Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) I think I've got a bad injector - your advice please!

[RHulette]

Driving to work this morning, cruising along at 65, when my truck starts hesitating and skipping. Immediately checked the gauges - nothing unusual showing, fuel pressure at 15psi, rpm's not jumping around, no MIL lights, oil pressure and battery fine.

It didn't get any worse and I took the next exit off. Pulled into an office parking lot and kept it running. It was idling OK with just an occasional skip. I parked it and shut the truck off. I waited about 10 minutes while I called GEICO for a flatbed.

I restarted the truck and it fired right up. I gave it some pedal and it was smooth and clean for about a minute then started skipping at anything higher than idle. I did notice that if I let off of the pedal and goosed it, it would put out a good blast of blue white exhaust. That's was new for sure...

I haven't put my AutoEnginuity reader on it yet, but I suspect I've got a bad injector. I put in a new BlueChip VP-44 last year and it's been just fine until this morning.

Over to you smart guys....

Assuming I need injectors - The only thing this truck does is haul my @ss back and forth to work - Marine/RV injectors or stock?????????

Thanks!
Randy

 

[Killer223]

check grounds. i know it's new, but sounds like a VP...
do you have the option of key on off on off on trick?
i'd head over to mopar1973man.com for better second get people.

 

[JR]

How many miles on injectors? 2nd gen injectors are generally pretty robust and don't wear out for many hundreds of thousands of miles unless they've been subjected to poor fuel. A stuck injector will often put raw fuel into the crankcase so keep an eye on your oil level to make sure it's not climbing.

A failing APPS can cause what feels like a skip or miss in the early stages and not necessarily throw a code. Not saying that's what it is but I wouldn't throw a new set of injectors at it yet unless theres a smoking gun.

 

[RHulette]

It just turned 219.000. The APPS is only 2 years old. I replaced it when I started getting the dead pedal problem. I'll check the oil level and give it sniff for diesel.
While I was sitting waiting for the flat bed, I did some starts and restarts with 10 minutes of cool down between. It would start quick like usual then would take only around a minute of warmup before the skip started. It feels like I'm running on only 5 cylinders and the smoke pours when I goose the pedal. Assuming the VP44 is good (I bought the BlueChip with the brand new control computer), the only thing I can think of that can throw that much fuel out the exhaust pipe is an Injector-gone-bad.

I've got an AutoEnginuity system with the Dodge code-pack, so I'll hook it up later and dump the codes.

I'm going to the BlueChip website and look at their diagnostics page. I learned a ton about how this engine runs from them.

When the stock VP44 crapped out, the MIL went on immediately, I had all the typical codes showing up and it definitely doesn't behave like what I'm experiencing now - and I"m happy with that - that pump is damn expensive. I thought the truck was going to shake apart due to the rough running.

 

[JR]

From that description it does sound more like an injector. Definitely keep an eye on that oil level.

 

[RHulette]

Strange stuff!
The ice finally melted off so we're back to relative normal here in northern VA.

Hooked up the computer and dumped any and all codes - there are no current codes... nothing so that's good.

Next I started it up and ran it at 1600rpm until it was at operating temperature - a good 20 minutes.
Not a single problem - no skip, no hesistation, no nothing - it ran smooth as butter! I took it out around the neighborhood and put on 9 miles. Nothing happened.

WTF??? Now - you might be asking what about dirty fuel, last time filters changed...
I run a Glacier Diesel twin filter with a Walbro GSL392 pump. 7 mic with water separator followed by a 2 mic CAT filter and then through the standard 15 mic filter at the engine. New filters this summer. It's pretty squeaky clean...

Could there have been some dirt spec that got into one of the injectors?????
It's back to its regular self... I'll drive it around today and tomorrow and see if any happens...

Randy

 

[JR]

Strange for sure. The only thing you can do is drive and continue to monitor the oil. Intermittent issues like that are usually correlated with electronic parts and/or dirty or loose connections, but from your description it does sound fuel related. Hopefully it was just a hiccup and all is well from here on out.

 

[klcammie]

Odd. Good to hear it cleared up. If you decide to go with new injectors, IMHO Get RV275. They give nice little power boost and mpg.