Jeep Won't Start

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 8:21 pm

So this morning i was coming home from work and my low fuel light came on and i figured i would go and fill up after i woke up later on. So i went to Sheetz were i always get diesel, filled up and drove home. On my way home i noticed it acting a little different but nothing major, just minor spitting and sputtering but barley noticeable. Then i pulled it the driveway and it really started to act up so i shut it off and waited a few seconds and tried to restart it and it would act like it wanted to go but it wouldn't fire. So i had problems with air in the line before so i pushed on the bleeder button and it was soft so i bled it out and tried again and nothing. I replaced the filter to see if it was the problem and now it doesn't even sputter when i crank it.

So i have no ideas what it could be, maybe the fuel pump?? i really don't want to tow it to the stealership. So and help would be greatly appreciated.

dritchie · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 8:32 pm

maybe you got a tank full of water instead of diesel.

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:00 pm

Should i be hearing the fuel pump when i turn on the key?? And where is this water separator??

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:06 pm

There is a Water in Fuel Sersor on the bottom of the filter. if there is water in the fuel that is supposed to light a warning light in the dash.

I had something like that almost happen to me today but mine never shut off on its own and still started up. I have a thead about it started,

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:14 pm

Im using the CAT filter which doesnt have the sensor.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:20 pm

EriCRD05 wrote:

Im using the CAT filter which doesnt have the sensor.

Oh I see. I don't know about the CAT filter. is there a white plastic thing at the bottom like the stock filter has when you buy it from NAPA? The plastic thing is the water drain if it has one?

dritchie · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:20 pm

EriCRD05 wrote:

Should i be hearing the fuel pump when i turn on the key?? And where is this water separator??

The fuel pump is part of the CP3 injection pump and is mechanical. Unless you have installed a electric lift pump yourself, you won't hear any pump.

|Dave

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:30 pm

I didnt install a lift pump. So what is the unit that is in the tank? referring to this how-to http://www.auerbach.ca/kj/lift_pump/, there is a unit in the tank.

I've double checked that there is no air in the lines, checked all fuses and relays, and even had my buddy push the prime button on the filter while i was trying to start for the hell of it. Is the prime button supposed to lose pressure after time?

Any other advice for things to check on before i roll this thing over a cliff?

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 9:35 pm

On the fuel / water saparator filter head there is a small nut (petcock) on the opposite side of the plunger that needs to be opened and releave any air, then close it.

Word to the warning: do not let your fuel tank run low, water at the bottom of the tank will dislodge and fooocker up your fuel pump and injectors. Open the water drain valve at the bottom of the fuel filter and drain it then close it and push the plunger till it's full again.

continually try to start it. ..... Put a charger on the battery because you will drain it.

Do not turn the ignition key for more than 5 seconds at a time or you will burn the starter, pause in between turns.

I believe that you have water in your fuel ....... it will take a while for it to purge itself.

Did the water in fuel light come on the instrument panel?

Do you have the OEM Fuel/water separator filter head or an aftermarket alternative?

If you don't have the OEM filter head then you will not know that you have water in your fuel and will probably damage the high pressure fuel rail, pump and injectors.

You must get all the water out before it will start.

Purchase a Bottle of "Power Service Diesel 911" the (red bottle) and fill your fuel filter half way wth it the rest in your fuel tank.

Report back.

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 10:06 pm

I experienced water in my fuel and I asked a few people what to do. Including Keith at Green Diesel Engineering and a qualified diesel truck mechanic at the local Fleet Pride.

The mechaninc at fleet pride informed me that when this happens (bad fuel in tank, water in tank) he uses a small shot of starting fluid in the air filter housing.

You will need to squirt a small amount of Starting Fluid in the air filter housing and turn the key.

When it does start you will see lot's of smoke, LOTS LOTS of white smoke out the tail pipe.

Be careful using the starting fluid only use a small amount never over do it or you may damage the engine or casue a runaway.

Be careful using starting fluid....... Be careful using starting fluid ...... Be careful using starting fluid .

You just need to get the engine to ignite (ignition) and begin to burn the bad fuel and purge itself.

In the future use a fuel additive in the fuel tank that removes water.

There is always a small amount of water in diesel fuel that drops out to the bottom of the tank and accumulates.

