Air in fuel question

Woods CRD · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 pm **Posts:** 17

I am getting enough air buildup in the fuel filter head that I can drain air out after only a few minutes of driving. I replaced the filter head with the updated one because I found diesel leaking out the heater plug. Even after replacing the filter head I am still getting air in the filter. From my research here on lost jeeps, it sounds like there should be no air in the filter head if everything is working properly? If that is the case I believe the next step is going to be trying to fix the fuel line fittings at the tank. Can I just splice in some 3/8 fuel hose from the tank outlet to the metal line? I would like to try to fix this before resorting to the lift pump.

shadow63 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:04 am **Posts:** 208

I also have that problem thanks for posting and hopefully this can get resolved with ease. Do you get alot of smoke out of the exhaust?

Woods CRD · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 pm **Posts:** 17

I do get a lot of smoke, especially when I get above about 2500 rpm. After looking into the issue further, I think I can pull the entire plastic fuel line from the tank to where it joins the metal line and replace with the appropriate rubber fuel line. I am going to attempt this over the weekend. I will post up how it turns out.

shadow63 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:04 am **Posts:** 208

Sounds Great!

Woods CRD · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 pm **Posts:** 17

Ok, I have completed the job, here are the results: After a long drive to see if any air is entering the filter head, I found none. Normally I would have had to pump the bleeder a few dozen times to get all the air out after even a short drive. The engine no longer sounds like a cummins 4bt (lots of rattle) at idle, and it feels a little stronger from idle up to 2k rpm or so. I still have the black smoke under acceleration issue, but that could be a number of other things.

To recap, I lowered the fuel tank so that I could access the top of the tank. I removed the larger fuel line, from the tank to where it joins the metal line. I attached a 3/8 inch fuel line in its place and replaced the tank (be careful not to pinch the line when raising the tank). For those considering doing this, I found that 3 feet of 3/8 fuel line is about perfect. It allows enough extra to put in a lift pump if desired later, without too much excess line flopping around. I didnt do anything with the return line, as I figures this was either under gravity flow or pressurized, so no air should enter through that fitting.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sun May 06, 2012 3:19 pm

Great. Return line should be under pressure and not an issue unless diesel is leaking out but the fittings are designed for pressurized fuel so should be ok.

shadow63 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:04 am **Posts:** 208

nice! did you take any pics

Woods CRD · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 pm **Posts:** 17

I did not get a chance to take pics. I went by the writeup on installing an in tank lift pump that is in the CRD tech section. That writeup has good pictures and instructions for removing the lines and dropping the tank.

shadow63 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:04 am **Posts:** 208

I'll check it out , thanks

caemendez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:28 am **Posts:** 10

I will do this these weekend.Thanks for the info.I have the same issue about the air in the fuel line, no matter i have the new fuel filter head!

caemendez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:28 am **Posts:** 10

I have the new filter head, and like i said before i changed the fuel lines that come directly from the tank to the metal fuel line.AND STILL HAVE AIR IN FILTER.MY HEAD AND FILTER COMES assembled look: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T3 ... 00_s00_i00
And inside the tank all its normal, nothing.

Anybody has an idea that what could it be?

Thank you.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:14 pm

caemendez wrote:

I have the new filter head, and like i said before i changed the fuel lines that come directly from the tank to the metal fuel line.AND STILL HAVE AIR IN FILTER.MY HEAD AND FILTER COMES assembled look: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T3 ... 00_s00_i00
And inside the tank all its normal, nothing.

Anybody has an idea that what could it be?
Thank you.

Time for an in tank lift pump :BANANA:

Randy B · **Posted:** Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:58 am

Just a thought, have you checked the crimp on the fuel line under the fuel head? Where the rubber is crimped to the metal fuel line from the tank? Could be sucking air there. :2cents:

caemendez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:28 am **Posts:** 10

Randy, i checked this too.

user113 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 12:20 am

Cesar,

Regarding your PM, if the air is getting in at the joint between the fuel line and the fuel tank, an external in-line lift pump (e.g., Mr. Gasket, Kennedy, Facet, etc.) will likely not solve your problem. Apparently the connectors at the fuel tank work well under positive pressure, but will occasionally leak under negative pressure. The way to get the connector under positive pressure is to install the in-tank fuel pump. There are a couple of threads on the forum detailing how to go about it. It's basically a plug-and-play install, albeit somewhat involved.

caemendez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:28 am **Posts:** 10

Looking down again in the lines from the tank, im suspecting that the lines from the tank are not conected to the metal line correctly.From the tank, the hoses connected to the connector of the sending unit that have the sign for the fuel that "must go" to the filter and to the pump its connected to the more shorter metal line, and the other one to the most longer.This configuration its correct? If i remember well, in some many post i read that the larger line its the fuel supply line directly to the fuel filter. Im ok with this configuration?

Thanks guys.

user113 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:56 pm

Cesar,

Just check out the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26385&hilit=in+tank+fuel+pump+cummins+gmctd&start=0

and pay attention to the color band identifying which hose is which.

DLR

caemendez · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:28 am **Posts:** 10

AT LAST!!!! I RESOLVED MY AIR IN FUEL ISSUE. Just installing an Airtex E7181M In-tank Lift Pump ( I know all of you know about this link: http://www.auerbach.ca/kj/lift_pump/ ), but for my only was 3 1/2 hours of labor (not me but a good friend of mine with a repair shop here in my country Dominican Republic, http://www.facebook.com/CHRYSCAR ).

THANKS GUYS FOR YOUR HELP!!!

Woods CRD · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 pm **Posts:** 17

I wanted to follow up on this thread a little. After installing the kennedy lift pump my air in fuel issues completely went away (till yesterday, but that is another story). What I have noticed is that my new updated filter head must still have been leaking a small amount of air. I have noticed that diesel was weeping around where the filter attaches to the filter head. I believe the pressurization from the lift pump is forcing diesel out this small area. Something to look at if the filter head alone doesnt solve the air in fuel problem.

Air in fuel question

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