UPGRAYEDD started displaying an annoying symptom when we were up at deer camp recently: stalling shortly after starting.

Been there, done that – just hadn’t got round to repairing the issue just yet.

Helpful onlookers would say, “oh, that’s your injectors – those Duramax engines are notorious for that. That’s too bad.”

Oh, injectors! $600 each and it uses 8 of them…and one would need to tear down all of the intake to get valve covers off to replace them. It’s more expensive and time consuming than it sounds.

But, no, it isn’t. And, no, they aren’t.

Actually, the biggest problem with the Duramax is that it doesn’t have a lift pump to push fuel up to the motor and instead uses vacuum from the high pressure pump on top of the engine to suck diesel fuel uphill three feet through 16 foot of fuel line.

Means it’s very, very prone to sucking air.

Very.

Solution?

1. Check for and correct loose fittings on the vacuum side. $0

2. Ensure it has a properly installed fuel filter and WIF sensor. $0 – $25

3. Rebuild the fuel filter head. $20

Usually campgrounds frown on doing much more than maybe checking the oil in your tow vehicle. But I knocked out all three this morning before most people got their day started.