P1011 - Fuel Pump Delivery Pressure Too Low

[crispyboy]

Seeking some advice.
I am on a family vacation and a CEL popped up yesterday. I was coming up a long grade and for the first time ever I had the accelerator pedal close to the floor. I noticed that the temperature gauge was quickly rising and towards the top of the grade I was losing power. After the grade the truck cooled down and we went to the campground. I cleared the code but so far have only driven around the town of Cody, Wy and it has ran fine. I plan to be back on the road tomorrow. I have approximately 1600 miles to get home. We are pulling an 8,300 lb camper and the truck typically tows this trailer with ease.
The other symptom I noticed was that the truck had black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. I have been noticing the black smoke more and more and often happens if the truck starts to lug. I have been getting a big cloud. Hate it.
The current fuel filters have approximately 3300 miles on them.
The truck is running a "stock power delete" EFI tune with ~113,000 miles. 2009 2500.
I run power service in each tank of fuel.
Do you think this could be:
- in tank fuel pump
- sticky injector
- fuel control actuator
- rail pressure sensor

 

[BigPapa]

Need more details on your truck. I see you’re a member, it helps to fill out your signature. That way we don’t have to ask.

 

[crispyboy]

2009 2500 CTD
EFI - stock power deleted
Mopar auxilliary fuel filter kit.
The remainder of the truck is stock.
Original injectors, in tank fuel pump, fuel control actuator and rail pressure sensor

 

[BigPapa]

Transmission?

 

[Jim W]

What gear were you in and what was the CEL?

The is a slightly simple explanation on the black smoke. Black smoke is caused by over fulling. The fuel does not have enough air for complete burn thus so, the black smoke.

So, the in-tank lift pump and strainer would not be an issue.

I have been to Yellowstone and Cody pulling a 12,000 + 5th wheel out there. And I have had to down shift to 5th gear on steep grades to prevent the temperature rises for the engine. The only thing I watch when in 5th gear and going up a very steep slope is the boost pressure to ensure this stays around 30 PSI.

 

[Ozymandias]

I see driving in high altitude and with a delete tune.

 

[sag2]

The code P1011 means the actual fuel pressure is less than the commanded pressure. Start with filters (or verify fuel flow at the CP3 at least 1 quart in 30 seconds) then look for leaks on the high pressure side. Can you monitor commanded and actual pressure?

 

[crispyboy]

I have no way to monitor the fuel pressure as I have never put any gauges on the truck. I suppose my next purchase should be a set of gauges. There are no leaks at the present time. We are traveling today and should be in a better place to change out the filters tomorrow.
When I was going up the hill I could feel the truck losing power due to the grade so I down shifted into 5th gear. This was a long drawn out grade and really had no had trouble with grades like this up to this point. The CEL came near the top. I saw the engine temperature start to spike so I slowed way down. Things cooled off quickly on the down side.

Back at home our elevation is around 950 ft. Every once in a while see this puff of rolling coal smoke when the truck upshifts on hill when it hasn't been worked hard in awhile. The truck always ran good.

If and when I take this to a mechanic is there any direction I should point them in for troubleshooting?
Is there a mileage when the rail pressure sensor or fuel control actuator should be replaced out of preventative maintenance or is this just shotgunning parts?
Do mechanics have a way check individual injectors or do these get sent out to be checked?

 

[BigPapa]

You still haven’t told us if it’s an auto or manual, or what your RPM’s were before and after your shift. You said “I down shifted into 5th gear” and then you say “when the truck upshifts”. Confusing…..

 

[Jim W]

I see driving in high altitude and with a delete tune.

OZY, I also am deleted and have been since 2009. I am using a Smarty S67 on CaTACHER Level 3 which adds 60HP/120TQ measured at the rear wheels. I have never had the above issue when towing at altitude. I have been up and over the continental divide using the Eisenhower tunnel on I70.

But I dropped to 5th gear to keep the EGT's down and the Boost around 30 PSI, no black smoke.

 

[crispyboy]

The truck has an automatic transmission 68RFE.

