Truck dying at idle

[EB]

I have been having a problem of my truck dying when I slow down from hiway speed to make a turn and also when I am sitting at a stop light. It always starts right back up, but I nearly had a wreak yesterday turning off the hiway onto a road, no brakes, no steering. I thought I had gotten some bad fuel a while back, I've changed the filters a number of times, (5) and it will help for a while. (1000-2000 miles then it is doing the same thing again) The only codes that have to do with the fuel are P0148, P000F, and P0087, also had at one time P0607. I have replaced the over pressure valve a while back. I couldn't read the codes this morning to see what are right now. Sometimes I can't read the codes for some reason. I have a list of codes, but they have to do with my deletes, the fuel codes are the only ones I've listed.



Before I start throwing $ at parts, can anyone come up with any ideas about what my problem can be. Dodge house says I have some crap in my tank and it needs to be cleaned out and because of the miles on my truck (349,500+) to go ahead and change the in-tank pump. ($600+) Don't really think that is the problem because GM trucks have the same fuel pump and no lift pump at all.



Anyone have any ideas of suggestions of what I might do to solve this problem.

 

[Bob4x4]

Take a fuel sample put it in a glass jar and see what shows after a few minute,then shake it up and try looking through it with a good led flash light

 

[EB]

What am I suppose to see? After 5 filter changes the one I changed yesterday (after about 2500 miles) was clean and the truck was still dying before I changed it. It has been suggested I change the fuel control actuator, that is a much cheaper and easier fix than the lift pump. Still looking for answers. By the way the volume from the lift pump is in the range it is suppose to be.

 

[HBarlow]

EB,

You and TulsaOkie are the ISB6. 7 high mileage champs here on TDR, none of the rest of us can tell you, from experience, what might be wrong.

If your dealer has a knowledgeable and skilled tech you trust you could take the truck in and discuss having the cylinder contribution test done. It is performed in the service bay while hooked up to the Dodge computer. It will measure performance of each injector and each cylinder.

If I were in your shoes, I would acknowledge that you have no choice but to stop hauling until the truck is diagnosed and repaired. Continuing as it is will likely result in a complete breakdown and a big tow bill or worse, engine damage, or a crash due to loss of braking and steering capability. If a worn injector sticks open you'll lose an engine.

I urge you to take it up to Mike Mullenax at Elder Dodge in Athens and plan on spending enough time for him to diagnose it. You might have to leave it with him until parts can be ordered in. Mike is good and understands. He'll give you straight facts and not rip you off.

If I had to guess I would guess some component in the fuel supply and control sub systems if failing, perhaps injectors. Some dealership techs will kill you with trial and error parts replacement and none of those high dollar parts can be removed and returned to stock once they are installed on your truck when they don't correct the problem.

Please keep us posted. If we keep our trucks we'll all eventually get to the same place you are.

 

[RVTRKN]

Seems to me to be fuel related, and if your filter is clean, it could be your lift pump as Dodge suggested. Run it to empty and lower the tank, remove the lift pump assembly and inspect the tank. Install a pick up assembly only and install a Fass system, now that you have to go that far. Don't know where to get one, if one from a 04. 5 works, before the intank lift pump install, I will give you my old one.

 

[EB]

The fuel tank will be coming out of the truck tomorrow to be cleaned and the lift pump changed. Talked to Mike Mullenax and he also suggested that the lift pump was probably the problem. That is two Dodge mechanics that have the same solution to the problem. The Dodge shop mechanic I have used before also told me to do that. It will be done tomorrow, hopefully I'll be back on the road Tuesday.

 

[HBarlow]

The fuel tank will be coming out of the truck tomorrow to be cleaned and the lift pump changed. Talked to Mike Mullenax and he also suggested that the lift pump was probably the problem. That is two Dodge mechanics that have the same solution to the problem. The Dodge shop mechanic I have used before also told me to do that. It will be done tomorrow, hopefully I'll be back on the road Tuesday.

Let us know if that fixes your problem.

 

[EB]

Tank cleaned out and a new (re-manufactured) lift pump in, all codes were cleared and everything is ok at this point. No warning lights or codes showing at the moment. Let me run for a few days and see if anything comes back up. The fuel tank did look like it had what the shop said was fungus in it. Don't know, we'll see.

 

[HBarlow]

Good. That's probably the cure.

 

[KLauber]

Any diesel tank will grow algae. A splash of biocide once a year might be the cure for everyone.

Ken

 

[dlmetzger]

Isn't it really bacteria or a fungus. Algae is a plant and needs sunlight to grow. Not pickin a fight, just sayin...

 

[AH64ID]

Hopefully it fixes the issue. I would have thought a failing/failed LP would manifest differently as the CP3 is designed to pull fuel.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Isn't it really bacteria or a fungus. Algae is a plant and needs sunlight to grow. Not pickin a fight, just sayin...

Yep, bacteria and/or mold. Fuel Bacteria Test Kits



"If water enters your fuel system either through condensation or vents, it can causes bacteria growth. Many species of bacteria, mold and fungus can grow in diesel fuel but not algae. The scientific names for the most common types of organisms that live in petroleum products are Cladosporium resinae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.



Algae growth in fuel is a misnomer for the problem.



What looks like algae may be in fact asphaltene or diesel sludge. "





Bill

 

[EB]

What was in it almost looked like soot. Black, very fine particles that were all over the lift pump, and also in the indention (sump?) that the pump sits in. They were very easy to see in the tank as the inside of the is white. The tank must have a liner of some kind in it because the outside is black plastic.

I went on a job yesterday afternoon and the truck continually from 1:00 pm to 8:30 pm with no issues, that included several hours of idling. The only codes that showed up were the usual ones that show up because of my deletes. Hopefully this is the end of this issue.

 

[WaynesWorld]

Guys,



I pulled my tank off last night. It had black stuff all over the screen. It was thick enough to scrap off with a screw driver. I couldn't figure out how to get the darn thing out. So I just blew it out after a solvent bath. The forth time it was very clean.

I jumped the pump hot wire to see if it works. How much fuel should it push?

Should I R&R it with a Air Dog or leave it stock? Its my daily driver.



WAYNES WORLD

 

[AH64ID]

What was in it almost looked like soot. Black, very fine particles that were all over the lift pump, and also in the indention (sump?) that the pump sits in. They were very easy to see in the tank as the inside of the is white. The tank must have a liner of some kind in it because the outside is black plastic.

I went on a job yesterday afternoon and the truck continually from 1:00 pm to 8:30 pm with no issues, that included several hours of idling. The only codes that showed up were the usual ones that show up because of my deletes. Hopefully this is the end of this issue.

Sounds like a tank full of Asphaltenes. Do you ever run a fuel additive/conditioner?

 

[WaynesWorld]

AH64ID,



Sounds like a tank full of Asphaltenes. Do you ever run a fuel additive/conditioner?-------



Are you serious about the Asphaltenes ??????



But yes I do run additives. WHY ?

WAYNES WORLD

 

[AH64ID]

Yes I am serious. Fleetguard doesn't make this for fun...

Asphaltene Conditioner

 

[WaynesWorld]

AH64ID,



That is the first time I've heard of that stuff. Thanks-----Oo.



I cleaned out the tank today. The truck runs great again.



WAYNES WORLD

 

[KLauber]

Algae will grow in Above ground storage tanks, but for our trucks and underground storage tanks, the bacteria rule. I was just working on a 12,000 gallon UST removal and the inside of the tank had black slime on the inside. Nasty.

Ken