i was driving the other day and my step van shut down with no warning at all. It started just fine every time and ran smooth - it did not show any signs of power loss, smoke, etc - just a slight "click" sound and turned off as though the key had been turned off. I coasted to a stop and made it to a parking lot where it would not start at all. I could crank it and hear it turn over, but no smoke and no start.
I tested the power connection to the injection pump and it seemed to be getting power, although by the time i tested it the battery was gettng low from cranking. But i don't think that was the issue.

most friends i spoke with seemed to think it was either the lift pump or the injection pump - of course i would love to find out it was the lift pump. I know someone with the same vehicle how had some kind of rod that connects to the lift pump snap on him once and the same thing happened, but it's too early for me to tell.

Any advice on how to trouble shoot? No diesel mechanics anywhere near where i live. I got a $700 quote just to replace the injection pump, not even including rebuilt cost, so that is of course out of the question especially since i don't know for sure that is the problem, but i suspect it is. Strange how there were no sighns of it failing though.

thanks again,
Paul

...hmmm...Sounds like it could be a siezed Head & Rotor...You really don't want it to be that, because that would add $300 or so to rebuild the pump.

Check lift pump operation, best way is to take a piece of rubber hose that will just slide over the drain on the filter base and run it to a bucket or pop can, whatever. Are you sure yours is mechanical supply pump? Either way, open the bleed a little, crank the engine over and see if fuel comes out. If it does, then you need an injection pump, if it doesn't then you need atleast a supply pump, maybe still an injection pump.

Where are you by the way, I might be able to guide you to a fuel shop that will do the pump cheaper than that.

Thanks Texas,

i did test to see if the lift pump was sending fuel while cranking the engine and it was (i disconnected the hose coming from it and fuel was coming out).
As for the seized head and rotor, is that the main part of the injection pump? Someone at midwest fuel injection service told me today that could be the problem as well, and that if so the pump can not be rebuilt. The one on my truck had been rebuilt by them some years back so i called them for advice.
But i know someone in Michigan who charges $215 for a rebuild and he said he has an extra core he can sell for about $65, so if mine is not rebuildeable i may just have to go with him.
I live in Falmouth, KY an hour south of Cincinnati. I decided to have it towed back to my house rather than to the shop that wanted $700 for the labor alone - it wasn't that hard of a decision. But now, rather than at the mercy of an apparantly wealthy and slow mechanic, i am at the mercy of my very limited diesel mechanical experience. But plenty of motivation to learn here and i have a helm service manual on the way, the same one used by dealership mechanics.
So i have no choice but to learn how to take the old one out and put the new one in myself. Some say it's no problem, others say forget it, never, no way could i ever do it.
What do you think? Any advice on how to safely pull this one off?
thanks again,
Paul

Hardest part about removing replacing the pump on a step van is the timing bolts in the front, unbolt the intake box thing and the coolant overflow tank to get them out of the way and its not too bad. Everthing from the inside is pretty much straight forward. I replaced 2 pumps in a row on step vans, it can be done in 2 hours, but don't rush it.

A Seizure is a severe failure, and you need to find out the cause before you slap another pump in and sieze it too. Stuck injector, fuel contamination, misalignment all could cause it, whoever takes the pump apart should be able to determine the cause by pressing the old head apart and seeing where the seizure occurred. See if you can determine the model # of the pump, I can give you a ball park what a pump will cost you then, are you sure its a 6.2? or just a N/A 6.5? Hopefully 6.2, much cheaper ;)

when you say "intake box thing" do you mean the hollow plastic thing that connects to the air filter casing toward the right of the pump?
Also, did you mean you did the whole thing in two hours, like remove the old one and put the new one on; or do you mean it took two hours just to put it in?
thanks again,
Paul

Yeah, thats what I'm talking about the big hollow plastic box, resonator or something like that. Get that and the overflow tank out of the way and you can get at it. Then just remove the oil filler tube (2 nuts) and the 3 ½" bolts that hold the pump to the drive gear, you can usually roll the engine over with a 15/16" socket by the alternator to get at them.

And thats 2 hours for the whole job IF you have an air ratchet, makes a big difference. You'll probably have to play with the timing a little (I always do) so we'll say 3 for par ;)

If your fuel shut-off solenoid failed in your injection pump then your engine will shut down. Also a failed fuel pump or a broken timing chain will shut your engine down.

Have someone turn the ignition switch on while you are at the injection pump. If you don't hear it click then the solenoid needs to be replaced. Sometimes the wire (about the size of a hair) going to the coil of the solenoid is broken. I fixed a broken wire on my fuel advance solenoid coil by joining the two ends together with solder. And that was about ten years ago!!!

Tex, thanks again for the encouragement. If i can pull this one off i will be in a whole different league i think. By the way, the prices i mentioned for the rebuild and core were from a place in michigan called accuratediesel.com. Have you ever heard of them? The owner, Tim, lives way out in the middle of nowhere and i think that's why the prices are lower - a friend of mine up there deals with him a lot and says he does good work. Tim told me a bunch of times, $215 for the rebuild based on the model # off the pump i have already, and if i need a core then $65. It does sound relatively cheap, doesn't it?
Midwest Fuel Injection, in Chicago, quoted about $400 for the same job, but they are in the city and have big contracts with trucking companies and are supposedly famous - they rebuilt the one i have now several years ago cause i saw their name on a sticker on it.
If you have some different numbers on all this i would like to hear them, although i would be surprised if you know of anything cheaper. thanks again,
Paul

cougarjohn,
well that would be sweet if it was only the fuel shut-off solenoid, but i am not optimistic. I have noticed when i was cranking it that there was some sort of clicking noise (it also made a clicking noise when it shut down on me) although i am not totally certain the clicking i hear is the same one you mention. I was not aware that the mechanical lift pumps had a shut-off solenoid - i know it has a fast-idle solenoid - but could you tell me where this part is and what it looks like? How to get a better look at it to see? I should at least be certain of this before pulling the whole thing off. thanks again,
Paul



If your fuel shut-off solenoid failed in your injection pump then your engine will shut down. Also a failed fuel pump or a broken timing chain will shut your engine down.

Have someone turn the ignition switch on while you are at the injection pump. If you don't hear it click then the solenoid needs to be replaced. Sometimes the wire (about the size of a hair) going to the coil of the solenoid is broken. I fixed a broken wire on my fuel advance solenoid coil by joining the two ends together with solder. And that was about ten years ago!!!

Its under the top cover of the injection pump. The big one is the Shut-off, the little on is the cold advance. Take the air cleaner off and you will see a big red wire and a little green one plugged into the top cover of the pump. Turn the key on and tap the red one to the contant, should see a small spark there if you have power, and you will hear the solenoid click inside.