engine starts and dies after 1 min. ISC 350

[larryb484]

I have a 2000 HR with ISC 350 motor. I had to have it towed home after the stop engine light came on and then engine died. Now it started up and run several times to get to a safe place but all the while I'm thinking a fuel prob. I changed filters and it run longer but still died after running approx. 3 min. I pulled the lift pump and found nothing in screen, remove all the fuel lines and blew air through. I did find a check valve ahead of the filter from tank, it had a lot of garbage in it. I cleaned and primed all the lines and filters and tried. engine ran for about a minute then died. both filters were empty. I'm thinking the lift pump is bad due to the clogged ck valve and no fuel while the pump was running. Any one have any ideas?

[PeteB]

I do not believe that the lift pump is the problem as it only runs for about a minute to prime the system when you turn the key to the on position. Cummins can put a pressure gauge on the filter adapter housing and check the lift pump pressure and see if it is in the proper range and put a code reader on the OBD port to read the error codes that have been set by the check engine light.
My guess is a fuel delivery problem as well.

Pete

[Mike Canter]

Larry, if you had a Stop Engine light vice a Check Engine Light then the problem can be pretty serious and you can cause damage to the motor if you continue to run it without fixing the problem. Stop Engine lights are normally triggered by specific failures such no oil pressure, not enough coolant, engine over temperature and a few others. When a Stop Engine Light comes it can derate your engine to protect it. I don't think that a fuel delivery problem will trigger a Stop Engine Light. I agree with Peter that you should read the OBD II codes that are set because of the problem before proceeding any further.

[J Walker]

I also agree about reading the codes, but the OBDII doesn't work on diesel engines. A Silverleaf reader such as the VMSpc will work and they are well worth buying. A shop can also read the code of course.

[larryb484]

Thanks 's for your input gentlemen. I have been a diesel tech in the past prior to the electronic controls. I've made several attempts to get codes using the on-board diagnostic switch . I got a ( once) code while the coach stranded me. It was 329, which the rep for Cummings stated was a loss of power, low fuel press . My coach has in it past has sit for a good long time,making me lean towards slime in fuel system which I've found.I would rather fix myself , I've just owned this beautiful coach 1 month and I will treat it with the care I would wnat and really don't like the idea of a non-caring,greasetracking tech thru my house.I'm thinking of having a mobile tech to come out and read (if any) codes and move on. Thanks again for your input , please keep it coming.
Larry Brady

[RustyJC]

HERE is a list of diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) for pre-2003 Cummins ISC engines. According to this, 329 is a fuel injection pump code.

Rusty

[larryb484]

Thanks for the link RustyJC, I've only got that code once and so I'm thinking it's crap. But I could be wrong, I'm just in disbelief that a inj. pump is bad and can still run. Given the cost for a new pump I'm tying to think of the fuel system from tank to pump. I fill filters and they get siphoned down while running, the eng. seems to not get fuel from tank. If the lift pump just sycles to prime system , I thibeleive that's not happening. I am going to put esternal tank and see what happens. Again , thanks RustyJC

[PeteB]

I had an ongoing problem for a few years with the engine just quitting on me as I drove. It was very distracting and dangerous as there was no warning and no idiot lights. Codes did not get set other than low fuel pressure. It turned out to be a paper gasket from the inside of a small cap that would get sucked across the intake riser in the fuel tank and create a vacuum in the fuel line. The way I noticed it was when I opened the fuel filter water drain, it sucked air for a few seconds before the fuel would begin to drain.
You should be able to hear the lift pump run when you turn the key on. I was able to turn the key on and walk quickly outside to the passenger side of the coach and you could easily hear the pump running, maybe not pumping properly, but running.
After the lift pump primes the system, the injector pump takes over in pulling the fuel from the tank.

Pete

[larryb484]

Thanks PeteB
Well I'm happy to report , it's running again,WoooooHoooo
I just went and again changed both filters after priming them, removed check valve on tank side of first filter, primed lines going to lift pump, then let pump run one complete cycle and started. It ran for as long as I wanted . I then looked again at check valve,found some garbage in it and I cleaned and reinstalled in system , Engine started right up and run for as long as I wanted. I'm going to take test drive to verify. Diagnosis, garbage plugged check valve, which the lift pump siphoned all fuel out of lines and filters it could get. I think the system from tank to pump was not primed after that and no matter how many filters I changed it wasn't getting a good prime to let lift pump pressure up system properly. Just sayin.
Again , Thanks to everyone's input on this.
Larry Brady

[larryb484]

Road Test completed, run great. Drove approx. 50 mi. and no issues.

[RustyJC]

Well, you lucked out there!! Congratulations.

Rusty

[Mike Canter]

Larry, so is there a filter before that checkvalve? If so how did the crud get into the checkvalve? If you think you have algae in the tank then you should buy some Biobar JF and put it in the tank and make sure it is killed. Maybe time to drain your fueltank.

[larryb484]

Hey Mke,
No filter before ckvlv. The tank line is directly into the ck valve and then into filter which goes to lift pump and then to secondary filter then to lift pump then to inj. pump.I sure wish there was a drain on fuel tank but there's none. I might be putting one on it soon though. Thanks Mike
Larry