Grid heater light & chime with power loss, HELP !

[chipster]

This is a " shout out " for help from those who might know the answer or answers.
My truck is an 06, 2500 quad cab, auto, 4x4, with smarty jr., Goerend trans, 220k on the clock. Never have seen the grid light before last week. Injectors have about 35k on them.
Going up a slight grade, empty on cruise set on 70 mph, the grid light came on with chimes. [ wtf !] Had been driving for about 110 miles when it happened. Light stayed on about 10 minutes then went off, only to come back on with chimes about 5 minutes later. My speed set went from 70 mph to 50 mph and no acceleration to make up the speed until the light went off again.
I have a 75 gallon underbed fuel tank and was low on fuel and I figured that going up a slight grade maybe there was a fuel shortage to the pump. [ I have driven on low fuel before, one time it took 75 gals.to fill, so I knew I was about out, but no light came on or loss of power. ] As a sidebar, I don't make a habit of driving on low fuel condition but it has happened without incident.
The engine did not jerk or run rough, just the light, chime and power loss. No codes showed up as per smarty jr. check for dtc's.
I filled the tank and went up a 10 mile 7 per cent grade, no problems.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated.
Chip

 

[cerberusiam]

The WTS light and chimes is leak detection DTC, means that the fuel calculation between used demanded is out of range. That can have a couple sources, FCA malfunction, PRV gone bad, LP pressure not keeping up, or a leak in the injectors. Depending on what your replacement injectors are, how they were installed, parts used, etc, it could be the injectors themselves or the cross over tubes.

You have to go thru the diagnostics to find the issue.

 

[JSafrit]

Chipster,
Don't know if this is the issue....but I had asimilar problem...lack of power..due to low fuel level in my fuel tank. Climbing grades and turns..I believe that the lift pump utilizes the fuel in order to keep cool; when the level gets low, and the outside temp is high, the lift pump will tend to overheat, reduce flow, and subsequently the injector pump will starve for fuel. I found out the hard way...105 degree temps...I added fuel to the tank, and all was well. Have not had an issue since. Hope this helps.
Joe

 

[chipster]

Thank both cerberusiam, and JSafrit for their help with my problem. Now having a place to start the investigation, I hope that it leads to $ not $$$$ when all is said and done. Anyone else with knowledge of this problem and how to check it out please respond.
Thanks again,
chipster

 

[Bob4x4]

Chipster,
Don't know if this is the issue....but I had asimilar problem...lack of power..due to low fuel level in my fuel tank. Climbing grades and turns..I believe that the lift pump utilizes the fuel in order to keep cool; when the level gets low, and the outside temp is high, the lift pump will tend to overheat, reduce flow, and subsequently the injector pump will starve for fuel. I found out the hard way...105 degree temps...I added fuel to the tank, and all was well. Have not had an issue since. Hope this helps.
Joe

The vp44 trucks can set a dtc for fuel overheat and will derate,I haven't seen it on a common rail,at least yet.

 

[Bob4x4]

This is a " shout out " for help from those who might know the answer or answers.
My truck is an 06, 2500 quad cab, auto, 4x4, with smarty jr., Goerend trans, 220k on the clock. Never have seen the grid light before last week. Injectors have about 35k on them.
Going up a slight grade, empty on cruise set on 70 mph, the grid light came on with chimes. [ wtf !] Had been driving for about 110 miles when it happened. Light stayed on about 10 minutes then went off, only to come back on with chimes about 5 minutes later. My speed set went from 70 mph to 50 mph and no acceleration to make up the speed until the light went off again.
I have a 75 gallon underbed fuel tank and was low on fuel and I figured that going up a slight grade maybe there was a fuel shortage to the pump. [ I have driven on low fuel before, one time it took 75 gals.to fill, so I knew I was about out, but no light came on or loss of power. ] As a sidebar, I don't make a habit of driving on low fuel condition but it has happened without incident.
The engine did not jerk or run rough, just the light, chime and power loss. No codes showed up as per smarty jr. check for dtc's.
I filled the tank and went up a 10 mile 7 per cent grade, no problems.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated.
Chip

There was aflash that came out for the 325 hp crds that added the the flashing light and adtc for the fuel calculation that Cerb mentioned.contact your Smarty seller they may be able to walk you through a few steps

 

[Prairie Dog]

The key here is the gird heater light being on. That's an indication of excessive return rates with varying causes.

 

[Bob4x4]

The key here is the gird heater light being on. That's an indication of excessive return rates with varying causes.

Be aware that it is a calculation ,the return is not measured

 

[Bob4x4]

The key here is the gird heater light being on. That's an indication of excessive return rates with varying causes.

Be aware that it is a calculation ,the return is not measured

 

[Prairie Dog]

Be aware that it is a calculation ,the return is not measured

Fine but the basis of my statement is accurate and that's what Dodge designed the system to do.

OP, the next thing you'll likely find is that the truck gets harder to start. If or when that happens it's another clue that is pointing towards bad injectors. If that never happens then it may be something more simple like the cross over tubes. If you do it yourself, re-torquing these tubes wouldn't cost anything. If it still happens then I would have someone run a return rate test on it.