I never want to experience water in the fuel ever again.

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 10:17 pm

Thanks, I'll have to give that a try tomorrow.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Tue May 04, 2010 9:41 am

BEFORE you use starting fluid :grim:

, prime your pump several times. My jeep has lost prime twice since I've owned. It had exihibited the same symptoms as you described. Look in the owners manual and you will see that the primer is very close to the fuel filter. Pump it several times (but don't go crazy, there are several plastic parts and fittings) and then try to start. I bet your problem goes away.

Boilermaker2

onthehunt · **Posted:** Tue May 04, 2010 9:55 am

1)Stay away from the starting fluid. It has it's uses and this is not one.
2) Either install a lift pump or ditch the cat filter and get an oem filter head. The cat adaptor is prone to leak air and you will need a pump to overcome this.
3) Try to fill up before the low fuel light comes on.

EriCRD05 · **Posted:** Thu May 06, 2010 7:35 am

Well i ended up getting it started. I had to crank until i couldn't crank no more. It finally started to sputter a little but wouldn't fire so i gave it a tiny shot of ether and it started right up. I put some diesel 911 in just the tank but every now and then it will feel a little different but doesn't stall or anything.

Thanks everyone for all your help,

Eric

onthehunt · **Posted:** Thu May 06, 2010 9:29 am

It will do it again. The filter head is sucking air...
I had the exact same thing happen to me with the cat filter.

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Fri May 07, 2010 8:32 am

You jinxed me...mine did this EXACT same thing to me yesterday for the first time ever. Just randomly lost fuel pressure. Had to pop the hood and prime it. I am running all OEM stuff.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri May 07, 2010 10:17 am

The new revised OEM Fuel/water separator filter is good ..... The vehicle just lacks a lift pump.

BobFarley · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:03 pm

I'm having the exact same problem seems to loose prime randomly. Seems to occur more on hot days after high speed interstate driving. I'm using a Wic filter not OEM but looks exactly the same.

I assume I'm getting air in the line somewhere but not sure where...I haven't had time to check for air in the line going into the fuel filter as suggested in the OEM Service Manual. I've read that since the pump is pulling fuel v/s pushing fuel that small air leaks in the fuel line from the tank to the filter might be the culprit.

I don't really want to go to the trouble of adding an electric fuel pump in line to help factory pump and provide positive pressure from the tank.

Thoughts?

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:41 pm

BobFarley wrote:

I don't really want to go to the trouble of adding an electric fuel pump in line to help factory pump and provide positive pressure from the tank.

Thoughts?

Not to be blunt, but you will continue to have this problem without adding a lift pump at the tank, either inside the tank or outside. Installing the Mr Gasket 12d pump (read through the "Need help" thread on the front page that this post is from: http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=605764#p605764) ... Installing that pump is easy and will only take about 30-40 minutes if you drink the beer slowly. You are dealing with a vapor lock issue that can only be solved by fixing what the bean-counters at Chrysler did by NOT installing this at the factory. They caused this issue and it WILL happen again until the filter and CP3 are provided with a constant low-pressure supply of fuel.

There are those who believe that the CRD's fuel system is fine the way it is and doesn't need a lift pump. To them, I say that it isn't a matter of who has had problems... It is a matter of WHEN for ALL of us. A suction-based fuel system is a bad idea, especially when dealing with a 5-micron filter that is the highest point in the system. Air naturally collects at this point, and causes the heater coil to overheat and crack the plastic housing... Possibly causing a fire. A lift pump eliminates the air pocket at the filter. I still have my heater unplugged... but it isn't a fire risk anymore anyway. Still have the original fuel head too.

You didn't mention whether or not you have the CAT filter conversion. For anyone finding this post that does... GET RID OF IT. That conversion has proven to leak air (if you don't have a lift pump) and potentially the air leaks can KILL YOUR INJECTION PUMP. Obviously, you don't want that to happen.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

Must be contagious. Mine acted up today and was hard to start and felt like it was running on 3 cylinders. I couldn't get engine to rev faster than 1500 rpm even at full throttle. Idle was very rough.

I've got racor fuel head and a lift pump. WIF sensor didn't come on and lift pump was doing its thing. I checked for air and there wasn't any in the fitler head. It took two restarts for it to run normal.

Jeep Won't Start

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