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Out of fuel?

5

540s10

New Member
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Location
Shrewsbury,MA
ok so I got my truck registered, all warmed up, 3/4 of a tank of fuel, take a spin around the block, everything is ok. Load up my core returns for napa, pull out of my driveway and at the end of the street the truck stalled so i coasted into a parking lot. tried to start it again, cranked for a while then caught and ran for maybe 15 seconds then stalled again.

my first thought is ok the fuel filter must be clogged, i open the bleeder screw on the filter manager, and got a hissing noise (vacuum im sure because the filter would have popped out when i pulled the retainer ring if there was any amount of pressure). I get the filter out and the fuel manger is empty. turn the key on, and I can hear the lift pump running until the wait to start light shuts off. I did this a few times and got the manager full and then got it home. I assumed the gauge was wrong and it ran out, so I added 15 gallons of fuel and it filled the tank (overflow out the cap) so apparently the guage is accurate.

does this sound like an oil pressure switch gone bad?
 
On 0bd-2 ecm should run lift pump. How is your fuel cap? It could be causing a vacuum.
 
Your fuel sending unit could be bent or coming apart. When I replaced mine the baffle kept coming loose bending it up so I could only use 1/2 the tank. I would drop the tank and take a look.
 
update-

put a guage on the water drain,

i have 10psi engine off, engine running it drops from 10 to zero when it eventually stalls
 
NVW said:
On 0bd-2 ecm should run lift pump. How is your fuel cap? It could be causing a vacuum.
Click to expand...
there was a very small amount of vacuum on the cap (slight hiss when unscrewing it)
but the problem still exists with the fuel cap removed, right now im leaning towards a worn out lift pump
 
clog, probably your tank sock, the crud is clinging to the sock gradually dropping fuel pressure. Turn off releases it. And repeat.

The vacuum is caused by the IP sucking its life out for a drop of fuel.

Other paths -

LP inlet, LP to tank line , LP to FLT MGR, Clogged Filter, Clogged line from flt-IP, Screen in IP INLET clogged.

The clog is before the water drain though, if you're showing pressure loss there.

Probably the sock in the tank. Keep in mind its cold out. Stuff may be gelling.

I had a gas sock last year, and it would gel and do same thing last winter.

Thats why I did Walbro, Fuel pressure gauge and Heated Racor. No Tank sock.
 
Matt Bachand said:
clog, probably your tank sock, the crud is clinging to the sock gradually dropping fuel pressure. Turn off releases it. And repeat.

The vacuum is caused by the IP sucking its life out for a drop of fuel.
Click to expand...

can i blast the line with air pressure for a temp fix to test that?

although i could just pull the bed off tomorrow and look.
 
Thats what I did all last winter ... Undid the LP INLET, Take FUEL CAP OFF!, and blew compressed air into tank in pulses..... It resolved the issue for sometimes a day, sometimes a week.... Either way it was enough to verify it was the problem in my case.


I edited my original response and added info after you replied. Just so you don't miss it if it helps.
 
Was the truck parked outside? You sure you're not gelled? Who knows what blend that old crap was... You have additives in there?

He lives near me, overnight ambients have been below zero the last few days. High of 10 yesterday.
 
I would code PO351 and 270 I think. Which are common IP codes. Sometimes it puts my OBD2 in reserve fuel mode.

Don't sweat your IP, these IP's can take this type of no pressure situations pretty good. They don't instantly fail like some cummins and others do.
 
Matt Bachand said:
Was the truck parked outside? You sure you're not gelled? Who knows what blend that old crap was... You have additives in there?

He lives near me, overnight ambients have been below zero the last few days. High of 10 yesterday.
Click to expand...

thats possible, i was just thinking the truck was from the woods in PA and im sure its not a winter blend in the tank, and its old and what not, i did put some additive in it, im gonna put the rest of the bottle in. It's easy enough, I think ill pull the bed off tomorrow and look inside, and maybe remove the sock and put a spin-on on the side of the frame.

come to think of it, this just started once it got cold, I had it idling the other day for over an hour, and now it wont even idle for 15 minutes.
 
Take a good look at the sock, a diesel sock should have a 'flap' to allow partially gelled fuel in.

Removing it is the best way, as its non servicable easily in the tank.

I'd crack the water drain every time you get home until that old crap is used up too.

There is a good chance when you peek inside the tank tomorrow that you will be able to grab a small glacier and remove all the water from the tank in one swift grab!
 
it may have just been jelled, truck is idling now and still has fuel pressure, maybe the 15 gallons of winter blend took care of it? ill just let it clack away out there for a while let the additive work its way around.
 
oh and is this new diesel supposed to smell more like soap than diesel fuel?

i filled my cans from two diff stations and they both smell funny.
 
It may have taken care of it. Take it for a beat! I fill up at the Getty on rt-20 next to the strip club :), its always empty, never had a problem with the fuel there. Bee-Zee next door, or Hess in holden. Sometimes Dipalato 140 boylston but they rip off expensive.
 
Matt Bachand said:
It may have taken care of it. Take it for a beat! I fill up at the Getty on rt-20 next to the strip club :), its always empty, never had a problem with the fuel there. Bee-Zee next door, or Hess in holden. Sometimes Dipalato 140 boylston but they rip off expensive.
Click to expand...

found some ice in the tank.... although the only ice in the tank was trapped inside the sock. Also discovered that the little valve on the sock was stuck shut.

took the sock right off, ordering a new sending unit because this one has rotted lines.... It looked brand new on the top tho, where GM put some kind of yellow wax sealer all over it.

I'm kinda amazed that it still had the factory sending unit with 300k miles

im gonna remove the sock from the new one and run a spin on filter and plumb in a bypass incase I have issues again.
 
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