Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Need help with Fault Code P0216!

[RDolsak]

I have enjoyed the TDR site for years, now I need some help from you. Problem- Truck will not turn over, no voltage going to starter solenoid lead when key is turned on to engage start position. All other electrics on the truck work/indicate normal. Battery voltage good. Odometer code shows P1693 and OBD II code shows P0216 on my reader. (P0216 indicates Injection timing control circuit malfunction) Why will my truck not even turn over or start? Any insight will be much appreciated! Thanks.



2000 SWB 2WD SLT

 

[RHARVEY]

first things first. . How many miles on your truck? On the no start issue. . sounds to me that the 20 amp fuse in the fuse box under the hood is blown. This could be caused by worn starter brushes. This part of the problem can be fixed by a set of LarryB's starter contacts and plunger and 20 amp fuse.

As far as the P0216 code... hate to say it but it sounds like its injector pump time.



Rick

 

[RDolsak]

Rick - Thanks for the advice. You were right, the 20A starter fuse was blown. When I put a new fuse in, the starter made a click like it intended to rotate then blew the new fuse again.

The truck has 155K miles with no real problem history. Has the starter frozen up and will not rotate when engaged?

 

[John - K5AWO]

The brushes are probably worn down to where they are contacting the frame and shorting out.

Would be a good idea to pull the starter and open it up and inspect it for problems. That would be an excellent time to install Larry B's contacts set.

 

[RDolsak]

John and Rick, Your input has been helpful. I agree the starter needs to be pulled and upgraded with Larry B's contact set. I will order tomarrow. I think the truck may start fine after the starter rebuild and probably no more blown fuses.



The P0216 fault code may mean the VP44pump is on its way out. My first priority is to get the truck started again then deal with the P0216 code. If the truck runs fine do I mess with the VP44 or wait until I start to see problems with it? Can they be sent out for rebuild and is there a savings in doing that? Do these VP44's go all of a sudden or do you see warning signs?



Thanks again for the input!

 

[WrenchRat]

VP44's are famous for 'just quitting'. I and several friends have experienced this. When mine went, the engine died abruptly with no warning of any kind, and put me at the side of the road quickly. It would start and run about 300 rpm, chug, chug, chug and quit again. Dead pedal.



Once back at the shop, the VP44 wouldn't even muster fuel at the injectors. :{ Out came more wrenches and off with the VP44.



The only indication that something might be 'fishy' was hard hot starting AFTER installing a FASS 95. The previous Carter had finally failed. I say failed, it was dropping below ~5psi with modest acceleration (with a clean fuel filter). That's as good as failed to a VP44 from what I've been told by a rebuilder. Thanks TDR for pushing VP44 owners to get a fuel pressure guage.



And yes, the old pump was pulled and a new revised Bosch diaphragm and O-rings installed. (The old, original diaphragm was fine, but the O-rings were flat and obviously leaking. ) That fix did not solve the hot hard start. This went on for 9 months/10k miles. Driveability was fine, pulling and empty. Fuel mileage was unaffected. No one I talked to indicated that the hot start issue was related to a failing VP44. I was told it just happens sometimes. I would still like to know what component(s) failed in the VP44 that caused the hard hot start. (It seemed to be fuel TEMP related) Anybody?



When I put on the rebuilt VP44 (Industrial Injector rebuild bought from TST) the hard start went away immediately. 7k miles and all is well. I will be carrying a spare VP44 when headed for the boonies. (this is NOT a new VP44 idea)



Oh, be sure to check the integrity of your VP44 rear support mount. Mine had failed and showed signs of recently happening. This is a common failure as the original design is hoakey at best. I welded up my old one with an additional support to avoid a recurring failure. If you buy the new revised support (recommended), you will have to have the VP44 off to install the new part of the support that bolts to the pump. It no longer bolts to the rear of the pump, but to the side. -On the INSIDE right next to the block/sidecover. The mating part bolts up in the same location on the block. The revised mount is MUCH more robust. When R&R'ing the lower mount, it is necessary to pull the PS pump out of the way. You can leave the PS hoses hooked up. I find it easier to pull the PS pump and Vac pump as a unit. If you don't get the PS pump out of the way, you can't get to the button head cap screw behind the PS pump. #@$%!



So, if you suspect your VP44 is headed south, get it AND the mount changed before it puts you at the side of the road.

 

[RHARVEY]

I have seen some of the pumps that would die... with no hint of an issue and then I have seen others that died a slow death. .

Get it running,clear the codes and see what it does...

Good Luck...



Rick

 

[RDolsak]

All this feedback has been great. Thanks for sharing the knowledge with me. I recall a past thread on how to change a VP44 with pictures. Can anybody find it? I am sure I will get better at navigating this site.



