turning over won't start, sometimes...
 

I have a 99 4x4 3500DRW, and I'm having problems getting it to start consistently. It seems to happen most often after it sits for a few days, but it'll just turn over and over and not start or even fire. I can hear the lift pump running, and I'll let it run until it turns off and try again, sometimes if I wait 15 minutes it'll start or otherwise if I try again the next day sometimes it will start, but I basically have to just keep going back and trying again and it's getting old.

I also had problems getting it to start consistently here in Ohio over the winter when it was <40F or so, but I don't know if that was related or not.

Any idea what I can look into? Thanks much!

Do you live in a concitently cold area? Have you considered glow plugs?

Check your grid heater and make sure it is getting power. No grid heater in the cold will take forever to start. That was the issue with my wife's truck. Been starting up good since.

Have you tried tightening the banjo bolt on the back of the head. You might have a air leak in the fuel system. But first try parking with your nose down hill. If this is the case tighten the bolt on the head.

I think it might have been a dying/dead lift pump, does that sound right? I took out a banjo bolt to test fuel pressure (I don't have gauges) and it read around 2psi and then wouldn't start again...

I replaced the lift pump but relocated it to the frame rail near the tank instead with some angle iron, wire, and fuel line. Then found the ground wire didn't actually go to ground, so I grounded it to the frame and the lift pump seems to work reliably now.

I guess only time and weather will tell if that actually fixed the cold-start problem....

Did you replace it with another carter pump? If so I strongly recommend looking into a better aftermarket lift pump and gauges to go with it.

Actually I replaced it with

CARQUEST or Airtex Electric Fuel Pump E7153: Advance Auto Parts

Which is only $117 with coupon code 'trt30', and has a straight connector on the back that 3/8" fuel line will fit and clamp over well. I took the hard line between the stock lift pump and fuel filter housing, cut it in half, flared the ends, and put line and double clamps between them as well.

I am ordering gauges to keep an eye on things now, but with the pump relocation and the lifetime warranty and easy replacement I'm hopeful I won't have more problems...

Thanks for the update, you should get some gauges to put on the ole' 99 it helps so much to know when things start going bad.
You probably read this or have been told about the Bosch VP44 injection pump doesn't like not being well supplied with fuel lift pump pressure they fail pretty quick when ran dry.
If you were at 2 psi without the engine running it would have been zero with the engine even just idling. Hope the VP44 holds up for you good thing you couldn't get it going and keep driving on the bad lift pump.

Yes I read about that, I don't know how long I've been running on a bad or shoddy lift pump, but hopefully not long enough to cause any damage. I haven't been able to drive it much since I replaced the lift pump because I noticed a crack in the exhaust manifold and just got the parts to replace that a couple days ago... :(

Do you run 2-stroke in your fuel? It might give you extra insurance against pump failure. But only time will tell is you did damage with the pressures being so low.