Fueling Problems HZJ77 (1 Viewer)

[Nivlem11]

Hi all,

1990 hzj77.

Before heading from Ohio to NC on a family vacation, I replaced the fuel filter. While on the 11 hour drive with 3 kids in the back, noticed I had more black smoke than usual coming out of the exhaust but otherwise no noticeable issues. I figured the new filter was giving more fuel to the engine than it's used to, didn't have time to look into timing.

On the drive back we made it 10 1/2 hours with no worries. Stopped to get diesel. After fueling up and only a block or two away I begin having major power issues, lurching, then stalled out on the side of the road. Had it towed.

Yesterday I went to the tow shop, thinking I had gotten tainted fuel or something I drained the fuel and pulled the new fuel filter. I found a lot of sediment in the filter and cleaned it up best I could. Used some diesel 911 mixed with fresh fuel and she started right up again. I thought the issue was clear, then began losing power on the short drive home again. I took out the filter, a bit more sediment but not much. I noticed that the fuel filter warning switch had a little damage - it appears that little plastic snout had snapped off of the smaller plastic part that screws into the switch.

Any ideas why I'm having these issues/how to fix?

Also what does that spout that broke off do exactly? My best guess is some form of pressure release?

I followed the manual on replacing the filter but it's entirely possible I messed up somehow...and possibly snapped that plastic myself without realizing it...

Any advice/help is appreciated!

 

[wpwilder]

following, i want to do my fuel filters as well. did you get it figured out?

 

[Nivlem11]

following, i want to do my fuel filters as well. did you get it figured out?

Unfortunately no...I spoke on the phone with a diesel mechanic who's afraid to touch an HZ because derp, he stated me forgetting to bleed the air from the fuel filter first may have led to issues down the line, injection pump assembly or injectors themselves. I bled the air out at the fuel filter, then fuel pump and injection assembly, tested injectors to make sure they were all spewing fuel. I have a bigger problem now. I accidentally (lazily) used my impact driver instead of screw driver to get the nut off the injection assembly air bleeder for the fuel line to the injectors, and managed to strip it when attempting to reattach... So my poor gal is inoperable and parked at the front of my neighborhood until the replacement nut arrives. Be careful when removing critical nuts, don't be like me!

Once I've replaced that I think I can test to see if my bleeding air efforts have helped much. I'm very new to all of this and concerned I may have to replace the whole pump - this is my only vehicle/daily driver and I'm a single dad with 3 kids so definitely not ideal.

 

[wpwilder]

Unfortunately no...I spoke on the phone with a diesel mechanic who's afraid to touch an HZ because derp, he stated me forgetting to bleed the air from the fuel filter first may have led to issues down the line, injection pump assembly or injectors themselves. I bled the air out at the fuel filter, then fuel pump and injection assembly, tested injectors to make sure they were all spewing fuel. I have a bigger problem now. I accidentally (lazily) used my impact driver instead of screw driver to get the nut off the injection assembly air bleeder for the fuel line to the injectors, and managed to strip it when attempting to reattach... So my poor gal is inoperable and parked at the front of my neighborhood until the replacement nut arrives. Be careful when removing critical nuts, don't be like me!

Once I've replaced that I think I can test to see if my bleeding air efforts have helped much. I'm very new to all of this and concerned I may have to replace the whole pump - this is my only vehicle/daily driver and I'm a single dad with 3 kids so definitely not ideal.

good luck, keep us posted.