Starting problem

[allegro5]

Hi Friends, I have a 1996 Dynasty with the 300 Cummins. I have changed the rear and mid engine filters before in my one year ownership! I had not started the engine in a couple months! It wouldnt start though the battery is charged and it turnes over fast! I was going to change the fuel filters before we head North from Florida, in a few weeks, so I changed them and filled the mid engine filter! It started right up and ran a minute or so and quit! Twice more I removed the mid filter and filled it with fuel again! It ran a minute each time and wouldnt start again! I am worried that the Fuel pump went bad while it sat ? Any advice? Many Thanks for any ideas! Also my email add is greatallegro5@aol.com allegro5

[bullydogs1]

I know on mine, you are supposed to cycle the ignition 6 or 7 times for a minute each time...Turn ignition key to on and let stand for one minute, the fuel pump should pump for about one minute.....then cut out since you did not start..repeat this procedure 6 times...at least that's what Cummins tells you to do. (Note since yours is an older engine I could be wrong and there may even be an air purge on it which mine doesn't have.) Then I'd try to start after that..that should pump fuel at least up to the filters.

[DtBt]

You have a C series engine. I believe it is like the B series I used to have and has a mechanical lift pump on the bottom center passenger side of the engine. You can see a short lever that you pump until it resists and you cannot pump anymore. You may need to do it more than once after attempting to start engine. If that fails you will have to crack open the nut on the injector lines to get rid of the air. I hope this helps.

[allegro5]

Many Thanks Stuart and DtBt, I will tru all these great issues! God Bless this Great Club and guys like you! Allegro5

[Mike Canter]

The fact that it runs for a minute with full fuel filters means that there is no air in the lines between the filters and the injectors especially if you can refill the filters and have it run again. The problem is that no replacement fuel is getting into the filters and you are just using what you have put in. That can be caused by a suction leak so that it is sucking air vice fuel or the lift pump is bad. If it has a water separator then make double sure that water drain plug on the bottom is tight and the plastic bowl is on tight. I had one that I thought was tight but it was sucking air and had the same symptoms. A bad lift pump will cause the same problem also and they just will die with no warning.

[nplenzick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by allegro5 so I changed them and filled the mid engine filter! It started right up and ran a minute or so and quit! Twice more I removed the mid filter and filled it with fuel again! It ran a minute each time and wouldnt start again! I am worried that the Fuel pump went bad while it sat ? Any advice? Many Thanks for any ideas! Also my email add is greatallegro5@aol.com allegro5

I'm a little confused, why did you just prefill one filter? When I change my filters I prefill both. I've tried the on and off technique and it just doesn't work on my coach. Every single tech I have talked says to pre fill the filters even though my manual says otherwise.

[allegro5]

Hi Friends, The Taladega race was yesterday, so I didnt try to start the 8.3c. I will today! I didnt fill the rear filter as the book said not to! I did fill the Winn Plastick filter from the top as it sat in the bottom cast, and I installed new o-rings! Today I will try filling the big filter and push the solenoid plunger untill stops! I am not real sure where or what the lift pump is, so I will just hope for now! Again I thank you guys for letting all of us know what you did or know! Allegro5

[allegro5]

I got the rig running! My 96 Dyn has the whole back of the coach that opens! Love that! I filled the two filters and washed out the Win screen filter! It was all gunked up and black! I even filled it! The Winn system has a Water and an air purg and I had already tried it. But this time I cycled them twice! It started and runs great! I let it run 20 minutes and it starts fine now! I dont think newer rigs have the Winn systeam! Allegro5

[nplenzick]

Glad it's running, sometimes those first time tasks can be a little daunting. I always carry spare filters with me and a clean container of fresh diesel to fill them.

[Robi.1014]

Mike:
To hi-jack this thread for just a moment...

I'm wondering if you can say --- for diesel fuel filters: What is the fuel-flow direction in & out? Example: Does raw fuel enter the outside perimeter of the filter, and then filtered fuel exits the filter via the center hole? Or vice/versa?

I'm guessing that the school-of-thought for not pre-filling a fuel filter is to insure that no un-filtered fuel makes its way to the injectors.

[allegro5]

Hi friends, While we are talking fuel problems! My 96 Dyn s fuel guage reads full though I know its half. I removed the wires to the hocky puck on top of the tank, and cleaned the connections, but no joy! What do I do next? I have just ran 500 miles and refilled and still I want the guage to work! Thanks, Allegro5

[nplenzick]

I suspect your sending unit is bad. There's a name for it but for the life of me I can't remember. Some have had luck by running another ground wire to it. That didn't work in my case so I had to have it replaced. Mine went bad because of water contamination. I suspect from some of your earlier posts about the gunk you found in the filters that you could have the similar problem. Since I have had that sending unit replaced it's been working fine and since I stopped using any additives in my fuel except for a biocide every now and then I no longer have any fuel related problems. As suggested sometime ago on this forum I let my filters to the job that they were designed to do.

[allegro5]

Nplenzick, Thanks for that good advice! I will have the key on and check the wires and the try a sacond ground! Then I will pull out the unit! Thanks again,... allegro5

[Mike Canter]

Robi, the fuel first enters the outer ring of all fuel filters (and oil filters) then flows through the filter element and exits through the middle. If you have two filters then the critical one is the one last inline. You should make sure the fuel and fuel container is clean and the fuel should only be poured into the outer ring. This way it will pass through the element prior to going to the injectors. The first filter is not as criitical because of the second filter being there but the fuel should still be clean and if you can pour it into the outer ring first then do so. I have an electric primer pump and I use that rather than pouring fuel into the filters just to make sure I get no dirt into the system.