Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) I've had it..I'm going to shoot my dodge

[SLezotte]

Symptoms:

Hard Starting, sometimes when it starts (after much cranking)... I get no power... . it can rev to 2000 rpms... but feels like 15 HP. It takes me 1/2 a mile to get up to 45 mph. Then all of a sudden, like a light switch is turned on, the engine regains it's normal power. You drive along for a few miles... and all of a sudden, no power again. If I want to get my power back, I push in the clutch, let the rpms drop to idle for one second... and 90% of the time everything resumes back to normal... for about another 2 miles when I have to go through this all over again.

This has been going on now for about 4 months... perhaps I'm wrong... but if this was the VP... wouldn't it have launched into low earth orbit by now?





I put in a new APPS



I put in a new crank position sensor



There is no check engine light. I have 12 psi constant on my fuel pressure gauge... even through these hiccoughs.



99 dodge, , 5 speed, boost elbow, 275 injectors, boost fooler on the map sensor, k&N air cleaner, 4" exhaust from turbo back... . NO fueling boxes of any kind on there now.



Please advise, or I'm gonna have a yard sale with a bunch of shot up dodge pieces all over my lawn soon.

 

[Tcolesanti]

Have you checked it with a code reader that you can rent for nothing other than a deposit at a local auto parts store?????

 

[SLezotte]

If the check engine light never comes on... will it still pull a code?

 

[Tcolesanti]

There's a really good chance it has.

 

[JCyrbok]

Sounds like a VP. When mine when it thru the dreaded codes but never set off the check engine light.



I drove for about 8 months on a dying VP. Low power, dead pedal, slipping mileage etc.



My symptoms were the same, except for the hard start. For some reason I never got the hard start in the entire time either hot or cold. And I would have the same low power in the morning, just not as long as you.



Can you do the odometer/code read with the 1999's, I dont know if they have the digital odometer or the older click number kind.



Hope this helps and sorry to say but I think your injection pump is on the way out.



J-



ps does it do it with the boost elbow and boost fooler removed? just a thought.

 

[Grizzly]

Take it to a Cummins Shop and be prepared to bite the bullet. They are a lot better then a Dodge Dealer and cheaper.

 

[Walt-L]

I would try the ECM reset just for the He** of it. Unhook both pos. battery terminals, then turn your key to the on position and rehook the batteries back up. That juice shock is supposed to reset all of whats in the ECM.

Also, How old are your batteries? One weak battery will raise hell with the sensors.

Good Luck

 

[JCyrbok]

Thats good to know Walt. Is there any risk of damage?



That would have been great to know when I had to shell out $400 to have my trans fixed after they "found" that I had a fuel box hooked up at one time, by looking in the ECM. Tech even told me how much HP the truck had previously been making!



Oh well, I am my own warranty station anyways, right?



J-

 

[Tcolesanti]

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO CUMMINS!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST GO GET A CODE READER!!!!!!!!!!!

The 99's will not give you the codes in the odometer window, just the 2000 and up.

 

[Walt-L]

Thats good to know Walt. Is there any risk of damage?



Well ,I just happen to have read about it from Bob Wagner on another post about reseting the Catcher ECM. I dont think Bob would stear you wrong. And in the position Tcolesanti is in, Its worth a try. I bet if you have 6 year old batteries in it, Its worth a trip to Walmart for a pair of big yellows and put your liftime receipt in the glove box! Could be a quick fix.

 

[pro99]

Take it to a Cummins Shop and be prepared to bite the bullet. They are a lot better then a Dodge Dealer and cheaper.

I don't what DLR you've been to but I work for one and they aren’t better. I've heard the same about Cummins as I do about the DLR's. I am so sick of hearing people putting DLR’s down like it’s every one not just one DLR that you had a concern with. I take pride in my work and my customers see it. There are good and bad ones but not all are bad!

 

[OWeigel]

Go out to your truck and turn the ignition on three times(dont start it) and leave it on the third time, read what the odowindow tells you.

