Truck died on way home

[nwinters]

On my way home tonight the truck died about 1 mile from my house. I have a Edge Comp and decided to give it a try on 5-1. I was in an area where the speed limit went from 40 to 55 so I went WOT for about 1/8 mile. The truck pulled well, but when I lifted the pedal it decelerated, but then kept slowing down. It is acting like a gas truck that has no spark. Fuel pressure is good, it never fell below 10psi. Boost never went over 28. When I crank it over, fuel pressure jumps around a bit from about 13 down to 11 but the engine won't turn over, just keeps on cranking.

The truck is stock except for the Comp box that I always run on setting 1-5, this is the second time I've tried it on higher settings, this time it didn't do so well.

Let me know what I should try doing.



Nate

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

Try the crank position sensor. It's actually quite a common failure on the 98. 5 and 99 Dodge Rams. If your fuel pressure is good, the last possibility unfortunately is the VP44 pump.



You can also try disconnecting the batteries first and reattaching them after a couple of minutes in case the ECM recorded a fault code.

 

[CumminsAholic]

I don't have good news. That's what happened to me. The 98. 5's are known for weak injector pumps. I turned my box on "high" and when I let off, that was it. My injector pump went out. Loosen an injector line at the head (19mm, I think) and crank it over, it there's fuel spraying out, the vp44 is probably ok, if not, it's more than likely dead. The good news, I had mine replaced at Cummins. . DC wouldn't warranty it... And I've been running on "high" ever since with no problems. As of now it looks to me that you had the luck that I did and got a weak pump. If your dealer won't warranty it, bring it to a Cummins shop, they'll be way cheaper, and in my opinion they'll do a better job.

Corey

 

[jwdeeming]

Comp Box

Wow - as a fellow Comp user I'm really intersted in this. I'm wondering if this is a total failure of your lift or injector pump. Did you connect the fuel pump wire when you installed this box?



I've had a lift pump "partially" fail, pre-Comp install. The truck still ran - just cut out at high rpms. If you're totally dead, I wonder if that's the symptom for injector pump failure. Do some searches of other posts on pumps and see what you come up with.



Also, I assume you've checked for loose wires where the Comp is connected. I really can't imagine what else this could be, other than pump-related.



Please post your final analysis here. From the threads, I think the number of Comp users is growing rapidly.



Thanks, and good luck.

JimD

 

[CumminsAholic]

Like I said in the other post, the 98. 5's and maybe some 99's had weak pumps. They were known for the pumps going out when adding a box, even without the box. Adding the comp speeds up the process of it failing. With your truck I wouldn't be worried as I haven't heard of anybody ruining one by adding a box. Mine ran ok on low, but as soon as I hit high, it was done... really sucked, I almost joined KISS, but what the heck, if you're gonna play you gotta pay right?

Corey

 

[Snow man]

Dude,it sounds like the typical horror story of another weak pump that couldnt take it. This one is going to be $$$. I got lucky with mine,its been fine,so i think it'll hold up,it seems like if they last thru 3 or 4 fulll power runs,then they are fine,I hope it isnt the pump,but fear it it,good luck.

 

[nwinters]

Thanks for the help guys. I tried the battery disconnect thing while waiting to get it moved off the highway, it didn't seem to help out. The Check Engine light never came on, I don't think I mentioned that at first, not sure if it would come on in the case of the Inj. Pump.

Anyway, I had it towed over to Bluechip, they are about a mile from me. Hopefully it is somthing that they can help me out with. I'll talk to Chip in the morning. I don't know if I have a Cummins shop near me... I have a Freightliner shop down the road that sells me Cummins parts, not sure if they would do it.

Its late, gotta get up early and make phone calls.



Thanks again



Later



Nate

 

[jwdeeming]

Oops. Guess I was tired when I posted last night. This was supposed to be a reply to "Truck Died On The Way Home", by nwinters.



Asleep at the keyboard...

JimD

 

[nwinters]

Hmm, it was in reply to that... . Somehow the topic changed to Comp Box



Nate

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

The title changed because I merged the threads. I don't do it that often and the title is based on which thread you merge from, not to - I forgot that. The title is fixed now.



-Steve St. Laurent

Lead Moderator

 

[jwdeeming]

Steve,

Thanks for bailing me out!

