Vehicular anxiety

[94Blackbird]

So I had about 2 hours worth of severe anxiety over my new truck today. I was 3 miles from my fiance's house when the truck just cut out on me after 731 miles of flawless operation, and I couldn't get it restarted. Some cops came and helped push it out of the intersection and I began trying to figure out what wasn't working.

My first fear was that the lift pump had gone out at some point in the trip and taken the injection pump with it, but the truck made all the right noises when the key was turned, just for some reason wasn't getting fuel to the motor. I started checking the fuel tanks, and low and behold, the tank under the bed (which is wired up as the auxiliary tank in the truck) was just as full as when I left yesterday, and the main tank in the bed was drained almost bone dry, much, much lower than when I thought I had switched tanks. So it turns out that the switch to go from the main tank to the auxiliary tank is malfunctioning.

The problem was compounded when I tried to restart the truck when it sucked air into the fuel lines. Finally, I got on my smart phone (which I had resisted getting for the longest time, and today it saved me about 130 dollars in tow truck fees), found the bleed procedure for the fuel system, and once we got a wrench set, had the truck running in less than 10 minutes after I put 10 gallons in the tank.

To say I was stressed after driving all night, and being so close, is an understatement. To say that I am relieved that it was so simple, is also an understatement. I'm just glad that it wasn't the fuel system like I thought it was, the injection pumps for these trucks are EXPENSIVE!!!

[JCzNova]

Glad it was something small. The old 5-ton trucks had a switch on the dash which only switched which tank the gauge was reading, then there was also a valve on the floor to actually switch the flow. Can't begin to count how many times people would run them dry and I would be bleeding the system for an hour.

Everytime I think about downgrading my iPhone, I use it 10 times that day for everything but phone calls.

[chevymec]

Air is a Diesel fuel system is a PITA. Glad you got it fixed Jim !!

And I too still refuse to get a smart phone.

[popo8]

SMART PHONES ROCK!!!!!

Posted from my pimp asz smart phone.

[popo8]

oh yeah..... glad u figured it out. so what do u gotta do now???

[94Blackbird]

oh yeah..... glad u figured it out. so what do u gotta do now???

Drive the truck :D

[94Blackbird]

Air is a Diesel fuel system is a PITA. Glad you got it fixed Jim !!

And I too still refuse to get a smart phone.

It's one of the things I'm coming to like about the Cummins motors. In order to bleed pretty much the entire system from the tank to the injectors, all you need to do is crack the line fittings where they run from the injector pump into the cylinder head, then crank it over a few times until fuel starts leaking out and the truck starts catching. Once i figured it out, it took less than 5 minutes to get the truck running again.

And I wouldn't have found out how to bleed the fuel system without my smart phone, I would have had to have it towed lol

[popo8]

Drive the truck :D

Ok... didnt know if you need to replace the malfuctioning switch...

[94Blackbird]

Still have one tank that works, but I am going to figure out why the other tank isn't pulling fuel. It's full, and I'd hate to have all that fuel go bad.

[AdamG]

when I bought my truck they had almost the same exact truck in black with a almost the same millage but a powerstroke. They wanted 31k for the powerstroke and wouldn't budge on price They also has a duramax they wanted 29k for but it had no bed. All i have to say is I am glade i got the v10 the thing runs smoother then any other engine i have ever seen and is as quite as can be and the whole system is far less complicated then the diesels i only paid 8k less then i would have on a diesel . All i hear about is the guys at work complaining about how they all have problems especially the new ones because of the emissions crap.

[94Blackbird]

when I bought my truck they had almost the same exact truck in black with a almost the same millage but a powerstroke. They wanted 31k for the powerstroke and wouldn't budge on price They also has a duramax they wanted 29k for but it had no bed. All i have to say is I am glade i got the v10 the thing runs smoother then any other engine i have ever seen and is as quite as can be and the whole system is far less complicated then the diesels i only paid 8k less then i would have on a diesel . All i hear about is the guys at work complaining about how they all have problems especially the new ones because of the emissions crap.

