Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) P0216 Code

[jrandol]

Well the ugly P0216 code hit my truck today. Driving home from my office it just felt funny, a little low on power maybe and just felt like the truck was really working to get anywhere. Sure as all get out, got home, checked the codes and P0216 and P1693 were there. It was really messing with my FMS box, anyone know if anything can be done to prolong the pump for say a week or so? Headed to Nashville this weekend and really need the truck.

 

[BarryG]

Jeff:

Not saying your pump wont crap out on you but I would unhook the box and use it. Mine went 3-4k before it finally got fixed. I had it out on a couple of 1500 mile trips. Dealer wouldnt fix it unless the codes came back, they did, still wouldnt fix unless the codes came back, they did, then it took over a week to get the pump. So from first sign of bad pump to it being r&r'd was about 4 weeks and 3-4k miles. It never did quit it just acted up more frequently.

 

[jrandol]

Thanks for the info Barry! I just went out and put a new fuel filter in and pulled the battery cables and grounded the truck out, hoping that would pull the code out. No such luck! Looks like my luck may have ran out on the stock VP44. I am just hoping I can get thru the weekend on it. What did yours do when it came down to replacement time. I think my chances are better winning the lottery than even trying to get my warrantied but just curious what Dodge qualified as time to do the deed.

 

[rashwor]

JME...

Just My Experience. My truck exhibited a hard start when hot condition for over 2 years and 60,000+ miles. Never set a code. Dealer said that it was not the pump and refused to warranty the replacement of the injector pump. The dealer applied a TSB for it which limits the lift pump running when attempting to start the engine. Some pumps would exhibit a hard start condition if the lift pump supplied too much pressure while attemting to start the truck. The TSB done nothing to correct my problem and caused others.



Finally this last summer at 136,000+ miles, it would turn over for 10+ seconds sometimes when it was hot before it would fire. I decided that it was going to leave me stranded sometime, so I bit the bullet and carried it to a reputable diesel shop. They tested it and said it was the pump even without a code being set. They installed a new injector pump and the truck has run and cranked like new ever since. I now have over 167,000+ on the truck.



JMO... most injector pumps will show symptoms for a while before the completely quit, but how long and how well the truck will run in the mean time are the million dollar questions. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.



You might try www.cumminsstuff.com for a new injector pump. I did not get mine there, but it can't hurt to talk with them if you are doing this on your dime.

 

[BarryG]

Jeff:

When mine started acting up it only did it at certain times under certain conditions. Low boost partial throttle like coming down from eisenhower tunnel,(or any other decent hill for that matter) running 2lbs boost and 70mph with just a bit of pedal then you hit the go pedal and it does nothing, then it would clear up and run fine. As time went on it did it more frequently and took longer to clear up. Aside from the dead pedal it would throw blue/grey smoke like crazy. Instead of maybe doing it once it would do it 3 times, instead of it acting up for 2 second it might be 5 seconds. Mine only did it under those conditions always coming down hill with low boost and partial throttle. I tried all kinds of things to keep it from happening keeping the rpms up higher, running slower, in od out of od, edge box on box off made no difference. The first trip to the dealer I removed the box, took it in and they saw the codes, but told me they couldnt duplicate the problem, they also checked the lift pump but found the flow to be within spec. Then went out of town and it did it again, so I took it back and got the same response except this time they told me star would not authorize the repair unless it did it again. They did say they were sure it was the pump but just that star would not authorize it. By now I was a bit peeved, everyone agreed it was the vp except star would not authorize and I had to go out of town again with the truck this was a friday. SW said see you on monday because the code will be back by then. Sure enough I left to go out of town and going west down eisenhower it did it again. I finished my trip, getting home was not hard but it was doing it much more frequently and taking longer to clear up. I was back at the dealer on monday and they said they would take care of it regardless of star (who did authorize it this time) but then had to wait over a week for the pump to come in. Truck never died, never had an issue starting ran great except for when it was actually wiggin out for seconds at a time, never set the check engine light, it just set the code. So in the end 4 trips to the dealer to get it fixed.

 

[TnLRacing]

Add me to the List of the 216 crowd. . Truck is going into the dealer this afternoon. . let ya all know

 

[CCOLLAR]

Check your lift pump pressure. Low pressure can often times be the cause of 0216.



Craig

 

[terrywerm]

I've been seeing problems similar to Barry G, problem comes and goes, is most prevalent just after a downhill, or just after a cold start. Same blue smoke, dead pedal, no power. Sometimes it runs ok but is marginal on power. Other times it runs like crazy. No real rhyme or reason to it.



