OT - Duramax just died - any ideas?

jd b puller · May 22, 2011

Guys, looking on where to start.

2006 Duramax LBZ, 130k miles. Truck was cold, had parked it last night. Just unhooked the trailer and was idling forward and it shut off and won't restart. I don't see any codes.

Thanks in advance.

David G · May 22, 2011

check the fuses

Anonymous-0 · May 22, 2011

Yeah, why don't you try and find a Dodge with a Cummins and see if you have any better luck with that. There's getting to be quite a few of them around and they seem to last a while. I would think even if you got one that's twice as old and twice the miles you are going to be better off. It's just a suggestion.

Tim[GA] · May 22, 2011

Have you changed the fuel filter? The injrction pump pulls the fuel from the tank and if the vacuum pull is greater than 20 inches it will die. open the bleeder on the filter houding and prime the fuel filter, if you have to prime for a while to get fuel, your shut down is fuel. After filling the filter, close the bleeder and prime the system some more, as this will help push fuel to the pump.

Brad Gyde · May 22, 2011

Not to sound like an a$$, but you sure you have fuel in the tank??

My uncle has a 04.. We used it in February to go north snowmobiling.. He brought it to us on a full tank (he said, and gauge indicated the same).. We should have made it all the way there..

About 20 miles from being there, the truck died... Gauge said 1/4 tank, or there about.. Turned the key off and called for roadside assistance.. When we turned the key back on (before adding fuel) the gauge then read empty and the yellow "low fuel light" came on.. We figure it has that gauge cluster issue, and it must be affecting the fuel gauge intermittently (like the speedo in my 05)

Brad

Brian Jasper co. Ia · May 22, 2011

Cummins may be a good engine, it's just that they come in a lousy crate...

Brian Jasper co. Ia · May 22, 2011

Do you have acess to a scan tool that will read live data? Barring the out of fuel idea, you need to see what it has for fuel pressure for starters. Had one here a while back that had the ceramic check ball in the pump shatter and it plugged the injectors.

jd b puller · May 22, 2011

More info...

1. I don't think the trade in value of a non-running Silverado will offset the cost to get into a Cummins, so that's not an option.
2. Had the fuel filter changed about 2k ago.
3. Pulled the bleeder screw loose and turned the motor over and no fuel came out.
4. Cracked the #5 injector line and cranked motor over and no fuel
5. Blew air pressure into the tank (used an air hose and a rag to seal up the tank) and got fuel to puke out the bleeder on the filter.
6. Checked with an OBD2 Scanner and found no codes
7. Pretty sure it has fuel in it. Only 200 Miles on this tank and mileage is consistent with fuel gauge reading (little under 1/2 tank).
8. Unplugged the batteries for 10 minutes with wild ambition that if there was a electrical problem it would magically fix itself
9. Checked all the fuses.
10. Swapped the relays around and all seem to work.

My gut tells me it's the pump, but my wallet hopes it's something simple. I couldn't find a frame mounted transfer pump, I'm assuiming the injection pump is also the transfer pump.

Thanks,

Bob · May 22, 2011

"4. Cracked the #5 injector line and cranked motor over and no fuel"

HOW did you "crack" the #5 injector line on a D-max, a "common-rail" engine?????????????????

jd b puller · May 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 01:50:49 05/23/11) "4. Cracked the #5 injector line and cranked motor over and no fuel"

HOW did you "crack" the #5 injector line on a D-max, a "common-rail" engine?????????????????

Used a 17mm wrench, loosened the line that goes to the injector. Picked #5 because that was the easiest one to reach.

MMfan · May 23, 2011

I've had two duramax's, best truck I have ever owned. PERIOD!

There is no tranfer pump on a chevy, the entire fuel system is under a vacuum up to the injection pump.

1)Next to the bleeder screw is a hand pump. loosen the bleeder screw and pump the pump until fuel without bubbles appears. Try to start it, I usually crack the throttle a little and when it starts hold the rpm above 1500 for 15 seconds of so. If this fixes it look for a cracked hose, a cracked filter housing, a loose filter or water sensor.
2) If that does not work try changing the fuel filter. Duramax's are very picky with the fuel filter, a stopped up filter will cause all sorts of problems and all it takes is one tank of bad fuel to cause issues. Everybody that will work on it will start here, it is that common.
3) Join dieselplace.com, those guys can help you. high pressure cp3 pumps on these trucks rairly fail like this, usually you loose power or the truck does not run like it should, not just quit all together.

jose bagge · May 23, 2011

loosen that bleeder screw on top of the fuel filter housing with a quarter and cycle through with the key until you see fuel. If you can't get any, your fuel pump dumped. If you see some, pump the top by hand until you have no air and then lock that bleeder down.

Never cracked an injector open on mine, with that bleeder so handy.

gorilla · May 23, 2011

Did you open the bleeder screw and use the pump on the top of the filter housing? I had a problem similiar to that twice. The first time the bleeder had vibrated open and leaked enough fuel at idle to kill it. The other time the water sensor that screw into the bottom of the filter had a tiny crack in it and it would lose prime.
I had to replace the injector pump at 187,000 miles but it went bad over a long time (months). It started smoking, low power, and steadily lower fuel mileage.
I have been very happy with my Duramax. Cummins no doubt makes a great engine just wish it was in a different truck.

Dodgeit · May 23, 2011

The Duramax's of that vintage had numerous recalls and TSBs for the fuel lines rusting from the inside out, so it may be pluged up or lost vacuum like others have mentioned. Do the easy things first and make sure it has fuel, no water in the fuel or filters. Also be aware that the older vehicels prior to Bio and ULS diesel had algie in the tanks, with the advent of the new diesel fuels, the algie is dying and clogging filters. Also be on the look out for O rings / seals disinegrating with the use of Bio-diesel in the older vehicels.

jd b puller · May 23, 2011

Thanks to all that have helped. Here's an update...

Had it running tonight, but it's not fixed.

Technically, it was out of fuel but not what you think.

Tried to prime it up using the hand plunger. Noticed fuel was coming out the bottom of the fuel filter. That little plastic water separator thingie at the bottom of the fuel filter was loose, fuel was gushing out of it. I'd assume that it probably drained the filter sitting there overnight.

Screwed that in and primed the system up. Engine started and ran for about 5-8 seconds and died.

Primed it again (plunger was easy to push) and did it again. Again 5-8 seconds and died.

Primed it again, this time kept priming it while the enigne was running and it ran until I quit priming it (close to a minute), but died within about 10 seconds of stopping priming it.

My thought is to get a fuel filter for it tomorrow and try again. Any help is appreciated.

It acts like it just won't bleed out or something is majorly wrong. From what i've been told the pumps on these don't just puke, so I'm hoping it's just a bleeding thing.

Thanks,

MMfan · May 24, 2011

Sounds like you are on the right track. fuel leak somewhere allowing the pump to suck air. Most likely the filter, water sensor, or filter base. If not any of those start checking fuel lines and hoses.

OT - Duramax just died - any ideas?

jd b puller

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David G

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Anonymous-0

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Tim[GA]

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Brad Gyde

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Brian Jasper co. Ia

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Brian Jasper co. Ia

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jd b puller

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Bob

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jd b puller

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jose bagge

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gorilla

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Dodgeit

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