I haven't had a problem with the truck itself so far. What happened was I inadvertently ran out of fuel due to the aux tank switch not functioning properly. All I will say is that I will NEVER own another gasoline powered pickup truck again. If I have to get something smaller than a 3/4 ton, it will be getting a 4bt cummins swap in it. Gas has it's place, just not in my truck :D

I like the fuel economy and the pulling power of a diesel so much better than a gas truck. And I have a 38 foot enclosed cargo trailer, so I do actually need it lol

[AdamG]

I haven't had a problem with the truck itself so far. What happened was I inadvertently ran out of fuel due to the aux tank switch not functioning properly. All I will say is that I will NEVER own another gasoline powered pickup truck again. If I have to get something smaller than a 3/4 ton, it will be getting a 4bt cummins swap in it. Gas has it's place, just not in my truck :D

I like the fuel economy and the pulling power of a diesel so much better than a gas truck. And I have a 38 foot enclosed cargo trailer, so I do actually need it lol
Yah i used to pull a mini excavator plus buckets and diesel tank in the truck i was probably towing/hauling 10 plus k on a regular basis. I no longer do that stuff any more. I tell you the same thing about what the guys said to me a work Ill put my v10 up against any stock diesel any day of the week. plus what you pay 8-10g more for the truck that buys me a hell of a lot of gas plus desiel is 25-30 cents more a gallon here.

my v10 makes 362 hp and 457trq thats the same or slightly more then early cummins 5.9 diesels like in the 2002 then you add in my gearing advantage and the fact i can rev up to 6000rpm where as a cummins is done at what 3000rpm? I wouldn't go dismissing an engine just because its gas and the newest diesels are real fuel burners because of the new emissions. you should see the Triton v10 when you a turbo or supercharger HOLY CRAP do they put down some power.

[94Blackbird]

Yah i used to pull a mini excavator plus buckets and diesel tank in the truck i was probably towing/hauling 10 plus k on a regular basis. I no longer do that stuff any more. I tell you the same thing about what the guys said to me a work Ill put my v10 up against any stock diesel any day of the week. plus what you pay 8-10g more for the truck that buys me a hell of a lot of gas plus desiel is 25-30 cents more a gallon here.

my v10 makes 362 hp and 457trq thats the same or slightly more then early cummins 5.9 diesels like in the 2002 then you add in my gearing advantage and the fact i can rev up to 6000rpm where as a cummins is done at what 3000rpm? I wouldn't go dismissing an engine just because its gas and the newest diesels are real fuel burners because of the new emissions. you should see the Triton v10 when you a turbo or supercharger HOLY CRAP do they put down some power.

I'm not discounting the V10 because it is gas, I'm discounting it because I much prefer the pulling power of a diesel vs gas, not to mention I just don't care for ford gas motors. Just my opinion. As far as revving it, I don't have to, my torque peak is like 1600 and the curve after that is flat all the way to 2700. I have an 01 HO motor, which is 245 hp at 2700, and 505 ftlbs of torque from 1600 to 2700, plus my truck is geared real low for pulling. nv5600 6spd manual and 4.10 gears in the rear axle, so I have no clue what gearing advantage you are talking about unless you're running 4:56's or something like that. I also like the 21mpg I got on my ride up to my fiance's parents place, and that was with my cruise non functional.
Also, I paid 9500 for my new truck, including a 7k trade in, so in reality I only paid a couple thousand out of pocket including tax, title and tag. Don't know where you're looking for diesels, but I can find them for decent prices all day long.

I ain't getting into a pissing match in this thread. I've weighed my options, and far and above I like the torque of a diesel vs the rev happy nature of a gas motor.
Also, this was just for me to vent about the non functioning tank crossover switch. My truck has functioned flawlessly since I bought it, and I am following the prescribed maintenance procedures to keep it that way since most of the issues that people have had are operator error.

