97 OBS Won't Start after Fuel Bowl Repair

97Beast · Nov 10, 2015

Hey guys. I haven't been driving the OBS too much lately. I've been trying to some maintenance while it's not in use as much. I pulled the fuel bowl for cleaning and resealing. Everything went back together well and went smoothly until trying to start the truck.

I refilled the bowl before starting. The truck started up and ran through the fuel left in the heads. After that it started pulling air, and now I cant get it started. I've cranked on it, and it seems to not be pulling any fuel through the heads. The schrader valve does not fuel coming from it. No fuel when cranking either. Not even pressurized air will come from it. I pulled the hoses off the regulator and they are dry as well.

The fuel bowl was losing fuel at first. I refilled it and now it is staying full. No leaks anywhere either. I cranked on the truck long enough to drain the batteries. Yet I feel like I'm getting nowhere on priming the fuel system. Is there something I'm missing? Any advice?

Bugman · Nov 10, 2015

Did you connect the lines back correctly?

97Beast · Nov 10, 2015

Everything was reattached correctly. None of the hoses really allow you to attach them any other way.
No fuel leaks either. I unplugged the fuel heater. The wiring inside the bowl was decaying. I removed the heating element, but left the base. I doubt that affects anything.

79jasper · Nov 10, 2015

Check the pcm fuse.

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Bugman · Nov 10, 2015

Are you getting the wait to start light? Have you tried switching tanks and make sure that there is fuel in the one that you switch to.

Patrick Feeley · Nov 10, 2015

Make sure you reconnected the fuel bowl wiring harness and IPR wiring if you disconnected those. Cheers!

Magnum PD · Nov 10, 2015

Still using the stock lift pump I assume.

97Beast · Nov 11, 2015

Yep still on stock lift pump. The pump was replaced around 40k miles ago The WTS light comes on. PCM should be fine. I'm working on a full tank of fuel. The truck was running after reassembly for a minute or two until it started pulling in air to the heads.

Any idea why the schrader isn't spitting out any pressure? Could the regulator be bad? I didn't separate or work on the regulator at all. The bowl slowly empties after cranking. But it does not appear to be refilling. Shouldn't there be fuel up to the top of the bowl when working properly?

And a couple clarification questions.. Does the fuel bowl filter from outside of the filter to the center. Or from the center out? And is the feed for the high pressure side of the fuel pump at the top right of the bowl before it goes to the FPR?

Thanks for the replies guys!