Getting a 12 Valve Cummins started.

[The Griff]

Ok, $15 later I have a proper terminal on it, and we have good power, but now we aren't starting at all, I push the drain on the fuel filter in, and nothing came out, Could the filter have finally clogged with the old fuel/algae? I assume it has, How do I get it off? I can hardly fit my wrist under it to drain it, let alone get a good enough grip to spin it off, There is no hope in hell of reaching it from below.



I need an adult!

 

[The Griff]

Ok, its off, and I think I found almost all of the issues I've been having with the truck.

Engines dont run on molasses.

I finally got the filter off, and it was probably 2/10th's Diesel fuel, 8/10th's molasses/mud/goop.

No hope of saving it, going to town tomorrow for a new one.

 

[diesel4me]

Being a diesel,someone may have tried using veggie oil or some other "alternative" fuel in it,like used engine oil,ATF,etc.. --or it might just be old grungy diesel fuel..usually diesel tends to have a long life even when its left to sit a long time,but algae and condensation can build up in it..
It is pretty amazing what a diesel will run on for "fuel"..

We had a loader with a 4 cylinder Detroit diesel that started blowing white smoke one day,thought it blew a head gasket--it had sat a good 3 years buried in a old garage ,it ran great after we first got it to run,but a half hour later we thought sure it was burning coolant..

Turned out the fuel tank had a good 4 gallons of water in it,and about the same amount of diesel we put in it...we were amazed it even ran,period!...
We took the fuel lines off and blew them out,and used a gas can as a temporary fuel tank...once it started and ran about 5 minutes the white smoke went away,and you could hear the improvement in how it ran..

 

[The Griff]

Well if anyone put any kind of "alternative" fuel in it, its been without my knowing, We've had it since Sept. of 05, when it had 110,000 miles on it, now it has almost 160,000 on it. I dipped the tank before I moved it out from behind the garage, and it looked fine and smelled fine, but after finding satan's snot in the fuel filter, I'm temped to try and clear all the lines, but at the same time I doubt there could be any between the lift pump and the tank, just because how viscus it is, I'd say its almost as viscus as creamy peanut butter. Unless the lift pump just has the power to actually pull this stuff all the way from the tank.


And it was running on this stuff, and running good.

 

[The Griff]

Ok, now its time for a fuel filter to go back on, and HOW IN THE FLIPPITY FLOPPITY FLYING PHUCK DOES IT GO ON?!?!?!

I've been trying to thread it on for the last two and half hours, I got rid of all that pesky skin on my arms, those darned fingernails, and I wreek of diesel fuel.

I didnt think, and I filled the filter with diesel fuel, not knowing that I have to hold it upside down with my left hand while I wiggle my right hand though the brake lines, then wiggle the filter between wiring harnesses, more brake lines, and other things that want nothing more to remove all the skin from me or rip the WIF sensor out of the filter.

Then I learn that it wont fit with the WIF sensor on it, it will once its threaded on, but to get it on I have to hold the drain plunger up, and I sit there spinning the thing, thinking that its threading on, only to let go and have it fall.

Is it reverse thread? why won't it thread on? I'm about to dropkick the damn filter out into the corn field.

 

[diesel4me]

Never done a fuel filter on a Dodge,so I'm not much help--I'd be checking the threads on the filter,and the base, and see if they got boogered up or are even the correct size & pitch on the filter--seen a few oil filters come thru with NO threads before--or the wrong size & pitch thread base on them,despite the number printed on them being "correct"..

 

[campfire]

Being a diesel,someone may have tried using veggie oil or some other "alternative" fuel in it,like used engine oil,ATF,etc.. --or it might just be old grungy diesel fuel..usually diesel tends to have a long life even when its left to sit a long time,but algae and condensation can build up in it..
It is pretty amazing what a diesel will run on for "fuel"..

We had a loader with a 4 cylinder Detroit diesel that started blowing white smoke one day,thought it blew a head gasket--it had sat a good 3 years buried in a old garage ,it ran great after we first got it to run,but a half hour later we thought sure it was burning coolant..

Turned out the fuel tank had a good 4 gallons of water in it,and about the same amount of diesel we put in it...we were amazed it even ran,period!...
We took the fuel lines off and blew them out,and used a gas can as a temporary fuel tank...once it started and ran about 5 minutes the white smoke went away,and you could hear the improvement in how it ran..

My Suburban came this way. Drove it home, and could not restart it for any amount of effort. Found black gunk in the tank. Purged it out and have not had any problems since.

 

[campfire]

Never done a fuel filter on a Dodge,so I'm not much help--I'd be checking the threads on the filter,and the base, and see if they got boogered up or are even the correct size & pitch on the filter--seen a few oil filters come thru with NO threads before--or the wrong size & pitch thread base on them,despite the number printed on them being "correct"..

