Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) New to TDR. Hesitation Problem

[JTitone]

I'm new to TDR. Bought a 1998 Dodge, SLT 2500, 24 Valve, Quad Cab, Long Bed, 2wd back in November 2006. The truck had 64K miles and was in decent condition. Since then I've put 25K miles on this vehicle. Two weeks ago while cruising down the highway the truck started hesitating (like backing off the throttle). No engine light appeared, but I hooked it up to the scanner anyhow. I got two readings. P0122 (TPS Circuit Low Input) and P1693 (Mfg Spec DTC See Service Manual). I started to read up on this engine and found the numerous stories of the VP44 and pump issues. Everything is original equipment on this truck with the exception of the exhaust system which I replaced last winter. This is my first diesel vehicle, but I've had diesel engines in my last three fishing vessels, so I do have some familiarity with diesels. But after reading all the threads regarding the suspect fuel injection system in these Cummins, it got me scared like I made a mistake buying this truck as huge repair bills are likely to happen real soon. I'm looking for some advice as to either the least expensive way to fix the problem, or with a soon to be 11 year old truck not worth sinking any money into it and just get rid of it. Thanks for listening and looking forward to the feedback.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

JTitone,

Welcome to TDR Land!

You made no mistake buying this truck. Taken care of it will last you a long time. Will it take some expenditures along the way? Absolutely. You will find it worthwhile.

The 0122 code is one I have had before. That code and your description of the symptoms point to the APPS (accelerator pedal position sensor) starting to die. You may go for a couple weeks and it not happen again, then it may occur four days in a row. The good news is that through diligence on the part of several of our members it has been discovered that an aftermarket APPS is available that is a direct plug in and costs WWAAYYYYY less than the Dodge part. Do a search for "Anatomy of APPS" and you will find a thread with many pages that contains the info you need. You don't need to read it all, hopefully someone will chime in here with the info. If you know someone with a 1998 to 2002 truck with the same transmission (auto or manual) you could "borrow" his APPS and see if that fixes your problem.

While the VP44 can have issues it can also live a long life. I recently replaced one on BlackSheep and that pump had 262,000 miles on it. Fuel is what cools and lubricates the VP so keeping and adequate supply is critical. Do you have a fuel pressure gauge on your truck? Where is it tapped into the fuel line? What are the pressures (idle, acceleration, WOT, cruising)? The lift pump is a weak link but there are several aftermarket pumps that are vastly superior.

Don't put a noose around the bumper of your truck yet! BlackSheep now has 678,000 miles on it, you have a ways to go to catch up!

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[JTitone]

Thanks for the reply. There's no fuel pressure guage on this truck. Sounds like I need to install one.



Jim T.

 

[Mishkaya]

Thanks for the reply. There's no fuel pressure guage on this truck. Sounds like I need to install one.



Jim T.

A fuel pressure gauge is definitely a must on these trucks. Before you get rid of your truck, you need to realize that the reason most people post on these forums is because they have problems, so it makes things look a lot worse than they actually are in all reality.

You should first check to make sure there are no fuel starvation issues at the VP44, and then take it from there. The aftermarket APPS from timbo is great.

mishkaya

 

[GaryOwen]

Contact for APPS is -- email address removed --. I bought one a couple of months ago for my early 03 and tested it for 10k miles. Works exactly like the original, but should last longer due to the way it is built. Cost was in the $150 range. He accepts paypal.



Gary

 

[JTitone]

To Mishkaya and Gary. Thanks for the advice and recommendations. What's your take on Fuel pressure guages? Electrical or Mechanical?

Jim T

 

[Mishkaya]

To Mishkaya and Gary. Thanks for the advice and recommendations. What's your take on Fuel pressure guages? Electrical or Mechanical?

Jim T

Mechanical for sure, and don't bother with an isolator either as they are more hassle than they are worth. If you use braided stainless lines to the gauge with a needle valve at the other end to dampen the pulsations of the injection pump; worst case scenario would be a small drip if you were to have a leak, and you could always close the needle valve to eliminate that.

mishkaya