I'm almost at the end of the road

[Jeff Clark]

I've tried everything I can think of. I have relocated the lift pump back by and below the tank. I have replaced the overflow check valve. I have double checked all my lines and fittings. The truck still will not hold prime when I shut it down. It takes close to a minute and a half to start the truck every time.

I can't do this much longer. I've had to borrow other peoples vehicles to drive back and forth to school and work for the last two weeks. Everyone is griping at me to haul it in to the dealer to look at it. I argue that they can't fix a stock vehicle much less my modified one. I just replaced the starter that I burned up trying to start this thing so much in the last two weeks.

This is my last chance to get it right. If anyone has any idea what I'm missing, speak now of forever hold your peace when I trade this thing in (and it won't be another Dodge)

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98. 5 3500 QC 4x4, Driftwood/Mist Grey, 5 spd, 3. 54, 19. 5 Alcoa's, Ranchhand bumpers, DeeZee toolbox, "Physcotty Air", TST PowerMax2, VA, 275's, Autometer Gauges, Centerforce clutch, Upgraded fuel lines (JRE and Aeroquip), MagHytec Diff Cover, PacBrake, Cowl Induction Hood

"If it ain't broke, it ain't a Dodge"

 

[Bill Lins]

Get thee to Cummins Southern Plains in Arlington. #ad
Good luck.

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Bill Lins Wharton, TX 98 2500 QC SLT,12 (the CORRECT # of)valves,NV4500,3. 54 LSD,Manik grille guard,Semi-Psychotty Air,Amsoil everywhere, Reading aluminum utility body and bumper,Optima yellow tops- silencer ring & muffler stolen.

 

[B. Gill]

MM, chris,articat,lets help jeff,lets talk to him on the phone if thats what is takes to get him going,my feeling is that he has a very slight problem now, he was prepared to replace the vp44 if i remember well, but now it has been reduced to just prime not being held,intresting thing is that an electric pump should bring every thing up to set pressure within a very short time even with the back flow mechanism being totally at fault,meaning that the fuel does flow back to the tank ,period,within a few seconds the pump must bring the fuel from tank to the set pressure if it is working. jeff e-mail me as other members have offered and i will be more than glad to help as much as i can over the phone.
bob

ps: jeff if you are selling your ram to get a furdy let me know i will buy it #ad

 

[csutton7]

it sounds like it could be the injector pump--ouch if it is---chris

 

[csutton7]

here's what I'd do--if this is old info and you've done these things I'm sorry--
has the VP44 been totally ruled out??
have you replaced the filter??
have you verified that you've got good pressure/volume before and after the filter??(take hose off pre filter and let the pump run and see if it fills up a gallon jug pronto if it does then take off the hose at the VP44, from the filter and do the same-this way you can rule out the pump and the filter)
now to test the VP44 I'm not to sure if you should try this but I probably would--I would loosen one of the injector fittings at the head and listen and look(eye protection) for any sign of fuel(while someone cranks the engine) if nothing happens then I'd say the VP 44 is the culprit--be very careful if you try this as those lines are very high pressure lines--3000 psi or more---
if you do this and everything checks out--the only other thing I can think of is a small hole in the supply line, but if you have no leaks or sign of leaks then this is out or something is in the tank blocking the pickup tube---let me know what you do---chris

 

[M_Pulling]

This probably has no bearing at all but here it goes. First Question is it occurring only when the truck is at operating temps? My 01 would not start when it was hot. I would sometimes crank and crank then after a while it would fire up. The truck only had 3200 miles on it and I was furious. The dealer blew me off with a lame excuse of it needed a computer mod they were working on. I bought it and waited and waited NO MOD. After the truck was a month old and still doing it I called DC threatened a Arbitration and running it through the showroom window and they could fix it and the Viper in the showroom. Got a call from the service manager about 15 mins later. I was given three choices
1. Wait for the computer flash
2. Replace the injector pump
3. DC would repurchase the truck
I elected for number 2 and have had no trouble since. The truck has 18000 on it now.
Guess what I still have my fingers crossed.

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2001 2500 QC 4X2 Flame Red Clear Coat
Magalia Ram

 

[Whitmore]

Jeff,
I once owned a 6 cyl tractor that when it sat the injectors would bleed down their pressure into the cylenders,it was a p. i. t. a. any way when I would get it fired up the thing would emmit alot of smoke,
this is something you could check easily,another thing I would do is after shut down,individually crack each injector feed to see if one may be less on psi,
Just my o2 Kevin

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2001 eth dee,qc,lwb,3. 55,camper and tow pkg,driftwood,cummins e-brake,jardine 4" exhaust,dz alum checker run boards,bed rail,tailgate protector,better built alum checker toolbox with home made fuel tank under box,"CUMN" licence plates and captain vol fire dept plate too

 

[Brandon]

uh "return line" uh maybe the return line???????

if it is losing prime then obviosly its not the injector pump... ... ... ... ... we have a split in the lines somewhere getting air in them, its a real be-atch to find the source but no prime on startup its leak in lines
no start condition with prime could easily be the pump. This should not be too hard inspect all supply and return lines if they are good then perhaps she is primed and you really have a no start condition such as the vp???



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Danelle's Dodge

 

[Brandon]

ps what do you want for the truck anyway?

 

[Jeff Clark]

Every time I think I have found the problem, the truck works great for about a half hour. I can crank the truck, shut it off, and restart several times without a problem. As soon as I get it home, it craps out. Once the truck is running, it runs like a raped ape. When I shut it off, it's done.

I have replaced most of the supply line, the lift pump, the overflow check valve, the filter, and the starter for good measure. The pressure looks good.

I'll check the return line from the rear of the block and see if there's a problem there.

 

[HossDiesel]

Jeff, if your are going to get rid of it i would be more than happy to buy your ranch hand bumper if you want to sell them.

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99 quad cab 4x4 5spd 355 gears sandstone color K&N air filter starit pipe spray in bed liner goose neck ball- theres nothig like the smell of Diesel in the morning.

 

[arlan]

Jeff... This is probally stupid of me to ask, but you did remove what ever gauge you first installed to test your fuel pressure, didn't you?

 

[Jeff Clark]

Arlan, yes I removed the gauge. That was the first thing I removed when I found I had a problem.

 

[B. Gill]

jeff,start from the tank and move forward from there, i know that you may have done some of the steps,blow air thru the feed line into the tank to clear it,then make sure that you do have fuel coming when you activate the pump near the tank,let it run to see that enough volume is being drawn from the tank,then move on to the fuel filter and see that enough fuel is coming out from there and repeat the same for the vp44,one thing for a change hook up the pump to its own 12 volt power that comes on and stays on as long as the key is turned to ingintion,do not use for the time being the stock pump power to run it.
hope that helps.
bob

 

[JAK]

Jeff,

Just a thought. Could the fuel pressure be too high during the crank cycle? The stock arrangement uses lower pressure during cranking or you could end up with a tough starting engine. Don't ask me how they pulled that one off but that's what the service manual says.

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Y2K Driftwood 2500 4X4 5spd