• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

94 2500 6.5 turbo won't start

avoid buying used but tested.

This is the link to it. For what most relocation kits cost, I figured the PMD was just a free bonus. If it works, great, if not I would still get a descent relocation kit cheap right? From what I've seen, these same kits have a buy it now of over $200. I just didn't know if it was a good heat sink or should I try for one with the longer fins?

Staff edit link to ebay storefront that competes with existing site vendors removed

What would the top dollar be if it is a good one and I was to bid on it?
Also, would it be worth it to me to get a #9 resistor as well?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Read more on this forum or at the place. Just say NO to that opperation. Buy a Standyne from PMD Cable.

What have you done since the last time you posted?

It was running til you shut it off, With these temps you could be jelling if it still has summer diesel in it.

Did you add treated fuel?

You have to watch the weather with a diesel.

Did you try WD40 or similar with the truck pluggged in and spraying while cranking?
 
I would at a minumum purchase the extension cable from PMDcable.com and he has a nice larger heatsink. You can find new PMDs online for less than $200, or just get a whole kit with a new PMD.

With the Electronic Fuel Injection at stake I don't trust just anyone making cables, they have to be good and I know the ones from PMDcable.com are. He can even make one with the right gold pins contacting the new Grey Stanadynes if you go that route.

Pensacola Diesel sell new PMDs the cheapest I think, but I wouldnt get the cable from them.
 
Read more on this forum or at the place. Just say NO to that opperation. Buy a Standyne from PMD Cable.

What have you done since the last time you posted?

It was running til you shut it off, With these temps you could be jelling if it still has summer diesel in it.

Did you add treated fuel?

You have to watch the weather with a diesel.

Did you try WD40 or similar with the truck pluggged in and spraying while cranking?

I've been sick the last 3 days, so the boss hasn't let me go out and work on it. I'm going to try some fresh fuel in it tomorrow and recharge the batts again since they've probly gone down by now. I'll also try the wd40 but it's been pretty cold here the last few days, so I've probly lost my window to get it going myself. I may just need to have it towed in to the shop and let them rob me blind. The big problem with that is I have borrow the money till I get it fixed.
 
Last edited:
I would at a minumum purchase the extension cable from PMDcable.com and he has a nice larger heatsink. You can find new PMDs online for less than $200, or just get a whole kit with a new PMD.

With the Electronic Fuel Injection at stake I don't trust just anyone making cables, they have to be good and I know the ones from PMDcable.com are. He can even make one with the right gold pins contacting the new Grey Stanadynes if you go that route.

Pensacola Diesel sell new PMDs the cheapest I think, but I wouldnt get the cable from them.

The big problem I'm having now is I'm broke till I get it fixed. I have to borrow the money, so anything over $100 is out of my range. I have to go as cheap as I can, I just don't want to trash the truck with parts that are too cheap. At this point I'm beginning to consider selling it and getting something else. I really don't want to because I like the truck, but I'm starting to run out of options. I can't work without a truck, so right now I'm between a rock and a hard place.
 
I'd plug the truck in for at least 3 hours in this temperature before I tried misting with WD40 diesel or whatever.

Don't forget to hotwire the lift pump while trying to start.

Do you have a 2 way or 3 way so you can plug the battery charger and block heater in at the same time?

Put enough Power Service in the fuel you add to treat the fuel that is already in the truck as well. My buddy's temp gauge said 2 degrees yesterday morning.

How much fuel do you have in the tank now?

I doubt you are having PMD issues as you never had any PMD symptoms while the truck was running. Did the previous owner have PMD symptoms?
 
I'd plug the truck in for at least 3 hours in this temperature before I tried misting with WD40 diesel or whatever.

Don't forget to hotwire the lift pump while trying to start.

Do you have a 2 way or 3 way so you can plug the battery charger and block heater in at the same time?

How much fuel do you have in the tank now?

