2004.5 5.9L Ram 2500 surging above 2500 and does NOT return to idle

[Curtis Nelson]

I recently purchased a 2004.5 Dodge Ram 2500 automatic transmission with a 5.9L Cummins diesel engine that starts right up (after I replaced the main battery cables (ground cables too) and a new battery). I'm guessing it has approx. 200K miles on it. Sometimes when you turn the key on, but the engine off, I hear a ticking noise (like a relay opening and closing) in the engine compartment for the first 45 seconds or so (I ignored it). The engine starts and idles normally, but if you accelerate the engine to 2,000 rpm or higher in neutral, the engine accelerates to 2,500 rpm and surges in between 2,500 and 2,700 and continues to do so. The engine does NOT decelerate when you let your foot off the throttle. After about 45 seconds, I give up and turn off the key and the engine stops normally. I replaced the fuel filter, swapped out the accelerator bell crank with associated throttle control sensor and the Fuel Control Actuator with OEM ones from a working truck. I'm new to diesel engines, but have been repairing gasoline engines for many years. On a gasoline engine, I would suspect the throttle control assembly, but that part does not exist on this engine. Could this be an ECU problem or a stuck open injector? It currently has a gasoline instrument panel, but I borrowed the correct diesel engine instrument panel and it acted the same way. The correct instrument panel is on the way. The scanner says the water in fuel sensor says 2.0 volts, but there is no visible water in the fuel filter container. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. There are no active vehicle codes on the scanner.

Here is a video link, but it is upside down and I don't know how to turn it 180 degrees yet.
Thank you in advance. Curtis Nelson What should I do next?

 

[AH64ID]

The ticking is normal.

Why do you think the miles are approximate? I believe miles are stored outside of the instrument cluster.

Is the WIF light illuminated on the correct cluster?

Does it do the same thing while driving?

There is still a throttle position sensor.

 

[Curtis Nelson]

I believe the mileage to be around 200K is because the instrument panel on the truck right now is from a gasoline powered Ram 2500 and everything is wrong. There is no water in fuel sensor light. Somebody replaced with the wrong one and the truck has a salvage title. I ordered the correct one from a junkyard, but it had over 450K miles and I was told it had 190K miles. I will order the correct one soon, but when I installed the correct instrument panel, the same exact thing happened. Once the engine accelerated over 2,000 rpm, it increased to 2500 to 2700 and surged AND did not come back down. DMV said the highest mileage was 160K on their history. 200K is just a guess. I called the dealer and asked how much they would charge me to tell me the accurate mileage. The answer was "we have no way of telling the actual mileage for any price". Apparently, their scanner (nor the one I used) has no way of interacting with the vehicle's computer to get the correct mileage.
I also replaced the bellcrank assembly (with the associated throttle position sensor) and the Fuel control actuator. Nothing changed.
If the truck is driving, it does NOT want to slow down unless you brake hard. I simply turn off the key - problem solved to avoid a crash.

 

[sag2]

It sounds similar to injector(s) hanging open, except for the surging. I would be very careful driving it any more until it's fixed.

 

[sag2]

OK, just listened to the video, sounds like you already have a melted piston or two.

 

[Curtis Nelson]

The engine now has a P0251 Code. It says Injection Pump Fuel Metering - Control A (Cam/ Rotor/ Injector). I understand the common solution is to change out the Fuel Control Actuator (FCA). I have already done that. Could the Cascade valve (over pressure relief) be causing this problem?

 

[Tuesdak]

Welcome to the Soot Covered Dark Side!

Couple things you should be aware of...

Turning off the key is a "suggestion" to a diesel engine. Look up "diesel engine runaway" say from burning it's own crankcase oil, fuel leak, propane nat gas leaks getting to it... Key off and it ain't going to shut off. The New Horizon oil rig fire/explosion started from diesel generators running away on "gas" getting into the intake and the knife intake air valves being INOP. If it does run away they only way to stop it is shutting the air off. Safest place to stand is in front or behind it as shrapnel exits the sides of the engine. Stay away a few min after it stops as heat soak can cause the cooling system to explode.