I bet my pants on that it will say P1693 and P0216. P1693 just tells you and the PCM that the ECM have set a code, P0216 tells you it is a timingerror in the VP44. Then do a search on TDR on P0216 and find a thousands of threads about it and different ways of solving the problem. Everything from changing batteries to fill up with three or more bottles of some dieselinjectorcleaner/lubricant. But the in 99. 5% of the cases its changing VP that solves the problem.

I think the 0216 problem is about electronics and there is no need that the VP stops working totally, i e it feels like a bad connection IMO. (but it´s a wild guess)

I think you can have the codes from 98. 5, when they got the digital odometer. But I can be wrong on that.

If it isn´t the P0216, please send me an mail with your adress so I can send you my ol´pants.

 

[Peter Campbell]

I had something similar. Rough idle- would not stay running at idle, down on power, could not be started hot or warmed up. Needed a new VP-44$$. Try everything else get an expert on it, it would really be bad to change out a vp-44 when you had a crimped fuel line or some such hard to find gremlin.

 

[ChrisOlson]

I have a 99 ctd codes do not read in the odemeter window I also agree about the batteries if they are the orig. batteries but still show good in the window that does not mean that they are good, and if they are dodge batteries and they are going bad, they send weird voltages thru the elec system and cause weird things to happen this happend to My wifes dodge durango yea yea not a diesel but the electronics are all about the same. did not know about the battery thing then $3900 later at 39000 miles still had the same symptoms as the person who started the thread. traded it off on a good running day for a jeep liberty, the trade in dealer put a new battery in it sold it for top dollar and the new owners love it and have not had a problem with it at all. and by the way I was out of town when this happened and asked the dodge dealer to change the battery they refused I am still fighting with DC to get my money back only 3000 miles out of warrenty my 2 cents worth.

 

[HChojnacki]

Had same Problem here.

my 2002 did the same thing no engine lights and it was doing the same thing Frist thing I did was change the fuel filter. fuel pressure should not fall below 13lbs.

and then their she went no start towed to dodge dealer still under warrenty thank god. lift pump went then it killed vp. After I got it back I took it to a shop and they put in an inline fuel pump kit 265$ and then put in a fuel pressure gauge (190$) did it my self easy to do took two hours now pressure is 28 to 30 lbs they said that the pressure should not fall below 12pis. if it dose change fuel filter. You are most likly to late don't run replace Lp now. H. J. C.

 

[MLeppen]

Sounds like what happened to my truck, but the MAP sensor was the culprit,(not the VP) put one on and it was fixed.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I just had the same type of thing happen on my truck too and it was also the map sensor. In my case I just pulled it out and cleaned it real good with brake cleaner and compressed air and put it back in. If the map sensor is telling the ECM there's 0 psi of boost even when there's actually more the ecm won't feed it fuel.

 

[SLezotte]

I'll check for the map sensor. I'm trying to change all the less expensive parts first before I change the VP (again). I have two brand new batteries in there... this problem happened both before the battery change and after. I'd just like to thank everyone for their input. I'll try the "turn the key" thing three times too.....

I kinda feel like Dorothy clicking her heels three times... . LOL

"There's no place (like on my Ducati)"

There's no place (like on my Ducati)"

There's no place (like on my Ducati)"



I hate to put ANOTHER pump on there... although maybe i'll get a good price since I'll have TWO to trade in for the "core charge".



What's the take on Blue Chip Diesels "FEDEX TRUCK" pumps that are hot-rodded with later year (pump) parts?



Anyone have any experience with these souped up pumps?



Thanks again, all.

 

[silaskarl]

I recently had to have my vp44 replaced and I spoke with the blue chip folks. Theit pump is a better rebuild as with new parts and a brass wear ring rather than the aluminum housing the mechanical end is tightened up and the electronics are improved to withstand the heat sink and other problems that are an issue with vp44's and standard rebuilds. I guess if any fleet has tested these things it would be fed ex.

Best of luck.