How does the diesel fuel system work -does it have a lift pump

Make sure you pre fill the filters with clean fuel. Locate the hand primer usually near the fuel lift pump. Unscrew the top till it pops up. Pump repeatedly until it gets hard to pump. You can crack the injector lines while pumping till fuel comes out or have someone crank the engine with the starter while you continue to pump the hand primer. Make sure after it's running the pump is pushed all the way down and tightened back up

Could be any of several things. If the crank sensor is marginal and not sending pulses, the fuel pump is shut off. This is for safety. The pump is energized for a few seconds as key is turned in preparation for starting then engine must rotate normally to keep the pump on. If it stops, in a few seconds the fuel is cut off.

P0216 DTC - Injection Timing Control Circuit Malfunction and this means the diesel fuel injection pump has a timing failure. This could be that the injection pump timing needs adjusted OR the failure is internal to the injection pump and therefore non-adjustable.

NOTE: If your vehicle is a Dodge Ram with Cummins engine then be aware that fuel delivery problems frequently cause this code. Prolonged fuel delivery problems can cause injection pump failure!

Symptoms of a P0216 DTC may include:
Low power
Crank, but no start
Hard start
Displays an intermittent stumble or miss
Engine may start and then stall
Engine may appear to drive fine but surge at idle


The most frequent cause of this code is a bad injection pump due to poor fuel delivery. Fuel delivery problems could be:
A plugged diesel fuel filter
An in-tank blockage
Air in the fuel due to a cracked in-tank fuel ine above the fuel level
Bad transfer (lift) pump
Injection pump out of time


Possible Solutions: First, simply check if your injection pump timing is adjustable. If so, check the timing and adjust if necessary.

If you think that you may have a fuel delivery problem, then check the lift pump operation. On Dodge Ram with the Cummins engine, the lift pump should produce about 45 oz of diesel in 25 seconds of operation. This can be performed by disconnecting the fuel hose from the injection pump and pumping the fuel into an approved container. Bump the engine over but do not start it. Then the lift pump will operate for 25 seconds. If the fuel is aerated, then check/repair fuel line and recheck.

With the fuel hose connected the fuel pressure should be 10psi. If the fuel delivery tests fail, replace the diesel fuel filter and recheck.

If it still fails then verify there are no restrictions in the fuel tank

Then replace the lift (transfer) pump. IT SHOULD BE NOTED that if this code surfaced after a routine fuel filter replacement or if you have any of the above symptoms after routine fuel filter replacement, then suspect the fuel transfer pump. This occurs because even a weak transfer pump can still provide enough fuel for the engine to run. But when the fuel system\'s prime is lost due to fuel filter replacement, it may not restart again without fixing the fuel delivery problem.

If you found your injection pump to be bad, the lift pump should be checked for operation to protect the new injection pump. This is because weak or low output from lift pump are common cause of injection pump failure. There are some aftermarket kits that can be purchased to warn the operator when the fuel pressure/volume drops to level that could damage the injection pump.

Hope this helps (remember to rating this free answer and leave a testimonial comments).

The Diesel engine doesn't have an ignition system. Also the dash light shouldn't cause it not to start? You said you changed the fuel filter right? After you started cranking it again did the lift pump fill the new filter up. I have had these before where the lift pumps go bad causing low lift pump pressure which causes the water in fuel light to be on. Did it die going down the road or did you shut it off and can't get it restarted.

possible fuel pump relay.When engine stalls and wont restart listen at fuel tank for fuel pump to buzz for three seconds when key is turned on.

CRACK LOOSE THE INJECTION LINES 2 OR 3 OF THEM WILL BEEN ENOUGH. TURN THE ENGINE OVER TILL FUEL STARTS PUMPING A LITTLE BIT. THEN TIGHTEN THE LINES. IF ENGINE STARTS WEHN BLEDING THE LINES SHUT IT OFF. AFTER LINES ARE TIGHT START YOUR ENGINE THE REST OF THE LINES WILL BLEAD AFTER A SHORT RUN TIME.

You may have gotten air in the fuel lines. Diesels cant deal with this as well as gas engines should be a purge / bleeder valve on the fuel lines to eliminate the air. may cough and sputter for a while

The cam or crank position sensors are notorious for failing, after they age and get heat in them the signal is no longer generated. Also make sure fuel lift pump is working properly, check all of the fuel filters and for fuel leaks of any kind including sucking air on the suction side of the lift pump. Good Luck!!

When the key is turned to the start position, the pump should run for about 20 seconds. Do this 3 or 4 times to prime the pump.

If it still doesn't start, the bad lift pump may have damaged the injection pump. Crack a fuel line loose (don't remove it) and turn the engine over, you should have fuel at the fitting.