to travel overseas for a couple of weeks. Truck hasn't been started since my last post, back on Feb 10th, so she has been sitting, in the garage, for a little bit more than a month.

So given the weather today, I got off my a$$ and put everything back together, as I won't be able to do any of this stuff for quite a while come next week.

Anyway, after I got done cleaning up the CDR hoses and hard lines and reinstalling

IMG_3409.JPG

I then buttoned up the rest of engine I had apart and then the batteries. I did clean up and paint a few things, but I have a ways to go.
IMG_3407.JPGIMG_3410.JPG

So, after all was done, I went to start the truck. Glow plugs glowed, light went out and then, after a minute or two of trying to crank her over, NO FIRE. I then had to charge up the batteries. An hour or two on the charger, I tried again and after about 30 seconds of cranking and some vicious pumping of the peddle, she finally fired off. A little rough for about 5 seconds, but she quickly settled out and ran fine. Took her for a nice 1/2 hour ride (at $5+ per gallon, that was plenty!!) and all was good.

This hard start issue is leading me to think that I may have a leak somewhere that is causing the fuel lines to lose prime. Thoughts?
 

Barrman

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Did you have dirty white smoke coming out the pipes when you were cranking? Or dirty white smoke once it started? That means fuel and no heat. No dirty white smoke means no fuel in the IP. It reads like the IP was dry and you had to prime it. It normally takes around 2-3 minutes of cranking total to get it primed. Do 20-30 second cranks while letting it sit a few minutes between to save the starter motor.

My experience is that a good set of batteries will spin the engine enough to prime the IP and get it running from a cold engine once. if say you have a 6.2 in a M715, are down to about 3 gallons of fuel left with the fuel pick up in the middle of the tank. Run the IP dry going down a hill. You can spin it enough to get it running while sitting level at the bottom of the hill. But, when you run it dry again a few minutes later going back up the hill to get to the gas station. The batteries can do it.
 

ezgn

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Did you have dirty white smoke coming out the pipes when you were cranking? Or dirty white smoke once it started? That means fuel and no heat. No dirty white smoke means no fuel in the IP. It reads like the IP was dry and you had to prime it. It normally takes around 2-3 minutes of cranking total to get it primed. Do 20-30 second cranks while letting it sit a few minutes between to save the starter motor.

My experience is that a good set of batteries will spin the engine enough to prime the IP and get it running from a cold engine once. if say you have a 6.2 in a M715, are down to about 3 gallons of fuel left with the fuel pick up in the middle of the tank. Run the IP dry going down a hill. You can spin it enough to get it running while sitting level at the bottom of the hill. But, when you run it dry again a few minutes later going back up the hill to get to the gas station. The batteries can do it.
OK, I had to travel overseas for a couple of weeks. Truck hasn't been started since my last post, back on Feb 10th, so she has been sitting, in the garage, for a little bit more than a month.

So given the weather today, I got off my a$$ and put everything back together, as I won't be able to do any of this stuff for quite a while come next week.

Anyway, after I got done cleaning up the CDR hoses and hard lines and reinstalling

View attachment 861886

I then buttoned up the rest of engine I had apart and then the batteries. I did clean up and paint a few things, but I have a ways to go.
View attachment 861889View attachment 861885

So, after all was done, I went to start the truck. Glow plugs glowed, light went out and then, after a minute or two of trying to crank her over, NO FIRE. I then had to charge up the batteries. An hour or two on the charger, I tried again and after about 30 seconds of cranking and some vicious pumping of the peddle, she finally fired off. A little rough for about 5 seconds, but she quickly settled out and ran fine. Took her for a nice 1/2 hour ride (at $5+ per gallon, that was plenty!!) and all was good.

This hard start issue is leading me to think that I may have a leak somewhere that is causing the fuel lines to lose prime. Thoughts?
A simple possibility would be a leaking return fuel line. Check all of your return fuel lines with the truck running. Check the connection from the fuel filter to the injection pump under the manifold. It is accessible by reaching under the rear of the manifold with your arm and tightening the band clamp from the rubber hose to the metal fuel line. I personally like the Viton Universal Premium Diesel return line kit 6' at amazon or E-bay you don't need clamps.
 
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ssdvc

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No smoke from the exhaust, that is why I think I have a tiny air gap somewhere that is causing the loss of prime. My Deka batteries are at least circa 2015, but they are still up to the task.........in most circumstances. I will see if I can get a quick minute over the next few days to crawl around and see if I can see any issues. I already checked the connection under the manifold, which was OK.
 

ssdvc

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OK, while trying to get my trans to shift correctly (I'll start a new thread) I once again encountered a hard start issue. This time no battery charger required, but after it started, I got pissed and started looking for a cause. Low and behold, I looked under the truck and I had a little puddle of diesel forming under the front up by the front tire. I got in there with a flashlight and found that the return line from the IP had a little pinhole leak in it. I will try and find the time in the next two days to replace it. That should cure the loss of prime issue.
 

Barrman

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The return line leak is just a leak. It is not THE LEAK you are looking for. The return line doesn't effect fuel going to the IP. Are you sure it is the return line leaking on the passenger front side of the engine or is it the metal fuel supply line from the pump to the filter located in the same basic area?
 

cucvrus

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Jonestown Pennsylvania
If I remember correctly a return line will create a loss of prime. The return lines go from nozzle to nozzle and allow air to enter the fuel system. That creates loss of prime and requires the cranking time to purge the air. I am thinking some of the issues with this M1009 are internal injection pump issues. I know it did not like to be revved and return to idle. That is in my opinion internal parts that are binding and going bad. It has a 2014-2015 rebuild on it but 7 years and questionable fuel quality can make internal issues in a pump. Good Luck. The shifting issue with the VCV should be an easy fix. Back to shift later and forward to shift faster. I think I have that right. Take Care and Be Safe. You know what I said about old trucks. Be prepared at any time for anything to go wrong. I was there for years and been there, done that.
 

ssdvc

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OK, so I spliced the return line today with a brass barbed fitting. Test drive produced no other loss of fuel from anywhere on the truck, so that was the culprit. Now if I can just get the trans figured out !
 

ezgn

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OK, so I spliced the return line today with a brass barbed fitting. Test drive produced no other loss of fuel from anywhere on the truck, so that was the culprit. Now if I can just get the trans figured out !
I don't quite understand a splice in the line? Is that temporary until you get new return lines.
 

ezgn

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I think you did a great job with the splice. As long as it is sealed it is good to go. Great job.
My experience with return fuel lines are they seem to be a regular maintenance item. I always have extra line on hand in the event that one leaks at an un opportune time, like out on the road somewhere. If one goes bad it might be followed by others not far behind. Be prepared and keep them on hand.
 

ssdvc

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Most of my rubber fuel line is new. The only piece under the hood that isn't is that return line and that will be replaced in the future, when I can get back to it. Rick, are the rubber lines coming from the tank to the hard lines new?
 
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