When it happens just after starting, it will rattle like normal, but after idling about 15 or 20 seconds the rattle goes away, just like the timing is getting severely retarded. If you take off down the street, it will go up to about 1500 and start to miss, with LOTS of blue smoke. Fuel pressure is always between 10 and 15 PSI, even at WOT.



Going to see the dealer later this week and get the 'documentation' process started.

 

[lcoblentz]

Add another to the P0216 club. I've disconnected the EZ, but can't clear the codes. Currently carrying a P0216 and P0234, along with the P1693 companion code. The truck has been very slow to start sometimes. It's usually after it sits and cools down, which is opposite of what most people are saying. Other than the occasional hard start, it seems to run great. It was doing this when I dyno'd at PFI a couple weeks back, and the numbers were pretty good. Starting to save up for a pump... .....

 

[Bill_L]

My truck has been getting that same code off and on for about 7-8 weeks now. The light has come on several times. After 10 starts without a problem the light will turn off.



What I have seen is the throttle pedal will go way for 15-30 seconds while driving and then come back.

The other thing that I noticed is that the first time I start the truck every day I have warn it up for at least 5 minutes before I can put it into drive or reverse otherwise the engine stalls.



I only had 25k miles on my pump when it started acting up.

About 17k or more of those are with the pump wire tapped.



Now I get to bite the bullet and pay for a new pump.



Bill

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Originally posted by CCOLLAR

Check your lift pump pressure. Low pressure can often times be the cause of 0216.



Craig

I agree...



I have noticed a hard run pulling pressure down to 5 or 6 psi will set the 0216 code. When I clear it and drive normal, no codes!

Check your lift pumps!

 

[jrandol]

Originally posted by TORQUE THIS

I agree...



I have noticed a hard run pulling pressure down to 5 or 6 psi will set the 0216 code. When I clear it and drive normal, no codes!

Check your lift pumps!

How did you clear out the code? I pull the battery cables and left them off for a while but that wouldnt clear it out, is there another way?

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Make sure BOTH batteries are disconnected. After they sit unhooked for a while, rub the pos and neg on the drivers side together for about 15 sec. This should do it, works for me on clearing codes!

 

[lcoblentz]

On the code clearing... ... I ahve not been able to get rid of mine either. Unhooked both battteries, pulled fuses, left key on, lights on, wipers, (you get the idea ) for about 2 hours. I didn't even lose my radio station presets! Lost the clock setting and the trip odometer reading, but that's it. Stopped by Autozone, and they said they are no longer allowed to clear codes (a management decision, I think). I'm interested in finding out if just maybe, my EZ is responsible for throwing the code. I have disconnected the EZ and continue to drive the truck. My L/P pressures do not go below 12 psi, and is 15 psi at idle. No check engine light, just a P0216 and P0234. Obviously the EZ allowed the P0234 to happen. Have had that code show up and go away several times. Truck seems to run fine. Sometimes, I feel like the idle is a bit rough, but it may just be that I'm thinking about it too hard. I'm gonna drive it a couple of weeks, and if the code doesn't go away, guess I'll visit the dealer. -{} and then and then and then :{ . Next, I'll probably order a modified pump, and then be Oo. At least that's what I'm figurin'

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Jeff,



My pump I TRIED TO BY-PASS THE CUSSING FILTER the bed today!

 

[jrandol]

Originally posted by TORQUE THIS

Jeff,



My pump I TRIED TO BY-PASS THE CUSSING FILTER the bed today!

Man I so didnt want to hear that!! Mine is still showing the codes but seems to be driving fine now, knock on wood! Did you get yourself a new pump yet?



Jeff

 

[TORQUE THIS]

New pump is in... With help it took about 2 hours to swap out.



Truck ran fine on Wednesday, went out on Thursday morning and it wouldn't start!

 

[Sticks]

Man Jeff, I am sorry to her yours in on the down hill slope now. I would have figured that you had one of the good ones with as much as you have done with you truck.



Well, you wanted one of the new hot rod VP44's, now's your chance, and you can tell the CFO you have to get it now.

 

[jrandol]

Hey TT, saw about your pump crappin out on you at 58k miles. How ironic, mine rolled over 58k this evening. Maybe I just outta be done with all this electronic garbage and P-Pump the beast!!

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Originally posted by jrandol

Hey TT, saw about your pump crappin out on you at 58k miles. How ironic, mine rolled over 58k this evening. Maybe I just outta be done with all this electronic garbage and P-Pump the beast!!

AMEN!



After the twins are installed, the next project is the P-Pump!