Bailing wire and duct tape desperation !!!

[Bill H]

I bought this duramax 2500 pickup a few months ago and it was ok until recently when it would occasionally take a long time cranking to start. When finally I was stranded in the parking lot after shopping it wouldn't start with any amount of cranking. A kind soul in the parking lot said his son in law did rescue auto repairs. He called his son in law and he advised squirting starter fluid in the intake. I said I had bought starter fluid in the past that had warning labels against using on diesel engines. We tried WD40 in the intake without success. Out of desperation I found "Gunk" brand starter fluid "for gasoline and diesel engines" per the label on the can. It did start and run normally after a lot of initial clatter.

Since then I've been stranded a few times but always got home after squirting "Gunk" starter fluid in the intake. I did a search on the diesel page and found where some members think the symptoms could be a cracked fuel filter housing. Some other mechanics I've talked to around here agree. Evidently a cracked filter housing is pretty common on a 2002 dmax.

So now that I'm sick of squirting gunk in the intake in 110 degree Phoenix summer heat (eventually hitting 120 degree later) and not able to afford the $500 price of a new filter housing from the dealer, I'm thinking duct tape and bailing wire... Would appreciate and frugal advice from dpage members.

Symptoms are as follows:

1) Starts with 3-4 second of cranking after sitting in the driveway overnight.
2) Gets me where I'm going around town after that and will start again easily right after shutdown. But when I come back after a few minutes will need a shot of gunk to start.
3) I did change the fuel filter and no change in starting problems.
4) After pumping, the hand pump on the filter housing would leave trace fuel on top of the housing from the bleeder screw. But after changing the bleeder screw/o-ring for a matching bolt/rubber washer that cured the trace fuel leakage after hand pumping, but didn't change the starting problem. The hand pump never seems to pump up hard like it should.

Please save me from having to buy a new filter housing for $500 (which may or may not solve the problem). Is there some quick and dirty test or fix... anyone... ??? Thnx !!!

[More Power]

I'm told starting fluid and a glow plug diesel can produce an explosive combination, which can wreck pistons, connecting rods and turbochargers.

With a 6.2/6.5 diesel, the glow system can be temporarily disabled, and starting fluid can be used more safely.

Air in the fuel supply system should be eliminated as a cause before spending money on expensive parts. A length of clear tubing between the fuel filter housing and the injection pump would let you see any air bubbles. You could also pressurize the fuel tank to look for even minute leaks in the system. Use a regulated air supply with 5 to 10-psi max by wrapping an oily rag around an air hose that is stuffed into the fuel tank filler neck. Pressurize the tank, wait 10 minutes, then look for an oozing leak in the fuel supply lines from the tank to the engine compartment and fuel filter to injection pump.

Jim

[convert2diesel]

Jim:

I believe he said he had a Dmax

Bill

[More Power]

Jim:

I believe he said he had a Dmax

Bill

;) I was using the 6.2/6.5 as an example. I suppose the Duramax glow system could also be disabled by unplugging the glow relay, but I don't know how the vehicle ECM would interpret that - other than setting related codes.

In short, starting fluid should not be used in a glow plug equipped diesel - unless the glow system has been disabled.

Jim

[ekw]

Has anyone solved the hard start when hot problem yet?
my problem is much like many others I have read on this forum. My truck will start when it is cold, it will start if it sits for hours, but if I try to start after 10 mnts or so it will either take quite a bit of cranking or not start at all. If it does not start then it does not matter how long I wait. I had to use a small shot of ether to get it started this last time it happened. what is wrong?, do I have a injector leaking down and loosing prime? or could it be something else? I have had the fuel filter housing replaced already. If that was the problem it seems like the longer the truck sits the worse it would be not better. Any ideas?
thank You.
Ernie

[Kennedy]

While I'm not a fan of starting fluid by any stretch of the imagination, I think that it can be used but only sparingly AND in a 2 person operation. Person 1 cranks the engine and when spinning person 2 gently wafts the etehr toward the intake. This is emergency only in my opinion.

Caution: I've heard from more than one ether user that destroyed the engine due to overrev doing this the wrong way.

Now on to the cause. I don't see mention of model on ekw's post, but I'm going to assume all LB7 here.

The hot start issue is pretty much a given that it will be injectors. The "cracked" fuel filter housing is bogus, and before replacing you would do MUCH better to add a lift pump and simply put the housing under pressure to keep it full of fuel.