You like your truck, and I like mine.
Pretty much everyone that I have talked to that went from gas to diesel would never go back to a gas motor, and with my own experiences, I agree with them.

[AdamG]

not an apples to apples comparison.

Not a pissing match either just a discussion but what ever.

[94Blackbird]

not an apples to apples comparison.

Not a pissing match either just a discussion but what ever.

Sorry, I was not in the best of moods earlier. I reread your comments, and I see what you were getting at. I do agree, that if someone is not pulling heavy, they probably don't need something with the low end torque of a diesel.
However, having owned gas trucks, and now on my second diesel (first one didn't have enough rated weight capacity for what I was pulling), I definitely prefer the diesel engine over a gas engine. I get better mileage pulling much, much more weight than I ever have seen out of a gas truck with a lighter load.
I personally have never had a problem with either truck. Granted I haven't owned either for very long, but most of my issues so far have been operator error.

I also agree with you about the emmissions crap. That's why I made sure I bought trucks that were old enough not to require emmissions. I imagine though that things will get better with time though, remember the havoc that emissions played with gas engines when they were first introduced there.

With proper (key word there) maintenance, any diesel will be just as reliable as a gas powered truck. I'm not going to make accusations, as I don't know any of those guys you work with, and I may well be wrong here, but I wouldn't be suprised at all if some of those guys who complain about problems are lax on maintenance or they rag the hell out of their trucks because they like to "roll coal". Everything I've read online, be it gas or diesel, it seems that the vast, vast majority of problems that people have crop up are either due to lack of maintenance or severe abuse.

I never did discount gas motors either. I just stated the fact that I wouldn't ever own one again if I have any say in it. That's not the same as saying that they are crap, just that I feel that a diesel fits my needs better than a gas powered truck does.

[AdamG]

With proper (key word there) maintenance, any diesel will be just as reliable as a gas powered truck. I'm not going to make accusations, as I don't know any of those guys you work with, and I may well be wrong here, but I wouldn't be suprised at all if some of those guys who complain about problems are lax on maintenance or they rag the hell out of their trucks because they like to "roll coal". Everything I've read online, be it gas or diesel, it seems that the vast, vast majority of problems that people have crop up are either due to lack of maintenance or severe abuse.


dont disagree at all. I think people buy diesels and think they are low maintenance vehicles. the people i work with arnet exactly the brightest bunch of people. most of them dont even tow with there trucks they just drive them back and forth to work. Not that im saying there is anything wrong with that do what you want its a free country.

I know the emissions crap has been playing hell with the semis as well.

In terms of truck i know mine does what i need it to do and im very happy with. I especially like mine when I go on a road trip so do the gas station owners. But for what I used it for and what I use it for now im happy with it and interns of the fuel prices I think ill come out exactly the same as if i bought a diesel when it comes to the overall costs of ownership by the time I sell it. Maybe im wrong and its my way of justifying it im not sure.

oh around here NO one works deals on diesels if you ask any one why they all say the same thing we never have a problem selling them.

[94Blackbird]

dont disagree at all. I think people buy diesels and think they are low maintenance vehicles. the people i work with arnet exactly the brightest bunch of people. most of them dont even tow with there trucks they just drive them back and forth to work. Not that im saying there is anything wrong with that do what you want its a free country.

I know the emissions crap has been playing hell with the semis as well.

In terms of truck i know mine does what i need it to do and im very happy with. I especially like mine when I go on a road trip so do the gas station owners. But for what I used it for and what I use it for now im happy with it and interns of the fuel prices I think ill come out exactly the same as if i bought a diesel when it comes to the overall costs of ownership by the time I sell it. Maybe im wrong and its my way of justifying it im not sure.

oh around here NO one works deals on diesels if you ask any one why they all say the same thing we never have a problem selling them.

Ah, ok, that makes more sense as to the high prices of diesel trucks then. I live near two big military bases, so anything that isn't 4x4 and auto is a tough sell. My truck's only 2wd and I believe it was probably sitting on the lot for awhile. Plus it doesn't have a tailgate and the miles are a little up there. And it being a manual transmission in the age of the automatic means even fewer people know how to operate it (even though you'd have be be missing limbs to not drive my truck.)

