From odd running to not running issue.....

snicklas

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All,

This is related to the Odd Running Question thread. I have some additional symproms, and for sake of clarity, I decided to start an another thread for this additional information / Troubleshooting......

This all started a few weeks back with what I thought was a bad load of fuel (see other thread). As suggested, I have added additional good fuel from my normal station, I have added a somewhat generous amount of Power Service 911 Red Bottle, and with my last fuel addition, added the usual White Bottle Power Service. So this additional information may still lead back to a fuel issue, but wanted to let everyone know where I stand fuel wise. I have added, at this point, at least 40 gallons of fresh fuel to the less that 20 og questionable, all additives have been after adding a small amount of good fuel to the original questionable fuel.

We were driving the truck this weekend, and the miss became much worse, and did not clear up with the engine coming up to normal temperature. We were several miles from home, headed toward home. Once we had gotten back to town, I had to make a stop before we got to the house. When I stopped, I put it in park, and I brought the RPM's up to about 22-2500 RPM. The miss was very pronounced, and there was a lot of light blue, unburned diesel smoke from the exhaust. After this short rev, it seemed to clear up, and started to run correctly. Drove it home, and parked in the garage. Sunday, ran a couple of arrends in my hometown and did not notice any issues. Needed to work on the other vehicle, so I moved the wagon into the garage, and left the truck out front, plugged in the block heater and went in the house. Yesterday, I had completed the work on the car, and was going to switch them back, and put the truck in the garage. Went out, turned the key to run, waited for the WTS, hit the key, it would turn over at normal speed, but only hit on a cyl or two at a time. It would try to run, but as soon as all 8 caught, it would quit. I did notice that while cranking, I did see a bit of white smoke from the tailpipe, not sure if it is the amount I should see, but it was getting at least a some fuel while cranking. I was not able to get it to start. I hooked up the battery charger, and rolled it down the driveway so I could get the car out. Left is in the driveway yesterday, block heater plugged in, and working and the charger to top off the batteries. I did notice the pump in the HFCM seemed a bit noisy, I normally do not hear it running. I tried again last night, and this morning, but in just a quick try, it would not start. I am trying to narrow down what to look at. I am also trying to locate a scanner that I can run the diagnostics on the engine with.....

So, to the collective, troubleshooting ideas.... (besides a scanner, working on that) Could I have 1 or more failed injectors, could the lift pump not be supplying enought fuel, could the FICM be failing and not operating the injectors properly? I do not think it was gelled fuel, but it was down in the teens when I was trying to start it. Could the questionable fuel damaged something? Or the treatments I used to try and deal with the fuel? At a loss at this point, and now just need to get it back on the garage so I am able to work on it inside.....
 
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Yooper75

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Here is what I'm thinking......

1. Oil pressure sensor is dead, because with out it the engine won't run.
2. FICM may have just said F you and quit because that's around the mileage they like to die.
3. Your batteries may be toast even though it sounds like the motor is turning over fine.
4. Fuel pump quit.
5. Possible HPOP failure.

The bad fuel may have just been the straw that broke the camels back so to speak.
 

snicklas

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OK... maybe this will help..... a bit more info...

As I said, when it would not start and run it was ~15 out
Last night when it started and kinda ran it was ~40
It has been inside for the last 24+ hours at ~70+ degrees, and it started like normal...

A o-ring that is shrinking in the cold, or an electrical issue because of the cold? Was kinda surprised when it started right up when I tried it this evening.....
 

snicklas

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One other new piece of information. I had to drive the truck tonight (my Sable Wagon decided it wanted to spend the night in a store parking lot....) Trav ran me home to get the truck and pick everyone else up. Truck fired right up, and ran fairly well. I still had an occasional miss accompanied by a blue haze..... but it had been in the garage with the block heater. So I believe there is something temperature related. A seal, or o-ring or the like that shrinks in the cold, and is "better" when it is warmer..... still puzzled..... and now have to figure out why the other car is not running.... I think I lost a fuel pump.... what fun to fix.......so now I am down to the truck.... so here's hoping it stay running....
 

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