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Pretty sure another FCA failure

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Harvey, the problem was not caused by two stroke oil additives. I don't run anything except anti gel in the tank when it gets around the 15 degree or colder mark around here. I change the fuel filter every 5000 miles and the air filter every 10,000. The two stroke oil in the tank has been well documented here in helping diagnose a failing FCA. I put it in so that I could make it home and until the new part could be replaced. After this tank, I will return to my straight diesel routine.

This article was linked by a thread here a while ago. Not saying its truth, but interesting reading nontheless.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76.../177728-lubricity-additive-study-results.html
 
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Does objectivity play any part in your logical thought processess or do you just believe anything you hear without reservation if the speaker is on your unassailable list? The question is rhetorical as far as it applies to you, but, there are people here an there that don't believe any and all excited utterances regardless of source without some concrete evidence. Considering the known evidence supports exactly the opposite, it is not out of the realm of ordinary to request a coherent discussion why the disagreement with the facts. That has been done and still there is no coherent valid information to allow an informed decision.

At least you got your chance to opine on something you have never seen or tried, never experineced, and don't understand anything about, no matter how esoteric it is. That is a forum at work. :)




LMAO, you are adamant you never had any problems like this, but, THIS is definitely not a problem you have never had or experienced or ever heard about. While every troubleshooting guide and hard experience, not to mention the OP's actions, indicate it is in fact the result of a problem you freely admit you are ignorant of, you manufacture a reason to support your subjective opinions. :rolleyes:

Lessee, what was the evidence I suggested existed for not using 2 stroke oil, "Baseless comparisons to gas engines and Uncle Harveys buddies friend says... ... . ". Thank you for exemplifying the point better than words ever could. :-laf:-laf

212k and counting while using 2 stroke oil and additives. :D
Glad you asked. I trust the Cummins engineers who have made their position on the issue quite clear in owners manuals for each generation of engines installed in Dodge/Ram trucks and educated folks like Joe Donnelly. I do not place any confidence whatsoever in the unsupported opinions of blowhards like some here. Which group are you in?
 
I trust the Cummins engineers who have made their position on the issue quite clear in owners manuals for each generation of engines installed in Dodge/Ram trucks



They sure have! Cummins has always unequivocally stated fuel quality is paramount, and, have adopted and clearly quantified that requirement in the standards they reference. Since you already have all that info I will let you reread that standard as it applies here. :D



Then again, we aren't specifically talking about Cummins engines as much as we are a Robert Bosch HPCR fuel injection system. By your measure, Cummins and Cummins educated people are the only trusted sources of info, so, all the Bosch recs, independent studies, etc, that clearly detail the negative effects of lack of lubricity on the fuel system components must be flawed because they did not come from a source that you recognize as authoritative. I am sure the Bosch engineers are suitably impressed with your marginalization of their expertise.



I am from the group that doesn't buy bridges unseen. How many bridges, or shares therein, do you own? :confused:
 
Baloney. Bosch yada, yada, yada. Maybe something will stick if you sling enough of it at the wall. All Dodge/Ram owner's manuals have clearly stated fuel additives are unnecessary and not recommended. I don't know about your truck but the original poster and I are talking about Dodge/Ram trucks with engines manufactured by Cummins not Bosch. Dodge provides the warranty so I follow their written guidance. Perhaps you should offer your vast expertise to Cummins and Ram engineers so they can revise their owner's manuals - like you did with the Ram transmission engineer who was involved with the design, manufacture, and testing of the Ram 68RFE. You made a big impression on him.
 
So it was NOT the FCA. All was well all week long. Friday, drove 40 minutes to pick up the camper, drove an hour with it no problem, then up a hill, the problems returned. Sputtering, surging and rpm's drop from 2200 to 1000 then back again. I limped to the race track. Saturday morning on a cold motor, it still sounded like poo. At idle it has a bad rattle. I checked my exhaust because it was so bad, I thought I might have a leak. I checked the oil, and couldn't tell if it was high or not, so I drove to walmart and asked them to change it for me. I didn't want to take the chance of diesel diluted oil and I was due anyway. "Buddy" gave me a stupid look, told me he had to put 5W-30 synthetic in it so I bought 15W-40, a crescent wrench, an oil pan and changed it myself in the parking lot right in front of their shop. Anyway, the rattle didn't go away. I filled the empty tank with fresh fuel. Last night, I was able to drive home without incident although it still sounds like crap at idle and idles poorly. I babied it the whole way though. Under power, it sounded fine.

What's next, torque cross tubes, test injectors, new 2013?
 
Yikes, that is a problem. Under power it sounds good and has good power? Any sign of bad mileage?

Loose cross over tubes can do some weird things but mostly hard starts and no start when warm.

I wonder if you did not get some bad fuel that wiped out the original FCA and now has caused issues with injectors. Since you don't have a lot to loose at this point, I would fill the filter housing with SeaFoam, idle it for minute or so to push it thru the system, then let it sit for 24 hrs. The rattle sounds like you have some hanging injectors, could be damage from abrasions or sticky. So hard to tell unless they are examined closely.
 
Update. I gave the sea foam a try. Drained the bowl, changed the filter again, filled it with sea foam, ran it for 2 minutes, shut it off for 24 hours then went for a drive. It seems my symptoms have finally stabilized. I start the truck from a cold start and it idles and sounds just fine. I take off, 10 seconds later it starts to sputter and cough, tries to stall, throws the same code P0148, catches itself then runs fine. It still idles with a rattle. Under power, it sounds fine but let off, the rattle comes back. Power seems fine, no more smoke than usual, no worse fuel economy. I can think of nothing more I am capable of. I think I am going to take it to the Cummins dealer truck shop and see what they find. If I can stay away from the Ram dealer, I am going to.
 
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Hopefully the Cummins shop can and will work on it. Since the truck has proprietary software most Cummins shops won't touch it unless you are paying and they have the Scanners capable of connecting to the ECU. They can't even run the injector return tests as defined by Dodge unless they can connect. Injector return flow test, cylinder contribution, and CP-3 return flow test, and monitor the rail pressure under the conditions that cause the problems would be the next steps and go from there.

If the Cummins shop can't help, you can probably find a dealer that will do them if you just pay for it. The big problem will insuring they have the technical capability to do the tests correctly and that will be a judgement call on your part. I would have a chat with the diesel tech and just tell him you want the unbiased tests and then discuss how the results coincide with your symptoms. If you wanted a second opinion you could take the info elsewhere. Sometimes delaers will feed you a line about how they can't give you the information because it is proprietary, don't buy it. You payed for it, it is yours. Make sure you get it in writing the results are yours to keep when you pay the bill.

Good luck with the troubleshooting.
 
UPDATE:

It wasn't the FCA or bad fuel. It was a bad Fuel Pressure sensor. It was reading high, the truck was dropping the pressure making everything run VERY poorly. Luckily, there was another 06 at the shop and they swapped that sensor and he truck ran fine with no codes. So my new sensor comes in today. He Los ran fuel pressure tests and flow tested the injectors. #6 was very weak so that is getting replaced today as well. Hopefully I will have it back tonight. I really wasn't looking to drop $700 into he truck weeks before I trade it in but I could not in good will leave it that way.
 
Got the truck back today and it runs great. No more rattle, just smooth, clean, quiet power. $650 for an injector replacement and fuel pressure sensor. Just glad my baby is back.
 
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