I remember doing some calculations on ownership of a truck back when I was looking for my very first one, and at least in my case, the diesel eeked out the advantage over the gas truck, but it was only by like a penny or two a mile or something like that. Adding in variables such as how heavy and frequency of the tow, maintenance costs (oil change, frequency of fuel filter changes etc) I imagine would push the advantage one way or the other. It really all comes down to what you use the truck for I think.

[AdamG]

Ah, ok, that makes more sense as to the high prices of diesel trucks then. I live near two big military bases, so anything that isn't 4x4 and auto is a tough sell. My truck's only 2wd and I believe it was probably sitting on the lot for awhile. Plus it doesn't have a tailgate and the miles are a little up there. And it being a manual transmission in the age of the automatic means even fewer people know how to operate it (even though you'd have be be missing limbs to not drive my truck.)

I remember doing some calculations on ownership of a truck back when I was looking for my very first one, and at least in my case, the diesel eeked out the advantage over the gas truck, but it was only by like a penny or two a mile or something like that. Adding in variables such as how heavy and frequency of the tow, maintenance costs (oil change, frequency of fuel filter changes etc) I imagine would push the advantage one way or the other. It really all comes down to what you use the truck for I think.

yah even the 2wd deisels are hard to wheel and deal. I never understood either because living on a farm in the great northeast in the middle of winter they were a pain in the rear to get going unless they were plugged in. though people tell me the glow plugs in the trucks are way more efficient.

yah i did my comparison on like the new trucks. I really wanted and early duramax pre emissions but around hear getting one is like scoring gold any one that has one wont sell them. from what I have read the early diesels had a huge fuel advantage over the new ones. But the guys at work all claim great gas millage after tuning though some of them are full of hot air so not really sure.

my biggest gripe is that trucks dont last up here. the bogy and frame and suspension is shot before the damn engine and transmission. the salt just eats them right up. my truck is an 06 and has 75k on it and i already need all new shock ,tie rods, and other crap. the doors are starting to rot out. i usually wash and wax it once a month in the summer. and wash the undercarriage every week in the winter. my friends 02 ram all around the wheel wheels is all rotted out we painted it with por15 and put wheel flairs to cover it up. his door jams are all rusting out two. stuff just doesn't last up here and it sucks. I visit my mom in virgina and people are driving 25+ year old trucks with light surface rust. you should see my western plow i have to replace one of the pistons because the salt ate a hole right through it.Its very sad.

[94Blackbird]

yah even the 2wd deisels are hard to wheel and deal. I never understood either because living on a farm in the great northeast in the middle of winter they were a pain in the rear to get going unless they were plugged in. though people tell me the glow plugs in the trucks are way more efficient.

yah i did my comparison on like the new trucks. I really wanted and early duramax pre emissions but around hear getting one is like scoring gold any one that has one wont sell them. from what I have read the early diesels had a huge fuel advantage over the new ones. But the guys at work all claim great gas millage after tuning though some of them are full of hot air so not really sure.

my biggest gripe is that trucks dont last up here. the bogy and frame and suspension is shot before the damn engine and transmission. the salt just eats them right up. my truck is an 06 and has 75k on it and i already need all new shock ,tie rods, and other crap. the doors are starting to rot out. i usually wash and wax it once a month in the summer. and wash the undercarriage every week in the winter. my friends 02 ram all around the wheel wheels is all rotted out we painted it with por15 and put wheel flairs to cover it up. his door jams are all rusting out two. stuff just doesn't last up here and it sucks. I visit my mom in virgina and people are driving 25+ year old trucks with light surface rust. you should see my western plow i have to replace one of the pistons because the salt ate a hole right through it.Its very sad.

I hear ya on the road salt man, I'm originally from Illinois. I'm moving to cleveland in june and I'm half tempted to rhino line the entire damned thing lol