My new to me truck with an M11 was losing prime and would start and run for 20-30 seconds then die. Then it would have to crank a while and need a couple shots of starting fluid to get it going again. Didn't think it had a check valve in the cooler plate and was going to get a new one but the guy at the Cummins dealer said to check to make sure there isn't some other problem as a new check valve is $132! I took a closer look and it did have a check valve so I took it out and it was stuck open. Cleaned and blew it out with an air gun and some crud came out. It seemed to be working properly so put it back in and got the truck started. Hopefully tomorrow it will start and keep running. It's one of those things where I'm glad I found it was stuck open. My fingers are crossed I solved the problem and it didn't cost anything but a few minutes.
I don't know why, but Baldwin fuel filters also help with this problem. My N14 is always hard-start with anything else and the check valve is good.
I might have spoke too soon. It quit again today but I got it going again and it was fine. The check valve spring is maybe worn out. I'm going to see if I can find an aftermarket check valve that's hopefully a little cheaper than $132.
Or you might try a Baldwin filter.
I could try a Baldwin filter. The engine starts great but quits after 30 seconds. When I took the line off it was bone dry and the check valve was stuck open. That's why I'm leaning towards a bad check valve. Maybe a Baldwin filter would let it run a little longer and would pick up fuel before it quit?
That's kinda what I was thinking when I 1st read this.. a stuck check valve?? you got bigger problems than a weak valve.. more like a filter coming apart.. I too like Baldwin filters.
It's a brand new filter. 1 filter is a Fleetguard and the other a Donaldson. A dealer did a service on the truck. The check valve is supposed to stop the fuel line from draining back to the tank. It was bone dry when I took the line off and the check valve did have some crud in it holding it open. There could maybe be some dirt in the tank or the cooler plate getting in the check valve holding it open. I'm going to check the check valve again and see if it's stuck open again or not.
The deal with the Baldwin is that something in their design keeps them from bleeding fuel back out. Donaldson and the rest don't work the same. Might not solve your problem, but it's a pretty cheap attempt. They solved my problem with fuel draining back.
Hey Dave where did you find the check valve at? Was it in the ECM cooling plate? The reason I ask is I have a bunch of m11s but have never been able to find a check valve. Cummins says they are at the cooling plates but mine don't seem to have them or I'm not finding them. I have taken many lines off but never see a check valve. I guess I have been lucky that they haven't been my problem yet, but I have two that won't start at all right now so it's coming.
Yes on the cooler plate top left and the hose goes to the filter. Apparently there's a couple of different versions. It looks like a regular fitting but has the check valve inside it. At first I didn't think I had a check valve but after looking at a new one, took out the fitting to discover it has a check valve inside that was stuck open. As for the filters not all Cummins engines use the same fuel filters. I read about the Baldwin BF1259 that has the stand pipe so fuel doesn't run back but the filter my engine uses crosses to a BF1212 and the second filter crosses to BF1346. If the weather cooperates, I'm going to see if the check valve is stuck open again. My thinking is that if the line holds fuel and it doesn't drain back to the tank, the engine should keep going as the fuel is right there. The 1st start the engine is running in about 5 seconds when the weather is around freezing temp. I think it just takes a while to suck fuel from the tanks when the check valve isn't working properly. Maybe a Baldwin filter would let it run long enough to pick up fuel from the tank before it stalls???
I took the fuel line off and it was dry but the check valve was working so I put it back in. I picked up a Baldwin BF1259 which is supposed to be special made for Cummins select engines (says for Celect engines right on the filter) with the anti-drain back standpipe. It has the same base as the BF1212 but is 2" longer so hopefully it will fit and solve the problem. The BF1212 is a different construction and they don't mention the standpipe. Just being longer might allow it to run long enough to pick up fuel before it stalls. If the weather's nice in the next couple of days. I'll put it on and see if it solves the stalling. Would be great if it's a $15 fix.
Not sure if this is pertinent or not but in the last few days I was reading on another forum about a truck losing prime at a 1/4 tank and less. One of the responses was to check the return line and make sure it had no air/vacuum leak and to insure that the return line was to the bottom of the tank to insure it stayed in the fuel. The poster claimed that he had been taught to always check the return side first when losing prime on fuel systems. I guess if the supply and return lines are both in fuel it can hardly lose prime as long as the pump isn't leaking. But then, I'm not an expert, only tossing out what I read from a credible poster.
I have been using the BF1259 on the Cummins M11. They seem to cure the cold start problems.
It had a little over half a tank and was still stalling after 20-30 seconds. If the old filters weren't staying full hopefully the larger BF1259 will let the engine run long enough to pull fuel from the tank. I don't why the fuel line doesn't have fuel since the check valve appeared to be working properly after cleaning it.
Was your engine quitting after initially starting as well?
Really hope the filter does it, simple fixes are best fixes.
Yes, I think it was 1997, I bought one brand new. Had starting problems from the beginning, Baldwin told me to use the BF1259 on the M11 and my N14s. Fixed the start and die problem. It's the only filter I will use on any Cummins Including the old small cam. Just my experience. YMMV.
Thanks so much for the feedback Wilko and Wytruckwrench. I might only have one more nice day to try it so hopefully the there's enough room for the longer BF1259 filter. I'll see tomorrow. Then I think we're in for a deep freeze. There's a technical bulletin on the net that Baldwin even improved the BF1259 in 1999 I think and it had positive results for the long cranking times. Initially they thought it wasn't a filter problem and did it with all brands of filters including Baldwin.