82 Chevy vandura surge and hard start

[unleashedrx]

I have this van it sat for ten years. We have recently got it running. If it sits over night I have to use either to start it. Also the idle is irregular and surges at lower idle or highway crusing speed have replaced both filters and all rubber fuel line what else could it be.but does not surge all the time. I have done fuel additives and ran about four tanks of fuel through it.

[Dvldog8793]

Howdy
Be VERY careful using ether, there is a very specific protocol for ether use on these engines. You can cause real damage using ether!
Is the starter glow plug system in good working order? If you get a couple dead glow plugs and the engine isn't spinning over good and fast it will be a real bear to start.
How many miles are on it?
do you know if the fuel injection pump has ever been replaced?
Does it smoke allot? What color smoke?
More info will help....

[unleashedrx]

It blows kinda of a white smoke and idles real erratic the van has 210 thousand and there is all kind of records the pump was replaced ed at a 150 thousand.

[john8662]

You got an 83 G Van there, no such thing as an 82.

You need a 6" or so piece of 1/4" clear line to place on the fuel return line out of the injection pump. This is the line that's coming out of the top cover of the injection pump. You'll be replacing the rubber line with your clear line, put it on there like it's going to stay for awhile.

This will allow you to see if you're getting air in the fuel system somewhere.

While running see if you see air bubbles coming out of the pump. This will show up as a foamy fluid usually.

Air in the fuel system is the culprit to hard starting and fuel system surging.

Usually air leaks occur into the fuel system on the suction side.

You can also build yourself a fuel cap with a tire valve fitting in it that will allow you to air up the fuel system via the tank with about 10psi air and look for any leaks in lines along the way.

[unleashedrx]

I would say yes but it will hold a vacuum on the system for days plus I have done the pressure check and have gotten rid of all air leaks. This is not my first diesel only my first 6.2..

[unleashedrx]

Still looking for answer's if anyone can help

[Dvldog8793]

Howdy
For strictly starting issues....IMHO- most of the time it can be traced to a weak component. Slow starter, poor batteries, old cables, inactive glow plugs. ect... If it is not spinning over fast then it will have problems starting. Old age lowers compression and makes that worse. Cold temps also make it worse. a few dead glow plugs=worse.

The smoke issue, again IMHO...could be an injector issue. Just because the injectors and pump were replaced recently does not mean they were replaced with good ones. Low compression will make this worse and also can be related(smoke on start) to a poor electrical system.

If it was mine, I would start by verifying the starting/electrical component. Known good batteries, clean cable connections and grounds, verified good glow plug system.

Next I would move to the fuel system. Verify that the injectors are good. Verify the pump history. Were they rebuilt at a good shop or just "freshened-up" at a regular mechanic shop...? Verify that you are not getting any air in the fuel system.(see above post about the clear line)
I have replaced injectors on an engine that ran and started "OK" and experienced a MAJOR improvement across the board.

Last I would run a compression test and see where this motor is at. Possible that you could have a few holes that are low. This would cause all of the listed problems but is also the most expensive to fix.

Hope this helps!

[unleashedrx]

Thank you sir where can I get the the adaptor for for a compression check that is about the last piece of the puzzle. Also how can I check that the injectors are bad I have the flow kit for the durmax but not sure how to check them on this. The pump was replaced by the gm house back in the early 2000. My last question is I run 2 800 CCA battery's do I need to get bigger ones or should they be enough. Thank you very much.

[Dvldog8793]

Howdy
Not sure on where to get the adapter....Search online.
The two batteries should be fine as long as all the cables/connections/starter are good. we just pulled the starter out of my sons truck and replaced it. It still spun the engine but it never fired right up and sounded just little slow to me. New starter and it kicks off much better.
I am not aware of a good way to check the injectors in the engine. I think the best way is to pull them and have them benched. I just removed a set that was marked in an odd way with no real makers name on them, this is a good clue that they are not quality. Bosch or Lucas are two of the best IMHO. poor injectors in an engine with lower compression and maybe worn timing set can make for a bad combination.
I think as stated above the surging is a result of air in the system someplace.
The starting issue could be electrical or injector or both.
If the pump was replaced with NEW that would surprise me. If it was rebuilt, then it could have a limited lifespan and might be causing some of your problems. A pump that is rebuilt when it is "on-the-edge" of being junk will become junk much sooner than a good rebuild.

Forgot to ask earlier....does the smoke smell of unburned diesel?

[unleashedrx]

Yes it will clear up if it runs for awhile. Then starts smoking again I drove it for a hundred miles with no problems then. It started again drove it it a couple of days after I drove fifty miles and no problems if I'm above forty five mph it runs just fine. I did go out to start it today and it turned over twice and died put the charger on it and nothing so gotta get new batts. Also it does smell like diesel when it acts up. Could a lift pump cause this.

[Dvldog8793]

Did you use a boost setting on the charger? I have seen this smoke the glow plugs on some chargers.
If you let the batteries charge for a few hours and had "nothing" then I would expect a problem someplace other than the batteries. Possibly a starter or a cable issue.
The only way a lift pump can cause a diesel smell is if it is leaking and you smell the fuel, of coarse you would also see a puddle. The lift pump can have an internal failure and pump fuel into the block, I have never seen it but I am sure it happens.
If it smokes allot right on a cold AND hot start up and DOES NOT clear up within 10-20 seconds and then continues to smoke while driving, I would say it is injectors or a IP problem. The smoke will be white and kinda thick and smell of raw fuel and maybe even sting your eyes.