I ran into this issue a few days ago changing the oil filter on my Saturn. New filter appeared to have correct threads, but they bound up immediately upon engaging. I couldn't see any differences in size or pitch, so I ended up grabbing some tools and gently persuading it past the binding point. It ended up going on fine after that. But it shouldn't have needed it.

No idea whether you're having a similar issue here. But perhaps...

 

[The Griff]

It was just like you said, I just needed to be a bit more "aggressive", once I got it started it was fine.

Then I pumped the primer bulb probably 220-270 times, so many times that when I pushed the drain on the filter it sprayed out with some actual pressure.

Cracked all the lines loose, immediately got fuel to cylinders 1,3, and 4, then I got 6, then 2, then 5, and then the batteries said good night.

So we should run, I'll find out tonight when I pull one of the batteries off the charger.

 

[campfire]

It was just like you said, I just needed to be a bit more "aggressive", once I got it started it was fine.

Then I pumped the primer bulb probably 220-270 times, so many times that when I pushed the drain on the filter it sprayed out with some actual pressure.

Cracked all the lines loose, immediately got fuel to cylinders 1,3, and 4, then I got 6, then 2, then 5, and then the batteries said good night.

So we should run, I'll find out tonight when I pull one of the batteries off the charger.

Sounds good! The frustrating part of my job, like yours, was the skin-removing location.

Glad to hear it worked out.

 

[The Griff]

Well, I think it was due for a change anyway, I can only think of three times it's been changed. When we got the truck it had 109,000 miles, and it was changed the day it came home, then the next time it got changed was in the parking lot of a Napa in Escanaba MI, when we got some dirty fuel from some Canadian truck stop, then it got changed again when we got more dirty fuel a Petro truck stop in Alabama.

Now it has 156,000 miles, and I know my dad maintained this truck like it was his baby, like I said before, its been sitting basically untouched for 7 years, and it still had pretty green coolant, right up to the top, the overflow was at the cold line, oil looked new, even the washer bottle was still full. Hell when I first fired it up by the time I had a chance to look at the oil pressure, it already had a steady 48 lbs.



Any of you guys have any kind of idea as to how much it would cost to get a sliding rear window replaced? the driver's side solid section is busted out.

 

[The Griff]

Well, I went down the road and stole my friends battery charger, and when cranking it tries to start, but I cant get enough cylinders going at the same time to keep it going.

Then, I found our issue, the WIF sensor is leaking. Say about 2-3 drips a second, I'd bet thats why it always lost prime.

So I say its time to go return this filter, (if I can) and grab one just with a drain, no WIF sensor hole.

 

[campfire]

Well, I think it was due for a change anyway, I can only think of three times it's been changed. When we got the truck it had 109,000 miles, and it was changed the day it came home, then the next time it got changed was in the parking lot of a Napa in Escanaba MI, when we got some dirty fuel from some Canadian truck stop, then it got changed again when we got more dirty fuel a Petro truck stop in Alabama.

Escanaba, eh? Dat's pretty near to my house.

Lemme know if you're ever going through this region again.

 

[The Griff]

There's a real possibility that I might make it back up there, but It would be at least 3 years from now.

We used to go on vacation in Ste. Sault Marie alot, we went up around lake Superior once, but most of the time we would go all over the U.P., usually the Newberry/Paradise/Whitefish point area.




And, back window is now replaced, with a piece of plexi.

 

[campfire]

There's a real possibility that I might make it back up there, but It would be at least 3 years from now.

We used to go on vacation in Ste. Sault Marie alot, we went up around lake Superior once, but most of the time we would go all over the U.P., usually the Newberry/Paradise/Whitefish point area.

Awesome! We did the same thing. Took a number of trips up here and loved it so much we moved up here. These awesome places are now a short drive that we can take on any weekend. With or without having to plan ahead.

Tomorrow we're planning to see the Porkies, but a Whitefish Point/Sault Ste. Marie trip should be happening within the month. I'm starting a thread for pictures of the places we're visiting if you'd be interested in seeing them.

And if you ever do make it back up here, we'd love to meet up and hang out somewhere. Just let us know when and where.

 

[The Griff]

Thanks, but like I said, it might be a while before we make it back up there.

Well this all just got kicked into high range, double overdrive, my sister and her boyfriend are supposed to be moving into a house some time next week, but now their truck's transmission just called it a day.

Anyway they need a truck, and anyway now the Cummins really, really, really needs to get roadworthy, like yesterday, on a budget of $5.00.

It needs rear tires, I have 2 sets of 4 matching tires, but they are all 265/76R16.
It needs an oil change, not that it looks like it needs one, but just because it hasn't been changed in 8 years.
The wipers need to work, and they need new blades.
It needs a window motor on the drivers side.


The other option is get the Blazer on the road, all it needs is some gas and plates/insurance, but it wont get near the mileage the Cummins will, and it could be well over a month before they get the brown Ford on the road again.

I'm already the bad guy, just because I'm being selfish and not immediately giving her my truck for a month or so, because nothing else I have has plates/insurance. So like I said, I need to come up with something yesterday.