96 won't start

ALLBOY · 10-01-2011, 12:31 PM

I went to start my truck this morning and couldn't get her to start. It cranks over and tries to start. I'm getting smoke out the exhaust. It fired for a couple seconds and that was it and it didn't sound happy. It's all stock and I have never had a starting issue. I parked it on a hill and I'm at 1/8 tank. Could I have sucked air in the tank? Could it be the starter shut off solenoid if I'm getting smoke (and it kind of wants to start)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

RPegram · 10-01-2011, 01:20 PM

You could be out of fuel. These gauges are known to just fail and quit dropping at a certain point. A line could have rusted and you have a small hole and sucking air. A rubber line could have rotted and caused an air leak. Your preheater may have burnt up and it is sucking air and the list goes on. It sounds like you are either out of fuel or you sucking air. I wouldn't think it was the shutdown solenoid from your description.

12valveguy · 10-01-2011, 01:48 PM

Could I have lost prime parked on a hill (nose up) without an air leak? I know its not my fuel heater. I removed it a year ago.

Not to confuse anyone. I'm the same person as the original post. I somehow have two user names I have acquired over the years. I will have to kill the one I start this thread with.

RPegram · 10-01-2011, 04:30 PM

You would have to have the nose mighty high up to cause a fuel problem. I don't know if parking it straight up would cause an issue with fuel. I would first dump some fuel in it, try priming and starting and if that don't work, then start looking for an air leak somewhere.

12valveguy · 10-01-2011, 04:56 PM

When you say "try priming", are you refering to the primer bulb on the lift pump, or pulling the lines at the injector pump?

RPegram · 10-01-2011, 05:00 PM

Try pumping the primer on the lift pump until you get clear fuel out the bleeder on top of filter. Once you get clear fuel, then loosen first three injector lines at the injectors and try starting engine. Fuel should start coming out of those lines fairly quickly while starter is turning engine. Once you see fuel, snug the lines up tight and fire her off. She'll run ragged a few seconds, smoke bad and then clear up.

If priming with the primer on lift pump does not produce fuel with absolutely no air, then you know you have a leak somewhere.

12valveguy · 10-01-2011, 05:27 PM

The bleeder on top of the filter housing is a bolt, correct? Do I just loosen it or remove it when I pump the primer bulb?

The three lines on the injector pump that need to be removed? Are thet the first three from the front or the read of the IP?

Haden · 10-01-2011, 05:36 PM

It's a bolt that screws into a bigger [banjo] bolt, you just loosen it a little, then pump the primer bulb until you get a constant bleed of fuel (no air bubbled), then tighten that bolt back up. Then loosen the first 3 injector lines, just loosen, and crank the engine over until fuel comes out those lines, if it starts then turn the truck off and tighten those lines, otherwise wait till fuel comes out, then tighten and try and start it. It will run like crap as it blows some of the air bubbles out so you might have to feather the throttle to keep it running.

Mine does the same thing if I park on a hill. The fuel leaks out a tiny bit from one of the return line copper washers but the heat evaporates the fuel really quick. There are a lot of places where it's hard to see any leak. Then again you could just be out of fuel as aforementioned.

RPegram · 10-01-2011, 05:37 PM

Bleeder is on top of filter housing and takes a 10 mm wrench. Just loosen it a couple of turns, but don't take it out. It has a notch cut in it so fuel will squirt out. The top of bleeder does look like a bolt head.

Just loosen the first three nuts holding injector lines to injectors. Same as bleeder, just a turn or two. Don't loosen any nuts on the injector pump, just injectors.

12valveguy · 10-01-2011, 06:30 PM

Got it fired.

I hit the primer bulb about 100 times and that did it. I cracked the bleader valve on the FH, but didnt need to touch the injector lines. I guess I just lost my prime by parking up slope on a hill and having 1/8 of a tank. Not sure how big these tanks are, but I was able to add 27 gallon to top it off. Thanks for all your help RPEgram, and Haden.