Archived Code Soup w/ Side of Sparks

[blukolaskola]

Hello and thanks for reading my first ever forum post. I am looking for advice/insight. Here is my story and problem.

1) Idling truck in negative fahrenheit temps after work; go to change a marker light in shop before leaving and air intake heater relays are chattering with truck OFF; connector boots are melting at grid heater terminals; disconnect negative battery terminals, scratch head; still starts so drive home anyway; stop engine and walk away at home

2)Next morning truck is buzzing and clicking in driveway with ignition switch OFF - no key; starts and drives so what the heck; stumbles and stalls for first time in my three year ownership history; makes one more trip to work and home; next morning while idling, dies and won't revive

3)Shopping trip: 1 air intake temp sensor, 1 grid heater w/ gaskets, 2 heater relays, 2 batteries; voltage drop test wires and fuseable links - all okay; install

4)First problem: touch negative terminal to battery post and heater relays snap closed and heater kicks in with no key in ignition switch - alarming fire hazard and component damage; remove and test ignition switch as per Haynes, also voltage drop across ignition switch pins with key in each position - seems okay; insert test light into grid heater relay control leads from ECM and they show constant power with battery circuit connected, again no key in ignition, no short in ignition switch; suspected related codes which I read:

P0606: ECM/PCM Processor
P0118: Engine Coolant Temp Circuit High Input
P1698: No CCD message from TCM
P0380, P0382: Glow Plug/Heater Circuit A/B

Okay so bypass the heater...

5)Second problem: remove heater circuit entirely, try for cold start in sub-zero fahrenheit temps; no start; could be the weather but I doubt it because of the codes and previous stumble/stall/die

P0251, P0252: Injection Pump Fuel Metering Control A/B Range and Performance
P1689: No communication between ECM and Injector Pump Module
P1698: No CCD message from TCM

I think I electrocuted my truck and I don't know where to start next.

Thanks again for reading, glad you're out there. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Greg aka blukolaskola

 

[mwilson]

Sorry that you are having issues.

Please post exactly what year, model, trans, etc. so the guys know what advice to give.

And welcome to the TDR.

 

[Sticks]

It's in his signature.

Right out of the gate it sounds like your ECM has gone Tango Uniform. ECM controls the grid heaters, and that is based off of ambient temps (IAT sensor), coolant temp, and ground speed. If it was kicking them on while keys are in your pocket, then you might have a short somewhere that was making the ECM think the ignition is in the run position.

First simple obvious thing - start checking all your wire harnesses under the hood for rub through.

Check all fuses in the PDC and in cab panel.

 

[mwilson]

He added the signature, see the edit at 9.00 pm. You had me worried for a minute..:-laf

I am thinking ECM as well if there are no other electrical issues found after inspection.

 

[Ozymandias]

Check the electrical part of the ignition switch - mine has had melted down because of bad connection and that made also funny things.
A simple task befor you throw a bunch of money and parts in a black hole.

Forget about this, I see now you checked this already.

 

[blukolaskola]

Ozymandias, lord of all you survey, Sticks, and mwilson thank you so much for your input.
I have dismantled most of the harness to check for rub through as you indicated Sticks and found none. I will have to inspect the relay control leads themselves next. PDC fuses are intact. I will retest my relays.

So what do you do with a pooched ECM? If I isolate the problem to a shorted ECM I guess it'd be a re and re proposition. Or is that a reflash thing?

Thanks again for your help guys.

 

[mwilson]

If that is the only issue and it were my truck I would CONSIDER removing the relays from the ECM circuit and take control of the situation with a momentary switch. If there are other symptoms too then the ECM replacement would have to be done.

These are a Cummins ECM but have different parameters so a Dodge dealer (or an independent with the correct software / files) has to be involved at least for the programming or it has to be purchased ready for installation. Others will chime in with suggestions.
If you have a second vehicle you could send your ECM out for repair as well.

 

[dknoch]

Do the relay heaters turn off at an appropriate time or do they run constant? If they turn off, might be ignition related, if they run constant, ECM would be my guess. With the heaters disconnected, if you clear codes do others come back, any other drivability issues with heaters off would indicate need for an ECM vs just a momentary switch wired to the grid relay.
Good Luck!

 

[jandtjil]

Pulling PDC (underhood) fuse #2 and #7 will isolate most of the ignition switch power.
Section 8W has the wiring diagrams
http://www.rm-indy.com/wavefiles/2001ramsrvcmanual.zip

 

[LandShark]

Just pull a wire off each of the heater relays. You don't really need the heaters in most conditions. When it's really cold (below freezing) plug it in.