Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 1998.5 24-valve won't start

[MTalamantes]

i have a 1998. 5 ram 2500 with the 24-valve ctd and it will not start. it turns over good and strong but will not start. i have verified fuel pressure to the injection pump @ 15 psi, batteries ore good at 12. 53 volts each, does anybody have any idea's ?Oo.

 

[telliott]

The pressure could be good going into the injection pump, but that doesn't mean you have anything coming out of the injection pump. Could be a bad Injection pump. Have you checked for codes?

 

[Batphreak]

Yup, checking codes would be wise, also start cracking injector lines (@ the head is usually easiest) 1 at a time to make sure your getting fuel out of the inj. pump.

 

[MTalamantes]

Thanks for the info guys, i don't have any codes showing but i'm gonna hook up the scanner anyway and thats a real good idea about cracking injector lines. everything i have heard from some other guys i know is the crankshaft position sensor will keep it from starting also. Is this true?

 

[BDaugherty]

Check for power and ground to pins 6 and 7 of the IP connector. If the VP has power and ground, it should start. Period. Check out:

Blue Chip Diesel Performance Specialists

This is a pretty darn good VP44 troubleshooting list and it includes the following quote:

An interesting fact to note is, IF THE INJECTION PUMP HAS ONLY BATTERY POWER AND A GROUND, THE ENGINE SHOULD START AND IDLE, which means it does NOT need any sensor like an APPS, MAP Sensor, Crankshaft Sensor, Cam Sensor or even an ECM or a PCM to make it start, AS LONG AS THERE HAS BEEN NO AIR INTRODUCED INTO THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE! As there is a mechanical lift pump built into the front of the injection pump the electric lift pump need not run to make the truck start. This helps us a lot in diagnosing a hard or no start VP44 equipped truck, doesn't it!





One more place to look would be the "911" forum. I'm sure there are a lot of "VP44 won't start" threads that may help you.

 

[HBarlow]

There's a cam position or crankshaft position sensor that must provide a signal to the ECM in order to fire the injection pump. The sensor is used for synchronization. Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can further explain or correct my suggestion.

 

[kevhype0825]

Check for power and ground to pins 6 and 7 of the IP connector. If the VP has power and ground, it should start. Period. Check out:

Blue Chip Diesel Performance Specialists

This is a pretty darn good VP44 troubleshooting list and it includes the following quote:

An interesting fact to note is, IF THE INJECTION PUMP HAS ONLY BATTERY POWER AND A GROUND, THE ENGINE SHOULD START AND IDLE, which means it does NOT need any sensor like an APPS, MAP Sensor, Crankshaft Sensor, Cam Sensor or even an ECM or a PCM to make it start, AS LONG AS THERE HAS BEEN NO AIR INTRODUCED INTO THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE! As there is a mechanical lift pump built into the front of the injection pump the electric lift pump need not run to make the truck start. This helps us a lot in diagnosing a hard or no start VP44 equipped truck, doesn’t it!

I second this post. Blue Chip Performance is definitely the experts on diagnosing any VP44 issues!

 

[MTalamantes]

Ok guy's here is the latest in the saga of my truck won't start! went out this morning and hooked up my scanner and found there are 4 dtc's but the "check engine light was never on") Here they are in numerical order:

1. ) P1492 - Battery temp sensor volts too high

2. ) P1689 - Controller area network bus failure (no communication between cm551 and

VP44 pump module)

3. ) P1693 - Fault in companion module

4. ) P1694 - No engine bus messages



Does any body out there have a clue and can put this in english for me? Next i tried Andy Redmond's VP44 diagnostics from issue 64 and everything was going well until it was time to start the engine and the batteries were almost completely dead so i am now in the process of charging them back up. Thanks all you guy's are a wealth of information and i really do appreciate it.

 

[GaryOwen]

If you have an Edge or other performance box - try removing it.

 

[BDaugherty]

Ok guy's here is the latest in the saga of my truck won't start! went out this morning and hooked up my scanner and found there are 4 dtc's but the "check engine light was never on") Here they are in numerical order:

1. ) P1492 - Battery temp sensor volts too high

2. ) P1689 - Controller area network bus failure (no communication between cm551 and

VP44 pump module)

3. ) P1693 - Fault in companion module

4. ) P1694 - No engine bus messages



Does any body out there have a clue and can put this in english for me? Next i tried Andy Redmond's VP44 diagnostics from issue 64 and everything was going well until it was time to start the engine and the batteries were almost completely dead so i am now in the process of charging them back up. Thanks all you guy's are a wealth of information and i really do appreciate it.

Quoted from Blue Chip Diesel VP44 diagnostics:

If the truck won’t start, and you haven’t opened any fuel lines, and you have either or both a 1688 and or a 1689 DTC code, the truck will never start until you replace the injection pump. This is MOST LIKELY because the computer on the top of the injection pump is not turning on the fueling in the VP44.



Code 1693 only means there is at least one code in the other computer, the PCM, which has/have NOTHING to do with the fuel system. Codes in the ECM should be duly noted and COMBINED with the drivability SYMPTOMS and PROCEDURES described below, you CAN accurately diagnose what you have to do to fix your problem.



It looks to me like the only engine related code you have is the dreaded 1689. Have you cracked several fuel lines to see if you are getting fuel to the injectors? Usually I would crack loose 1,3,4, &5 and then perform the follow procedure from Blue Chip's website:



If you are confident that you have electrical power and fuel to the injection pump, loosen three injector lines at the valve cover. Crank the engine a few times for 30 seconds each time, and if fuel only comes out of one line this indicates a seized rotor. When I say "fuel comes out of one line" I mean enough to put a puddle on the ground in 30 seconds. The important thing to note here is whether you are getting only lift pump pressure moving fuel through the lines or is it high pressure fuel. The volume will indicate the answer. We proved that you can not put this pump in a hydraulic lock as the rotor turns, so therefore fuel HAS to come out of one injection line even if the rotor is not turning. If fuel doesn’t come out of any of the open lines, the rotor may be stuck at a closed line, or you have a computer that has failed and won’t turn on the high pressure fuel to pop off the injectors and make the engine start, or you have a mechanical reason for the pump not producing high pressure fuel. To get the engine to start you would have to see high pressure fuel coming from all the open lines. NO high pressure fuel out of ALL the open lines, positively means you need an injection pump to get the truck to start and run, if you have done all the previous tests.