To continue the story. We drove from Cody, Wy over to Custer, SD. The CEL (p1011) popped again going over a 9500 ft pass (US 16) just west of Buffalo, Wy and again when going into Custer, Sd about 5000 ft. I was not pushing the truck hard either time just loping along.
Yesterday I found a diesel shop in Summerset, Sd called Infinity Diesel. (https://infinitydiesel.com) They were able to squeeze us in on Monday morning. They were a busy shop with many fleet and local ranch trucks. The in-tank fuel pump output was correct. The air filter was dirty which surprised me because it wasn't too old. Apparently this is a case of over fueling when the truck starts to lug just before a downshift with a load. They also put in a fuel rail plug and said the spring in the original can get weak over time.
They said there could be some injectors sticking a bit so they also recommended a bottle of Mopar DIESEL INJECTOR CLEANER Part Number - 68194640AB and run the tank down as far as possible. They claimed to have good success with this product. They said to go run the truck with some good pulls and bring it back if there are problems.
We ran the rig down towards our next camping spot for the night. This ride had a lot of up and down hills though Custer State Park. No CEL's but still getting some black smoke when the truck downshifts from 4th to 3rd on heavy pulls.
I still feel something is not quite right but the I feel the truck should get us home without further issue. Thursday will start 3 long days of driving towards home.

So what is your thoughts on the fuel rail plug. Is this a band-aid? Do they cause problems later down the road? Should I put the correct part back in when I get home?
Should the injectors be checked by a professional? What type of test would they do? If one is somewhat faulty should all be replaced? There is 113k miles on the truck with original injectors.
I feel there is more going on with the truck but it is doing a great job of pulling the trailer otherwise.

On a sidenote - Custer State Park in South Dakota is one of the nicest and cleanest state parks that I can ever remember going to.

Here is a picture of our rig stopped in a construction delay on the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming. This has been a great vacation for my family and have enjoyed it to the hilt - I have taken a full three weeks for this trip which is the most I have been away from my job in 21 years. About 4k miles so far.

 

[Ozymandias]

Your problem can be both ways, to much fuel OR to little air.

Just a week ago I had to replace my turbocharger, it was on its way out and signaled it to me before the inevitable end at the side of the road.

Downshifting also means the turbo must spool up quite quick to compensate the jump up in rpm, mine wasn't so willing anymore to do that.

I regularly check the play at the compressor wheel and always found close to none, now I had play almost to the point that wheel would touch the compressor housing.

Lucky me Genos had everything in stock and shipped it to Fairbanks within 4 days, which was great.

 

[AH64ID]

Get that fuel rail plug out of there asap. The shutdown pressure spikes on a CR are huge, you don’t want that long term. There were once considered a decent mod, but it’s been a long time since that was the case on anything but a race motor.

Smoke isn’t always a sign of anything wrong, it could just be how it’s tuned.

There are several things that could be going on, but fuel filters or tuning are my first two thoughts. If the tune did anything to the rail pressure or altitude tables it could be as simple as bad programming at that elevation. The fuel filters are my first mechanical thought.

As for the engine temp spiking, how far did it spike? What rpms were you at?

 

[crispyboy]

The engine temperature spike was really an anomaly - never happened before. I only have factory gauges in the truck so it shot up quickly I am guessing to 230 degrees and it was climbing - I quickly slowed down when I saw this. Most of this trip it has ran below 200 (normal range) and sometimes on long grades it may go a gauge needle width above the 200 mark. Maybe 2300 on the rpm if I recall.

 

[Ozymandias]

Still on the OEM fan clutch?
Did you hear it roar when it spiked?

I had the exact same happen to me once when my fan clutch was proven bad. Had cut it's wires, other story.
I never had a problem until I had to climb a long grade which was to much.
Gauge stayed just above the middle mark as usual and I thought, hey cool, i can climb that grade just. Until the meddle went into danger zone from one second to the next.

To me it's clear now - the engine temp gauge is also a partly fake gauge. Like on most modern cars by the way.

 

[crispyboy]

It is the original fan clutch. I do hear the fan from time to time but it is when I would expect it while climbing a heavy grade. It has been normal the past few days of driving.

 

[Ozymandias]

Weird, maybe it was a one time hiccup.
Me myself I don't think to much into these hiccups as long as they aren't coming back repeatedly.

 

[crispyboy]

I ordered a BOSCH 1110010013 Fuel Rail Pressure Relief Valve today. It should be here by the weekend. Next week I will try and stop by the local diesel repair shop for a discussion.