JimD

 

[MD500E]

I am pretty sure you have a injector pump failure. Mine did the same thing last week. I made one long run on my way home, let of and the engine died. Injector pump siezed up. Has anyone else thought about the fact that the engine shuts of after a hard run with high egt's with out any cool down. My truck was making that clinking noise as it cooled down. I kept turning it over to cool the turbo. That poor thing must of been hot!

 

[nwinters]

Well it was the injector pump, it is typical for them to sieze when you lift. Bluechip had the part overnighted and installed the day they got it (Wed). They did a great job getting my truck back on the road so quickly. I would reccomend dealing with them for anyone who needs a hand with their truck, they really know what they are doing.

One thing about the new pump, it sounds different. Under WOT with the old pump you could hear it, it had a much 'grittier' sound to it like a very-very fast ticking. The new pump I can also hear, but it sounds 'smoother', no ticking, a consistant sound. For me, the sound seems to come from the direction of the instrument cluster. Anyone else notice the pump sound, or a difference if you have replaced one?

Thanks to all who replied to the post.



Nate

 

[Dave MacArthur]

How much is an injector pump? Installed? I just ordered a Comp box a couple of days ago. I'm planning on using it as an EZ 'till I install guages and a trany upgrade. Anyone having injector pump problems with the EZ? For the extra $100 I figured I would get the in cab control and be able to upgrade in the future.

 

[nwinters]

You should be able to get one for under $1500. 00 Don't go to the dealer, get it from a Cummins distributer. I got a 1yr warranty on the pump from a distributer.

Running as an EZ you shouldn't have any problems, even if you would have one running it up all the way, I didn't (as an EZ). I ran it as an EZ for about a month, I know not much time, but considering I only ran it full two times and the second one it blew, I am only speak from experiance.

You should read the VP44 FAQ that Bluchip has on their website, it should explain quite a bit. Basically they feel that if you don't blow it in the first 20min of heavy fueling, it will last. Good luck, I'm knocking on wood that I have a good one. I have run it pretty hard for quite a bit of time so far and I dynoed the truck at 325 today (box only on stock truck), seems like it should last.



Nate

 

[rbolten]

VP44 fuel pressure ??

Checked for fuel,cracked 2 lines at VP44,cranked over engine,fuel runs out slow,I was thinking it should be spraying out with a lot of pressure should'n it? Also cracked 2 injector lines next, same thing, fuel just runs out real slow. Is it a bad VP44 or could a bad lift pump do the same thing? My lift pump seems to be filling up fuel canister just fine,when I open drain on canister while lift pump is running it will spray fuel out with force. Initial problem occurred with PE COMP on 5/5 running hard in 4th gear,let of throttle to shift to 5th and engine just died out.

 

[LSMITH]

rbolten, if you just barely have the line cracked (1/16th turn) you might see just a dribble, but if you have a quarter turn to half turn open it should be coming out with a lot of force. If you are open a quarter turn or more and are only getting a dribble you have more than likely cooked the injection pump. In nearly every failure I have read about the pump has failed when heavy throttle is let off. Let off under heavy throttle and truck is dead seems to be about 98-2 odds that the injection pump has moved on. I sincerely hope this isn't the case for you, but I think it is dead.

 

[rbolten]

Will my new VP44 hold up to the PE COMP

Now that my VP44 is toast on my '99 3500,I've ordered my new one,said to be the newest updated pump #027. Should I be afraid to run the COMP on 5/5 now, can't afford to buy another VP44. Also installed fuel pressure guage and JRE Pusher Pump Kit is on the way. Any input from guys out there with new VP44's on your 98. 5's and 99's, do we have to take it easy on the COMP to prevent another failure, or were our pumps junk to start with? Has anyone heard of failures on 2000 and 2001's with a PE COMP? I love the power I purchased, sure would like to use it.

 

[CumminsAholic]

I've had my new VP44 on for a year and a half now, no problems at all. I also have a High power box and my pump went out on the highest setting. I don't think that you have to worry about the new pump. The old one had a defect, more than likely it wasn't deburred properly. Too bad it didn't happen before you added the box. It would have gone out, the box just sped up the process. I know what it's like without a warranty. But I guess if you're gonna play you gotta be prepared to pay.

Corey

 

[nwinters]

Moderator

Go ahead and remove the 'Sticky' I'm back on the road. Thanks to all that helped out.



Nate