94 6.5 td only runs for 4 seconds

[69800]

My 94 6.5 TD has just over 100k and is a creampuff that is only used for towing my little travel trailer in the summer. In the winter I drive it once a month. Yesterday I went out for my monthly drive and turned on the ignition. Glow plugs on for proper time, fired right up But only ran 4 seconds.
Key on again, glow plug on...... fires right up ..beautify..
4 secs later instant death. Then third try nothing. Cranks but not even a hint of a try to run. Where should I start. Oil pressure sender? Any other ideas??
Thanks in advance
Mark

[Texaschevy]

have u recently changed the fuel filter or accidently run out of feul it could have air in the line if so there is a valve on top of the fuel filter that turns to bleed the air out

[69800]

Thanks for the thought. I did change it a few months ago but have put at least 1000 miles on it pulling my trailer since then so I kind of ruled that out. The only other thing I can ad is when it quit I left the key on and could hear the fuel pump running for a few seconds like it normaly does, which brings up the queastion as to whether the oil pressure switch shuts off the fuel solenoid at the engine of does it shut of the fuel pump? :confused:

[torque454]

Its only supposed to run for a couple seconds with the engine off. The OPS is designed to shut off the electric fuel pump when the engine isnt running so it doesnt continue to pump fuel in case of an accident or something. That could result in fuel being pumped out onto the ground creating fire hazard. I dont think it controls the fuel solenoid. If it did i dont think it would run at all. I am thinking you may have a fuel gelling issue. Get some power service 9-1-1 (in the red bottle) and dump it in. Maybe get it inside and let it sit for a few hours where its warm or something if you can... if you add the 911 and then more fuel it might go ahead and melt the gel in the tank but the lines would still be stopped up. Or maybe your injectors are going bad and leaking fuel into the engine. If theyve leaked enough to let air get into the injector lines, you may need to open a couple of the injector line nuts at the injector and crank it some to get it to bleed the air back out. Then retighten them and see what happens. Im kinda wondering about gelled fuel tho. Because of the time of year it is and where it doesnt get driven much it probably has summer fuel in it still. Which probably isnt blended with kerosene and you probably werent thinking about the possibility of the fuel gelling up by the next time you went to use the truck. I know I wouldnt be thinking THAT far ahead.

[69800]

I had not considered gelling. It has only gotten down to about 20 here and the last few days has been in the 30s. Mabey I will plug it in tonite and see if I can get it into the garage for a few days. Thanks I will let you know. This is the same fuel I have use the last few winters and I have never had a problem with it.
Mark

[murd450]

my truck did the same thing , i had to replace the pmd

[Husker 6.5]

I had not considered gelling. It has only gotten down to about 20 here and the last few days has been in the 30s. Mabey I will plug it in tonite and see if I can get it into the garage for a few days. Thanks I will let you know. This is the same fuel I have use the last few winters and I have never had a problem with it.
Mark

If you are running straight #2 in the tank from the last fueling, it is very likely your fuel is gelling in the 20's*F. Winter blend is #1 and #2 combined. If you have access to a Reddi Heater, fire it up and aim it (at a safe distance) so it blows under the engine and along the inside of the driver's side frame rail and fuel tank. When the lines are warm to the touch, fire it up and see if you still have your 4 second stall problem.

I experienced something similar here in Nebraska the winter following Katrina. Due to the shortage of #2 fuel oil to the Northeast, the local truckstop I fueled at regularly got a load of unblended #2 in late December. I didn't pay attention to the sign on the pump stating that it was straight #2, not winter blend. There was about 3 gallons of blend in the tank when I topped off. Three mornings later it dropped to 5*. I fired up, and got about 2 1/2 miles from home when the engine started to sputter and miss, then died. I sat for a while wondering if the PMD had failed, when it dawned on me, #2!! I could cycle the glowplugs and get it to start and run like crap for 4-5 seconds til it ran the fuel out of the filter (which has a heater in the bottom) but couldn't pump the sludge from the tank and through the lines to the filter.

The worst part, it was winter and I always carry a jug of Howes Anti-Gel with me, just didn't bother to add any to that tank when I fueled, even though I always do, even with blended fuel. Triple dosed the tank and called a tow truck to haul it over to my mechanic's garage to thaw out. Four hours later it fired right off and ran fine through the rest of the tank!

Husker 6.5

[69800]

ok
I have to get it in the garage but it is the same fuel I have been using for the last few years and I have never had this problem. ( I bought 10,000 gallons in 2004) The fact it ran exactly 4 seconds seemed odd. It has only gotten down to 20 degrees a coulple of nites but if I have to tow it to the garage with the tractor in the morning I will.
thanks
Mark

[torque454]

I wonder if the age of the fuel could have something to do with it. I dont know its hard to say. You might be able to remove the fuel filter and see if the fuel has gelled up inside it...i would think if its gelled that youd see it there. Unless youve turned the key on...then the heater thats inside the filter, if its still working, could warm it up to where its not a gel anymore. That could explain why it runs momentarily and then stalls. If its not gelled fuel then... maybe the PMD could be the issue. I dont know. Could try rebleeding the fuel system also if the fuel isnt gelled. It may have gotten some air in there somehow. Then check for fuel at the injectors. It could be that maybe the crank sensor has gone bad or the fuel shutoff solenoid.

[69800]

thanks for the help
It was gelling and I fixed the fuel
Mark

I guess I did not realize how cold it has been on average

[torque454]

You're very welcome. Glad to hear you got it going.