I just bougt a 1996 Chevy 2500 6.5 TD as is with 156,000 miles on the clock. The truck is in excellent condition. Two days after driving it off the dealers lot, I started having problems with it. First problem was that after sitting at a restaurant for about an hour or so, it didn't want to start. I would turn it over for 20 - 30 seconds and got nothing. Turn it off, try again, nothing, third time it started. That was it for that day. Then I was driving down the road maybe 40mph and the truck hiccupped and lost rpms and came back to life, then a few seconds later the truck died. I pulled off the road and spent 3 minutes trying to start it again, it would turn over, not start, then turn over and start only to die after 3 seconds of idling. After I finally got it to start and stay running, it ran home (10 miles) without incident. The next day driving to a friends house (2 miles) It died at a stop light. This mroning it was idling in the driveway and I heard it "hiccupp" once. I drove it to work (7 miles) without a problem. I have it scheduled at my mechanic in two days, because I just bought it and I want it to run correctly. I usually fix things myself but don't want this to be out for two weeks while I troubleshoot. I am new to diesels but I love them! Any replies would be appreciated.

This needs to be posted in the 6.5 Forum. Not really a 911 post...

--post moved-

kl8ton, I see your in Grand Rapids, feel free to give me a call and lets get your truck fixed. I am right in your neck of the woods.

Eric
616-218-8466

my thermostats went bad the day after i bought my truck. i made the dealer fix it. the symptoms that you are saying sound like pmd problems and also lift pump problems. does your mechanic know anything about 6.5's?

Your PMD is toast, and your Injection Pump is probably not too far behind. Do a search on PMD in this forum, and you will get hundreds of hits, which will explain how to fix it. Are you getting codes in addition to the stalling? Stalling with Injector Pump related codes means the IP in dying as well. Stalling without codes is the PMD only.

Also, go to the forum listed bellow and have Semi-Crazy lookup your trucks service record. That will give you some idea of when your IP was last replaced. The thread is entitled "I picked up a new tool today for VINs and Parts"

http://www.gm-diesel.com

One last thing, what you are experiencing is a very common with these engines. This forum will be a Godsend to you, as it has been for so many others. Not to mention, it will save you thousands of dollars in repair bills, if you are willing to do the work yourself. And trust me, these engines need constant maintenance, and parts.

I would do a search for pmd but the forum software will not let me. What does PMD stand for? Maybe I can search for that. Yes, I am that new to diesels....

Thanks!

Pump Mounted Driver. Also known as a Fuel Solenoid Driver. It is the little black box attached to the side of your Injection pump. Here is what it looks like.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7937266921&category=33553&sspagename=WDVW

And here it is attached to the pump.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7937824557&category=33553#ebayphotohosting

By the way, never buy a used PMD. They go bad, and that is a reason, the person is selling it.

try searching pmd*. A trick I picked up from max power.

try searching pmd*. A trick I picked up from max power.
Hey, that works! Thanks.

Open the bleed valve or drain T on the filter housing while idling and see what happens. It should put out steady fuel pressure. If the fuel perssure is restricted it will stall it but it pays to have a spare driver or two.

I over the years have had similar situations. The first time it was most noticable while pulling a load, uphill situations etc. and found to be the lift pump inside the frame rail. 2 Weeks ago I had problems with stalling, cut-outs while going down the road, etc just as you said. Check the brass water bleed valve that is bolted to the water intake, top side of engine. Check for leakage around and through that valve, the line comes to the valve from the filter and the other side just dumps down below the frame. I talked to my local GMC mechanic who has seen a lot of 6.5's and he recommended I check it as he has seen problems letting air in. They didn't have a valve so I ordered one and temporarily removed the valve from the filter line and plugged it with a 1/4 bolt and a hose clamp, have put several thousand troube free miles since.

Regards,
Lucas Haag
Silver Creek Technologies Inc.
1995 GMC K1500 Ext Cab 6.5 Daily Use Worktruck

OK, after my mechanic looked at it he said that my fuel filter was gunked up so they cleaned the entire injection system and put in a new fuel filter. The stalling problem has gone away-I think. Now the problem I have is that If I drive it somewhere, and try to start it back up within say an hour or so after it has been shut off, it will only turn over and never fire. If I leave it for over a couple hours, it will start right up.

Any Ideas?

take it back to your mechanic... it wasnt doing that before....

If you have good batt connections and cranking speed is good it's likey the PMD or a pump related problem. What's you year and milage?

Any idea what it might be though, I would rather fix it myself if it is something simple.

1996 156,000

they cleaned the entire injection systemI doubt they actually cleaned any part of the injection system, flushed the supply lines maybe.
Hard Start Hot now is your only problem? Did your mechanic verify supply pump operation and pressure while he was at it? There's some aftermarket pumps available that aren't worth their weight in crap. If supply system checks out (5psi pressure at the pump, idling) Then you probably need an injection pump.

If you have supply pressure on the filter, good cranking speed and it doesn't put out white clouds of smoke, you might think about buying a fuel solenoid driver and harness extension to remote mount it or the whole pump.

Try another PMD, sounds like a likely solution. And I don't think you should be cranking your truck for 30 seconds.

And trust me, these engines need constant maintenance, and parts.
Mine ran with little to no maitenence for 290000kms, only engine repair I can think of is an injector pump replaced under warranty. Recently I replaced a starter, six glowplugs, a PMD, and a wire running from the alternator to the batteries. The wire was rotted, glowplugs burn out, its expected, PMD is a common problem, and when its -30 degrees celcius, and your trucks sitting outside, it can be a little hard on the starter.

What are you talking about constant maitenance and parts?

Yeah, after posting that I looked in the Owners manual and it says to only crank it for 15, then let it rest for a couple minutes I think. I guess I will order the PMD relocation kit from Heath with a new PMD and see what happens.

How do I get to the original PMD...It is saturday morning and I have to have this thing installed before a wedding.

I have the heath diesel relocation kit. Can I get to the original pmd to unplug it without removing anything? I have already taken off the turbo power plastic cover. Do I need to take off the pipe that comes from the turba and connects to the intake manifold. If so, Do I have to replace a gasket? I think I can see the PMD and the plug for it. Do you guys know if it is a white plug connected to a black one? Or does it connect right in to the PMD?

I'm not familiar with Heaths kit, do you have to replace the original wiring harness and wire it directly to the FSOL on the pump? If so, the entire intake manifold will have to come off. If it just plugs into to the original harness then you can unplug the wire with a long screw driver and needle nose pliers to pull the plug out a little. The PMD is located on the drivers side of the injection pump.

I just have to unplug original and plug new harness in to the plug I took off the original. So a long screwdriver and a needlenose will do it?

yeah, you can just reach the plug, its very close to the intake manifold but I've done this before.

TDG, you are the man. You saved me a lot of time. I was able to unclip the plug with a screwdriver, my needlenose was too big to fit in there but the same screwdriver worked to slowly and carefully remove the plug from the existing pmd. The heath unit is installed. I will post again and let you guys know if that fixes the problem.

Thanks for your help!!!!

you guys are the best! A new PMD is working beutifully! Thanks for the info...I appreciate it. I drove to several places today and the truck started every time!

Thanks again.