Ok, ya'll don't laugh, because this could happen to anybody. So I'm no ace wrencher by any stretch, but I always manage to eventually get the job done - might not be pretty, but things usually work out. And being a software guy, I'm pretty good at troubleshooting.
So today I decided to figure out why my dang truck doesn't blow serious smoke with my new AFC spring kit. I figured it had to be fuel pressure, so I used my oil pressure gauge as a fuel pressure gauge and sure enough, pressure was way low. I cleaned out my pre-filter screen and it was almost spotless, so I clamped my fuel return line and the idle pressure went from 11 PSI to 25 PSI. Bingo, I say, it's the OF valve. So I take it apart and sure enough the spring was about 1/4" too short. Stretched it out, reassembled, fired it up, and the pressure was sitting right at 19 PSI (just shy of 30 @ 2500 RPM). At this point, I claim victory and take the truck for a test drive. Definitely more smoke (though still not enough I think) and pressure running down the road looks good.
Well, now I'm headed home and I hear what sounds like a rock hit the underside of my truck. I think, "that sounded like metal, but nah!". I glance at my fuel pressure gauge and it's sitting on zero. But the truck is running fine so I figure it's just my gauge. Now I start to smell diesel - STRONG
"Hmmm, I better pull over and take a look", I say. Look under the truck and it's raining diesel. Shut down and pop the hood and oh, h*!!, diesel's everywhere. The dang OF valve had vibrated out and I was spewing fuel out my return banjo bolt.
So I had to find a 1/8 NPT plug to put in the banjo bolt and pray. Amazingly, the truck still runs just fine. I don't really understand that, but it does. So now I'll order that new OF Valve and some new fuel hose while I'm at it.
Kind of embarrasing, but I had fun tinkering and at least I know more about my truck now
-john