Engine hiccup? A little long, but I need your help!

[BIG BOB]

I now have 18,600 miles on the Ghost Rider. About 15K I started to notice what I call a hiccup in the engine. It usually happens while in cruise or under very low throttle pressure. The engine cutouts for just an instant. Usually only once, but sometimes two or three times in 3 to 5 seconds. It is very inconsistant.



It got so bad on our vacation to the Sawtooth Mountains, I took it to Peterson's Stampede Dodge in Boise. While at Stampede, it was happening quite often. The service tech had his computer hooked up to the truck and it hiccuped so fast that it didn't even show anything wrong on his diagnostics. Star told them to check 5 different things dealing with fuel flow, the Tech said that a couple of the injector lines seemed a little loose and after setting (reading a book) 2 days in their service department, their service manager and service tech had taken it for 100 mile test drive and could not get it to do it again. I took it Wednesday night myself for a 70 mile test drive can could not get it to hiccup.



My wife and I then drove 128 miles with various speed through the mountains back to Stanley, Idaho with no hiccups. I thought it was fixed. Then on Friday when we left Stanley for Missoula, it hiccuped 5 times throughout the trip. I checked the injector lines in Missoula, made them a little tighter, and it hiccuped 3 times while driving around in the Bitterroots. On the drive home today, Sunday, I had no hiccups.



Anyone have any ideas on what might be causing this? Anyone have this experience? If so, what was done to fix the problem?

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Bob I was wondering what sort of problem you were having, Rob posted about it on Bombers.



I assume it was the strange hiccup I felt when you took me for a ride, right?



I wonder if you lift pump is keeping up OK, but I would think you'd have a different symptoms, more like a stumble.



Bob what your hiccup felt like was a complete mis-fire of say 2-3 cylinders in a row, as if the ignition key was blipped really fast. It's as if something is making the system stop delivering fuel to the cylinders for a few milliseconds.



I wish I had more ideas, I'll keep my fingers crossed.



Vaughn

 

[AGrubbs]

It sounds electrical to me... .



I wonder if it might be something in the ECU's electrical connections to the injectors? Maybe a ground connection or a bad connection (corrosion?) coming out of the ECU it self?



I thought that I read somewhere that there was a TSB for the connections? I might be wrong on this though.



Maybe some component in the ECU that drives the injectors is starting to get flakey?



These are just a few random thoughts about it. . but you might want to check it out. .







AG

 

[ttreibel]

We missed you at the BOMB party everbody was talking about your problem. I think it is computer related, did you take off all the boxes? It might be throwing codes only Cummins can understand.



Did you ever get a check engine light?



You can try pulling the power the computer to see if that resets it but that won't help if the program has become corupted.

 

[rbattelle]

Could it be air entrained in the fuel somewhere? Just an idea.

 

[cpizz]

If you have a fueling box on there, that is the culprit. Take it off and see if it does then.

 

[StephenThomas]

I am having what seems to be the EXACT same problem as Ghost Rider describes. I've taken the truck in to the dealer with no luck yet on a remedy. I get my "hiccups" mainly under low throttle, but there does not seem to be any relation to speed. I have noticed that the hiccup seems to occur more frequently when going up a hill. I am getting an occasional engine light and throwing codes, but dealer states that they have checked all parameters of the thrown codes and find no problem at all. I'm going back to the dealer tomorrow so hopefully I will have an update.



GhostRider... . please keep us posted on how things progress with your truck. I'll do the same... .



Thx!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Last time I talked to Bob he mentioned Ghost Rider has been running better and no more hiccups recently.



Vaughn

 

[Got HO?]

Stumble...........

I'm having a similar issue right now with mine that I believe is related to my Powermax box. Symptoms are identical to Bob's but mine will trigger a CPS (PO336) code at times. Have been talking to Greg at TST & trying a few things such as bypassing the fusebox & grounding the module away from the battery. Have also tried a new TST timing & injector harness & box. The guys at TST have been great to deal with, and frankly, neither thyem nor I are sure that the box is responsible at this point although I cannot duplicate my symptom with the box & harnesses disconnected. It could be that the stumble is always there & is much more noticable with the box hooked up. Haven't yet triggered a code with it disconnected, though. Made a grounding change last night & will drive it like that for a few days to see if it fixes it.

 

[Big MAK]

try this...