I will let you know how my first starter rebuild goes.



Rob

 

[rweis]

RDolsak -



I'm down in Winter Haven (40 miles south and a little west, on US 27) if you need a hand. Not a professional wrencher, but have busted a knuckle or two.



I have not done my starter yet, but have a Larry B's contact kit if you want to "borrow it" and replace it.



I have done extensive fuel mods (and about to do more fuel mods), but that is about it.



There is a loose central FL TDR chapter, next meeting I think about Feb or so.



Welcome to TDR,



Bob Weis

 

[John - K5AWO]

On the question of the vp44.

Mine was one of those that just slowly and agonizingly got a little worse over a period of two years.

Started out with random dead peddle and hard to figure out the why or when. Then later it became obvious that it was only when the weather was hot. In the cold winter months it would start quickly and run just fine all winter.

Along the way, the engine power fell off gradually too. Finally, the last couple of months, it started loosing prime at odd times. Would drive home after using it all day with no issues. Next morning, no start. Had to open injector lines and reprime it. In every case, it always had fuel pressure at the same nominal values of 13-18 psi depending on throttle.

My son borrowed the truck and took it home to San Diego, it lost prime on him two days straight in a row. I ordered a new vp44 and that fixed the vp44 problems.

 

[rweis]

There are several extensive threads about heat and the VP44. The VP44 PSG (computer board) can not tolerate heat well (hence fuel coolers, OAT blowers). The DC fuel system design returns VP44 "cooling fuel" right back to the fuel pickup cannister (ie circulates hot fuel for cooling). Many of the internal VP44 components have extremely tight fit tolerances (less than . 001") and heating them causes them to expand beyond their fit tolerances and cause failure.



The advance piston in the VP44 changes advance by fuel pressure and fuel volume, but has extremely tight tolerances and any delay of fractional parts of a second between the requested advance and the actual advance causes a 0216 internal timing error.



There is a diaphram internal to the VP44 that seperates the low pressure side and the high pressure side. This diaphram has seals on it that detoriorate and the diaphram itself can crack over time if the supplied fuel pressure is more than about 3 psi off of the calibrated psi (13. 5 psi).



Many causes for the VP44 to fail. Basically I find keeping it physically cool and well fed with cool, clean, lubricated, correct psi and volume fuel seems to be the best you can do for it's longevity and even then you are not guaranteed of longevity but you have done everything you can.



Bob Weis

 

[SFrey]

the only reman vp44 pump to put on is one from blue chip diesel, (the god of vp44's) might cost a little more in the long run, but WELL worth it. all of his pumps are built by bosch to his specs, new steel sleeve for the rotor not a bronze one, new "fed-ex" computer on top.



scot

 

[WrenchRat]

the only reman vp44 pump to put on is one from blue chip diesel, (the god of vp44's) might cost a little more in the long run, but WELL worth it. all of his pumps are built by bosch to his specs, new steel sleeve for the rotor not a bronze one, new "fed-ex" computer on top.

scot

Scot, what is significance/advantage of the "fed-ex" computer vs a standard Bosch replacement?

 

[SnoKing]

Come on, all pumps rebuilt by certified Bosch rebuilders are rebuilt to the same Bosch standards, and I believe that all new PSCs are now to the Fed-Ex durability standard. Correct me if I am wrong.



The Fed-Ex compulter is limited in RPM right? And someone is claiming that they figured out how to put the normal SO or HO program into it. It was suppost to be a harsh duty PSC, built for their trucks.



SNOKING

 

[RDolsak]

I started this thread a couple days ago when my truck was dead and would not start. I also had a P0216 fault code which I thought might be the reason for not starting. Thanks to your much appreciated help and advice I now have my truck starting just fine. I cleared the P0216 fault and so far It has not returned. I also reset the APPS memory by cycleing the pedal. The truck runs fine however, I expect the P0216 code will return as I have 155K miles on the truck. I am enjoying reading all these responses on the VP44 pump and intend to buy and install one so I can have the confidence back that my truck will continue to be reliable.



The starter problem - Based on your advice in this forum I pulled the starter and replaced the plunger and contacts with the Larry B kit from Geno's. I found one of the old contacts to be ground down to paper thin by the round copper selinoid washer. That was causing a short and resulting 20A fuse to blow leaving the truck dead in the water. The new Larry B's kit is much heaver duty and the contacts have a larger contact surface area.



Thanks again to all for giving me the heads up and knowledge to rebuild the starter myself.



FYI - for laughs I called the Dodge dealer and they wanted $610. 00 for a rebuilt starter and refused to only replace the contacts. Are they nuts!!



Rob Dolsak