It's preferred to take it out of gear during a runaway. This uses the last of the engine life for PB and PS. (PS = Power Steering) Key off when you don't need either and it's not pushing you out of gear.

Is this a flooded vehicle salvage? FYI some state laws require flooded vehicles to be destroyed. Greedy ignorant insurance companies ignore this and off to auction they go anyway. You may have recourse if this is the case.

I suggest:
Don't drive or run this engine till it's fixed.

Drain the water separator fuel filter into a glass jar. Let it sit a couple min. Is there a layer of water under the fuel in the glass jar? Does it smell like gasoline? Bugs in fuel is a possibility.

Check the intake for oil coming out of the turbo compressor side. Does this year have a road draft tube for the crankcase breather or does it feed into the intake? Aka oil fed runaway.

ALL Smoke Matters! When this was running away what color smoke, if any, was there from the exhaust?

Remove the oil fill cap. Is there a bunch of smoke coming out when the engine is running? Is it "huffing" or just a steady flow?

Oil level and condition. Does it smell like diesel fuel? Overfull?

Next steps, depending on answers above, would be to pull the injectors and have them tested. Use a borescope to inspect the pistons and cylinder walls while the injectors are out.

 

[Ozymandias]

OK, just listened to the video, sounds like you already have a melted piston or two.

Oh yeah, bad thing

 

[Curtis Nelson]

Welcome to the Soot Covered Dark Side!

Couple things you should be aware of...

Turning off the key is a "suggestion" to a diesel engine. Look up "diesel engine runaway" say from burning it's own crankcase oil, fuel leak, propane nat gas leaks getting to it... Key off and it ain't going to shut off. The New Horizon oil rig fire/explosion started from diesel generators running away on "gas" getting into the intake and the knife intake air valves being INOP. If it does run away they only way to stop it is shutting the air off. Safest place to stand is in front or behind it as shrapnel exits the sides of the engine. Stay away a few min after it stops as heat soak can cause the cooling system to explode.

It's preferred to take it out of gear during a runaway. This uses the last of the engine life for PB and PS. (PS = Power Steering) Key off when you don't need either and it's not pushing you out of gear.

Is this a flooded vehicle salvage? FYI some state laws require flooded vehicles to be destroyed. Greedy ignorant insurance companies ignore this and off to auction they go anyway. You may have recourse if this is the case.

I suggest:
Don't drive or run this engine till it's fixed.

Drain the water separator fuel filter into a glass jar. Let it sit a couple min. Is there a layer of water under the fuel in the glass jar? Does it smell like gasoline? Bugs in fuel is a possibility.

Check the intake for oil coming out of the turbo compressor side. Does this year have a road draft tube for the crankcase breather or does it feed into the intake? Aka oil fed runaway.

ALL Smoke Matters! When this was running away what color smoke, if any, was there from the exhaust?

Remove the oil fill cap. Is there a bunch of smoke coming out when the engine is running? Is it "huffing" or just a steady flow?

Oil level and condition. Does it smell like diesel fuel? Overfull?

Next steps, depending on answers above, would be to pull the injectors and have them tested. Use a borescope to inspect the pistons and cylinder walls while the injectors are out.

I don't know why the vehicle is salvage yet. That is next on my list to do. I changed out the fuel filter and didn't notice anything unusual. However, it was parked by an orchard for a while so I suppose bugs could be an option. I don't currently know how to check the intake for the turbo, but I can watch another video on it to try that. It doesn't seem to make any noticeable smoke, but that could be that I'm looking at the engine compartment and not looking at the exhaust. The oil fill cap sets nicely on the engine without being blown around at all. It hardly moves. The oil level was normal, but quite dirty. I didn't think of trying to smell it. I can do that the next time I work on it. I'm off to visit my son for a week and I will work on getting better answers upon my return. Someone also sent me the trouble tree for P0251 so I can work on that too. Thank you very much! Curtis Nelson