Recently I had work done on my 2003 2500 5.9 diesel dodge truck. Wouldn’t start. Mechanic fixed it by replacing the fuel filter. Drove the truck to home and on the way diesel smell and smoke was coming from engine exhaust. Almost home engine overheats and we chug into drive way and I shut off the engine. Let all cool down and started to see if I could see what may be wrong. Looking under the car and the wheel wells to see why so much diesel was everywhere I saw a pair of vise grips on the fuel line pinching it off. LEFT A VISE GRIP NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS CLAMPED ON A FUEL LINE. I am wanting to know what damage it would have done and did it directly cause my smoke conditions and possible head gasket blown? What else would this cause? Oh I drove the truck pulling a Aspen trailer 28 footer. From sea level to 2200 feet I never knew anything was wrong until I climbed the highway to my home at 2200 ft above sea level.Please advise if you know the answer. Oh shouldn’t the mechanic have a tool check list? Supposedly there were 4 mechanics names on my receipt.Thank you one and all,
Gary Bo
This was an old trick drivers used to use to get more power to climb hills in the days before turbocharging came to diesels. Clamping off the return line would build more fuel pump pressure giving fore fuel to the injectors for climbing hills but the governor would still limit the top speed.
I cannot imagine why anyone would have done it to your truck unless the mechanic wanted to see if increasing fuel pressure would solve a problem but it should have been only a temporary test. I don’t know how you would fix low fuel pressure on your ford but on the old Cummings I drove you would change springs and shims inside the pump. It didn’t seem to hurt those old Cummings but the were built much stronger than any pickup diesel.
The last time I had seen a driver fired for this was in 1985, we were both going to the hotel in Indianapolis and when we got to the motel, the clerk told him to call the terminal. When he did, they told him the truck he brought in had a pair of vise grips on the fuel line. He protested they weren’t his and he didn’t know they were there. They told him he might have got away with that ond onld been given some time off for a faulty pre-trip inspection if he hadn’t engraved his initials in them.
Hey thanks for your info. I sure it was a great quick fix. however. my truck has since been looked at and the fuel pump blew the front seals and pressure took out an injector or two. Crank case full of diesel that in turn was too much for crank case and blew rear seals on engine. Still waiting to see what the buisness is going to do… waiting for an answer from them. I will keep all updated as the world turns. haha.
Gary Bo
Are they admitting putting the vise grip on?
Yes but in a undisclosed way like" it happens, now lets get you fixed and back on the road", says the insurance man, talking around the Neglect and damage it has done. Insurance is sending a claims specialist to see what is going on and if they are at fault,etc, etc. The fact is Vise grips were in deed left on my fuel return line, I drove it with a 30 ft trailer attached 250+ MILES AND IT BLEW THE FUEL PUMP AND POSSIBLE TWO INJECTORS, PUMPING RAW DIESEL INTO CRANKCASE AND OUT THE REAR MAIN SEAL ALL OVER MY PULLED 30 FT TRAILER, IN THE CARGO BAYS AND ALL OVER THE TRAILER. I love the smell of fresh diesel in the morning but not in my CPAP machine all night. Insurance man says if its their fault they buy me a new one,IF ITS OUR FAULT>>>>>>>>>>You left a Pair of vise grips pinching my fuel line off, and you say if its your fault,This by the way is the dialogue from me to insurance man…Crazy as heck HUH!.
Oh almost 2 weeks and still waiting, Mayby time for a lawyer, sure feels good to ramble on but this is my story and I’m sticking too it. By the way it ain’t over yet,continued!
Gary.