I doubt you are having PMD issues as you never had any PMD symptoms while the truck was running. Did the previous owner have PMD symptoms?

I can't find my power strip but I'll keep looking.
It's a little under a half tank right now.
He didn't give me any info other than he's been using ether. His grandpa was driving it before and he only drove it a couple times. I only drove it once for about a 20 mile round trip, so maybe not enough to to notice an issue?
 
I wouldnt discount the PMD, you dont have fuel to the injectors, that is directly responsible for passing the command to the IP to do that. And its a common failure item, especially when its cold out. If it hadnt been run much but got it running when its cold and warmed it up and it sat in freezing temps then it could be the failure mechanism.

If you pulled the PMD off or had an extension you could test to see if the PMD was outputting enough voltage to start the truck, using a multimeter.
 
How to warm it up

Semi trucks when they freeze up, use to take charcoal and light a fire underneath the fuel tank. Check to make sure there aren't any leaks. If you have an old metal oil drain pan you can light the fire away from the truck and slide it under after it has burned down to coals. Slide it under the truck and throw a blanket over that side of the truck to cut down on the wind. (MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY LEAKS, AND DON'T LET THE BLANKET CATCH ON FIRE!!!) It works, you just have to be safe about it. A little gas before the turbo is a better ignition, not to much, a couple of drops. WD40 is a better lubricator but if you don't have it, gas will work. Drove tow trucks for years and had to thaw out fuel tanks all the time.
 
The big problem I'm having now is I'm broke till I get it fixed. I have to borrow the money, so anything over $100 is out of my range. I have to go as cheap as I can, I just don't want to trash the truck with parts that are too cheap. At this point I'm beginning to consider selling it and getting something else. I really don't want to because I like the truck, but I'm starting to run out of options. I can't work without a truck, so right now I'm between a rock and a hard place.

Replace with what though possibly more problems, the 6.5 can be a little intimidating at 1st, but you have tons of help here, we have saved many from the junkyard, 99% of time it is simple stuff that goes wrong and overlooked by even the GM "experts" HAH "experts in deed" we got you covered here.

Have a stroll through the reference sticky area look at threads on gnds (all of them have to be clean), and lift pump test, bad/weak batteries can also cause symptoms you have remember this is a computer controlled engine so puter & sensors "talking" to the puter have to be at correct voltages, same as in modern gasser vehicles.
 
Semi trucks when they freeze up, use to take charcoal and light a fire underneath the fuel tank. Check to make sure there aren't any leaks. If you have an old metal oil drain pan you can light the fire away from the truck and slide it under after it has burned down to coals. Slide it under the truck and throw a blanket over that side of the truck to cut down on the wind. (MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY LEAKS, AND DON'T LET THE BLANKET CATCH ON FIRE!!!) It works, you just have to be safe about it. A little gas before the turbo is a better ignition, not to much, a couple of drops. WD40 is a better lubricator but if you don't have it, gas will work. Drove tow trucks for years and had to thaw out fuel tanks all the time.

Ummm the 6.5 generally doesn't succumb to needing "thawed", fire is a little drastic :) If fuel is gelled to point it won't make it through the filter manager maybe this might be necessary if no other means of heating fuel were available.

He can try to test lift pump (required for proper IP priming) via the lift pump troubleshooting in reference sticky, and see if fuel is at least making it to the IP, if it's making it to there, then he can drain the filter manager about 1/2 way or so, remove the top of the filter manager and fill with some 911 fuel treatment/anti gell if gelling is the issue that should get him started, gas on a rag not good idea for these engines, WD-40 is better, also hot air from a hair dryer works as well.

Winter time brings out battery & gnd issues.
 
Ummm the 6.5 generally doesn't succumb to needing "thawed", fire is a little drastic :) If fuel is gelled to point it won't make it through the filter manager maybe this might be necessary if no other means of heating fuel were available.