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104991



I'm really curious to see if the problem/s get a-lot less often or go away. I've never thrown a code since applying dielectric to my lower connections. I'm going to apply it to the top half next time I'm working under the hood. I've been running on 5/3 (!!!) all stock except for better breathing (intake/exhaust) so it isn't because I baby it! Although I turn it down to 2/2 when towing the trailer.

 

[BIG BOB]

Had a hiccup today, first on in 9 days. I wish it was something I could make happen. Dealer says to remove the Python 881 XP. It includes the remote start and turbo timer! Then he can continue trouble shooting!

 

[ttreibel]

I hope it's not a PIA to remove that Python but you don't really need the remote warm up start feature this time of year. As far as the turbo cool down I can't believe how fast I get mine to cool down with the newly installed pyrometer gauge. If you are running a feuling and boost fooler box I would leave them off also for awhile.



If you still get a hiccup after all that then sounds like the computer has some corruption maybe they can reflash it or change it out.



I know you said that you were going to leave it mostly stock (at Rob's BOMB party) so I am not sure about the boxes and if you have added. GhostRider is one sweet truck and I feel this is a fixable problem before your bumper to bumper protection is over.



tom

 

[TheWolf]

I have just experience the same problems. I have the tst box andit has happened twice. the first while towing, thought maybe it was just the trailer and hitch jumping a little, but the second time was today and I was not towing. both happened at constant throttle( constant speed) and it think in the lower rpm's. Box was on setting 2x2. Anyone with some more info. ?



thanks

 

[dieselpilot1969]

Heres one for **!ts and giggles. I had a buddy who really made some people mad one time and wound up with a pingpong ball in his fuel tank. What happens is it gets sucked into the pickup line and cuts off fuel to pump and then floats away untill the pickup line can get ahold of it again. You may have a semi bouyant object in your tank?

 

[StephenThomas]

Big Bob... .



What's the latest on your hiccup problem?? I'm still dealing with mine and have yet to find a solution. Any update would be appreciated.



Steve

 

[BIG BOB]

Steve,



I just got back from a vacation to the Redwoods, Oregon Coast and Central Oregon.



The hic-cup re-appeared on my way to the Redwoods. It seems to be temperature and possibly humidty related. When the temperatures were between 58* and 70* the hic-cup was very frequent, towing or not. I took it to NorthShore Dodge in Eureka, CA and thought that maybe the cold weather flash (TSB 18-004-04) might take care of it, but it didn't. I did call my dealer from there and set a appointment for this coming Wednesday, July 21st. The bad thing is, now I back in the 90's and it doesn't do it. Sometimes when the engine is cold it will do it. I hope it will do it on Wednesday, I'm going to take my travel trailer with me, it seems to make it do it a little easier.



Again, I state, I have no performance enhancements on the truck! It is totally stock, except for the AirAid intake and 51" Nelson muffler.



This is really getting to be frustrating!



Have you been able to establish when yours will do it? Wondering if you are having any of the same symptoms.



Big Bob

 

[StephenThomas]

Gentlemen... .



I've found absolutely NO common denominator as to why my truck gets the hiccups. If anything, it seems to do it a little more frequently when I am going uphill.



I've removed my TTPM long ago, but it does not seem to be related to the box. The only performance mods I have now are air intake/exhaust related.



I still wonder if my remote start might have anything to do with it. Bob... did you remove your remote start??



I've taken my truck to the dealer once, but it was on a weekend and they were up front enough to admit (after I was already there) that their best diesel mechanics work M-F. I use my truck for business and have yet to be able to dedicate the time to get her back in for service.



Any feedback from anyone that has had and solved this problem????



As always... . THX!

 

[BIG BOB]

Originally posted by StephenThomas

Gentlemen... .



I've found absolutely NO common denominator as to why my truck gets the hiccups. If anything, it seems to do it a little more frequently when I am going uphill.



I have noticed the same.



I still wonder if my remote start might have anything to do with it. Bob... did you remove your remote start??



No I haven't, but will see about getting that done before it goes to the dealer.





Any feedback from anyone that has had and solved this problem????



As always... . THX!

 

[DPKetchum]

Any one changed or look at the fuel filter? Just curious.

 

[BIG BOB]

Originally posted by DPKetchum

Any one changed or look at the fuel filter? Just curious.

Been there, done that. Thanks for the thought. At this point I'm looking for any and all suggestions.



Tomorrow I am getting the Pyton 881XP Security System, Remote Start and turbo timer disconnected. Then Wednesday I take it to the dealer.