Help with disaster

SmokeShow

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2006
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Lawrenceburg, KY
Good call on the bale connector... I had that issue once and it acted similar - very rough running once it fired. It had pushed a pin hole back out of the plug. That's an easy thing to check pretty quickly. Just make sure every pin is right on the male side and every hole on the female side has a connector in it. Female side was my problem.
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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I’ll look into it here shortly, the bale connectors your referring to are the connections coming off the injector wires right?

Now you got me thinking, I’m sure I put it on right because I took pictures of dismantling but if I don’t have the injector wires hooked to proper terminals it could in theory cause same problem right? I believe one side was yellow and other red. Driver side, red pointing toward cab and yellow toward front. Passenger side is opposite.
 

jlawles2

Well-known member
Jan 28, 2010
1,047
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Danbury, TX
Bale connectors they are referring to are the 2 big ones on the DS of the engine above the glow plug controller. Its a good idea to check all of the connections as its possible to push a pin out the back.

Midget with a hammer sound could be the injectors priming themselves, or initial oil starvation. Did you do anything with the oil pump? If you changed it, you will need to reprime it to get it working. Mine sounded like crap (LLY) for about 30 seconds while the injectors were pushing air out after replacing a piston. Air in the injectors cause strange things.

If you ever primed a mechanical injection diesel you probably heard the horrible noises you are describing, unless you were lucky enough to get all of them primed before it actually started. Helped a friend get a 6.9l IDI Power stroke running one day. Took us 1.5 hrs to get the injectors primed enough to start it on 2 cylinders then slowly work out the air in the lines until it ran decently. Still had to use WD in the intake to help it spin fast enough to get those 2 primed.
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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Thanks for all the help, looking into all of this. I started and ran truck 4 times for about 5 minuets each with the foot on the accelerator to about 1000rpm because it sounded like he’ll at idle. Didn’t do anything to oil pump, just kind of figured with that much psi and running the engine for roughly 10-15 minuets all the air should have been out of the lines. Working on it now I’ll keep letting you know my troubles because for some reason you guys keep helping me.

Again thanks and sorry for lack of knowledge on the Duramax, I had a 99 7.3 forever.
 

ZeroGravity58

Well-known member
Mar 23, 2008
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Maryland
Thanks for all the help, looking into all of this. I started and ran truck 4 times for about 5 minuets each with the foot on the accelerator to about 1000rpm because it sounded like he’ll at idle. Didn’t do anything to oil pump, just kind of figured with that much psi and running the engine for roughly 10-15 minuets all the air should have been out of the lines. Working on it now I’ll keep letting you know my troubles because for some reason you guys keep helping me.

Again thanks and sorry for lack of knowledge on the Duramax, I had a 99 7.3 forever.

Did you for any reason unhook the fuel pressure regulator on the back of the cp3? If you unplugged it and you forgot to hook it back up it will max out the rail pressure so it will be loud as hell at idle.
 

ZeroGravity58

Well-known member
Mar 23, 2008
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Maryland
I didn’t do anything to fpr... which part is the cp3?

The cp3 is in the middle of the the valley in front of the turbo. You can only see the top of it. It will have two rubber lines going to it (one is fuel supply one is fuel return) and it will have a steel high pressure line coming off of it
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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Directly behind ac compressor? That all looks to be in tact and the wire connection directly on top is undisturbed. Is there another connection I’m missing?
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
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How's about you take some good pictures of what you've done and post them? We arent there to see what you've screwed up. We're just shooting in the dark here, and you have no idea what we are talking about. Not having a scanner to help diagnose the truck is hurting you right now.
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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Can’t even describe how stupid I feel, went through about 500 times and checked everything found nothing. I disconnected batteries one more time, unplugged the big harness on the drivers side one more time to inspect the pins and sure as shit one was a little bent upward. Fixed the bent prong put it back on and now she is running beautifully.

I’d like to thank you all for your suggestions help and advice. Now a little advice on how to cleanse my liver after all the beers I drank while trying to fix this
 

NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,077
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At Da Beach
Can’t even describe how stupid I feel, went through about 500 times and checked everything found nothing. I disconnected batteries one more time, unplugged the big harness on the drivers side one more time to inspect the pins and sure as shit one was a little bent upward. Fixed the bent prong put it back on and now she is running beautifully.

I’d like to thank you all for your suggestions help and advice. Now a little advice on how to cleanse my liver after all the beers I drank while trying to fix this

Drink a bottle of black cherry juice...:thumb:

Nice work, way to stick with it.
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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Thanks all never had a problem like this, I’m used to wrenching on a bit older diesels. You guys definitely helped steer me in right direction. Runs like a dream. It would probably be sitting at the dealer with a big tab and no diagnosis
 
Apr 15, 2015
419
2
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dallas
Haha don't feel stupid. I cranked on mine one time for 5 minutes before I realized I didn't even plug in one of the bail connections. It happens. This isn't your old 3k psi 7.3 though. I'm a firm believer in adding a second filter and a lift pump.
 

Dirtyryan

New member
Nov 11, 2018
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So far it has been night and day from what I have been used to working on. I got 380k on the 7.3 and 449 on my 6.0 without any major work, I’ve done sacrificial religious maintainence but only have done injectors and turbo in the 6.0 pretty sure the stock injectors are still in the 7.3 but I can tell you driving this Duramax feels alit more powerful and complete than anything I’ve driven. I’ve just got to find the old tricks for maintenance

Put on the cat nictane filter. Should I run lift pump also? My fuel supply isn’t the cleanest, but it is the freeist...Been reading around about adding 2 stroke every other tank for the fpr, any suggestions on brand and quantity. Also how the hell do I keep these injectors going for 100k
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
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Definetly get an airdog or FASS lift pump system. Extra filters and water separation are never a bad idea. Howes treatment works good too. I’m not a fan of 2stroke oil. Imo the filters are going to grab everything that you would want getting into the fuel system anyways and just plug off sooner.