He can try to test lift pump (required for proper IP priming) via the lift pump troubleshooting in reference sticky, and see if fuel is at least making it to the IP, if it's making it to there, then he can drain the filter manager about 1/2 way or so, remove the top of the filter manager and fill with some 911 fuel treatment/anti gell if gelling is the issue that should get him started, gas on a rag not good idea for these engines, WD-40 is better, also hot air from a hair dryer works as well.

Winter time brings out battery & gnd issues.

I have tested the lift pump and it's weak but working-making 3-4 psi at the t-valve. The fuel shouldn't be gelled. (I still have the jug I used to bleed the system sitting on my porch and the fuel in it's fine.)
I have replaced the GP's with new 60gs, the fuel filter and bled the system thoroughly so the only suspect I have is the pmd. (I'm trying not to think about the IP or injectors yet. OUCH!)
I'm going to crack an injector line and make sure I at least have fuel there tomorrow.
I do have one weak batt, I just don't have the cash to replace it yet. It tested out at 450 or so of 600 cca, so it's weak but not shot.
Any more detailed background on the truck is unknown since the original owner passed away. I'm pretty much just following advice and bread crumbs at this point....
 
The output of the PMD to the fuel solenoid can be seen as an alternating current voltage (VAC). The red wire coming out of pin B of the PMD should have about 1.2VAC or greater on it while cranking. If considering testing it, you need to get to the wire and be able to probe it while its all hooked up, which means poking through insullation, or what I have done is slice a little piece of insullation off and clip a meter lead to it. Here is a good thread about it with attached diagrams and info.

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showthread.php?23904-jump-A-B-13-not-12-Poppet-Valve-IP-Question

A multimeter reads it pretty accurate to truth, I watched it on an O-scope as well. The meter attempting to calculate an RMS voltage out of a square pulse signal seems to just give you peak to peak which is 0V to 1.2V in this case. So although VAC is supposed to be an RMS value it actually just reports very close to the actual peak voltages of the injection signals.

Absence of the signal or a low voltage will tell you the problem is with the injection command/signal.
 
I just cracked an injector line and no fuel at the injectors. So that only leaves the PMD, FSS or a bad IP right?
I also checked the fuel and it's not even close to gelled yet.
 
If the Fuel Shutoff Solenoid was bad you would normally get the DTC13. But if you want to eliminate that possibility you can pull it off and with a snap ring pliers remove the plunger so it cannot impede fuel flow.

A PMD relocation is in order, and will enable you to more easily test to see if it is properly commanding fuel injection. With no trouble codes reporting its likely a PMD or mechanical IP problem.
 
If the Fuel Shutoff Solenoid was bad you would normally get the DTC13. But if you want to eliminate that possibility you can pull it off and with a snap ring pliers remove the plunger so it cannot impede fuel flow.

A PMD relocation is in order, and will enable you to more easily test to see if it is properly commanding fuel injection. With no trouble codes reporting its likely a PMD or mechanical IP problem.

Would I have to pull the IP to remove the solenoid?
I am going to try and make relocation kit in the next few days. I've been told I can cut off the factory plug and splice in new, longer wires. I have a good amount of experience with wiring, so the only issue should be the weather.
As for the heat sink, I have a friend that works on computers so he should have a few laying around. (Possibly ones with built in thermostat fans so I can mount it inside the cab if I wanted.)
 
You can make your own extension, with $10 in wire, a few bucks in heatshrink, some solder or crimp terminals, tape or loom to protect it as well. So its going to cost a bit either way, $20 in stuff and an hour of work vs $50 to your door.

You don't need the extension to get it started though, you can simply pull the harness out and hook up another PMD on a heatsink to get it started. Just let the PMD set in there to see if it starts.

The fuel shutoff solenoid spins off the top of the IP, its that cylindrical thing. So you just unplug it electrically and spin it off with an allen wrench or socket whichever type solenoid you have.
 
Back
Top