Truck has no power, please help.

[ChadMercer]

I have two trucks I ordered at the same time, both 2500's quad cab 6 spd and 4wd. One red and one black, both trucks have about 13k miles on them. The trucks are identical except color. Now my problem, the red truck has all the power I could ever imagine, it could probly yank the winch off my D5 cat. The black truck however is a different story, I don't think it could pull the hat off my head. I have been to the dealer many times only to get the same answer of "come back when you have 20k miles, we can't do anything for that. " My first pull with the black truck was when it had 470 miles on it, I pulled load of round bales of hay and it pulled great. It has been down hill from there! The truck runs great empty.



I tried to pull a tractor and round baler today, and I couldnt get it over 45 mph. I had to run in 5th gear, and here's the weird part. If I put the pedal all the way down, it would howl like a coon dog, then quit. The howl would only last a few seconds then quit for a few seconds then howl again, and so on and so on, until I backed out of the throttle. I talked to my dealer and he acted concerned but knew nothing, I don't know what to do with this truck. THis truck has always been different (noises it makes) last fall I loaded a tractor on a trailer, when I went to take off, the motor made a horrible skreeek and shut down. It had already begun to loose power when it did that or I'd suspect that might have something to do with it.



Sorry its so long I just wanted to provide as much info as I could, if anyone knows or has any ideas I am at a total loss, any help is appreciated.





Thanks

Chad

 

[R.M.THOMPSON]

What is the leaving fuel filter pressure ? Our injection pumps can emit a series of unusual noises when a air pocket passes thru ! Just a logical place to start,is the feul system.

 

[John - K5AWO]

You need to get some legal action going. That truck is a lemon.

 

[DaveMorris]

This just reinforces the fact that the RED ones have more power. ... sorry just had to...



Have you looked at things as trivial as replacing the fuel filter and air filter? I have heard them coming from the factory "pre-clogged"??



What is your fuel mileage like?? Also another possibility would be that you have a air line off (or loose) and the turbo is boosting hard (making the howling sound) then the waste gate is pulling some of the boost back down (making the sound go away)...



Good luck let us know what you find...



Dave

 

[rbattelle]

There's no shortage of people on here who take their trucks to the dealer for various conditions such as "abnormal noise" and "low power". These, I believe, are quite legitimate. Problem is, they all get the same run-around. First, it's "oh, that's normal", then it's "cannot reproduce", then they keep your truck for several weeks and run every test in the world on it, then tell you "you're imagining it, 'cause the computer says it's fine".



Chad, what if you just load that sucker up towing your trailers and wait for the engine to explode? Then you get a new engine under warranty and you can tell the dealer to shove his "come back at 20000 miles".



If DC is going to continue to endorse the moronic behavior of these service departments, then they need to start taking a hit in the pocket as consequence.

 

[ttreibel]

Sounds like a dirty fuel filter and or a weak primer pump. Lots of guys have complained about no power to find there fuel filter is black and caked.



Could the noise you are hearing be the waste gate on the turbo opening to soon might be faulty also look for leaks on the pressure side of the turbo might have a lose clamp that can also rob power without tripping the computer.



I find many times it's easier just to deal with these lttle things myself then sitting on the plastic chairs at the Dodge dealer.



Dump some fuel conditioner in the tank also maybe you got a bad load along the way.

 

[ChadMercer]

I have changed the air filter, but not the fuel filter. My mpg has been around 12-14 empty, but lately I have been getting 1 mpg better everytime I fill up. I am now getting about 17 which is what my red one gets. I have been studying this site and I am thinking it almost has to be a boost problem. I am honostly about to try rbattelle's suggestion of just burning it up, I really think the engine itself is fine, but I could be wrong. I got out there today and checked for intercooler leaks and other air leaks but I couldn't find any (not that I'd really know one when I saw one. ) The sales mgr is going to come out and drive it next week, so I am going to load it and let him pull a load with it. And when he lays this BS on me about it not being broke-in yet, we'll pull with the red truck. Honostly my dealer has been real nice about this but I think they are getting tired of me and this truck. I wonder if the cummins mechanic shop in OKC would be of any help? I guess it might be worth a call. Are these motors warrantied thru Dodge or thru Cummins? I honostly don't know what to do. I can honostly say that if I hadn't bought the red one too I would go right back and get my old Power stroke back, at least that thing would tow. On the other hand if all cummins' pull as good as my red one I won't drive anything else. I appreciate the ideas, keep 'em coming cause anything's possible.



Chad

 

[GerryDrake]

To my understanding the only way that work at Cummins will be authorized is when referred by the dealer, as your warranty, including the engine warranty is with DC. It is the dealer's responsibility, but I wonder what you would find out if you took both to a dyno. Might be interesting to show the results to the dealer and/or directly to Dodge. I'm no way techie enough to guess what the problem might be. .

 

[rbattelle]

Chad,



Do replace the fuel filter right away. Who was it that said "all else being equal, the simplest solution is usually correct"?



-Ryan

 

[HOCummins04]

I have found much better success at problem resolution when I can make it happen, and take the service manager for a ride and demonstrate it. Assuming your tractor and baler pulling is within the specs of the truck, hook it up and take the service manager for a ride to demonstrate. Then if necessary hook up the red one and show the difference. You are in a unique position having two - one good kid and one problem kid The rest of us have little recourse to "that's normal" in terms of hard physical evidence. You have the answer to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Pure judgment call here, but some dealers will refer work back to Cummins. If you think you can get away with it and not cause yourself any problems, you might hint at asking about letting Cummins look at it - maybe as a last resort.

 

[PJ]

Chad, what dealer are you working with? Ive dealt with John Vance in Guthrie. He is a Dodge and Ford dealer. I bought a new Powerstroke in 97 and a new Turbo diesel in 93 from him. He always treated me right. I have a ranch in Edmond just down I-35 from there. Good luck.

 

[doldenburg]

my 600 is a mutt sometimes also. it just feels sick. then the other day I was loaded a little over- about 38,000- it pulled so good I thought I had a different truck.

 

[mberry]

Originally posted by rbattelle

Chad,



... Who was it that said "all else being equal, the simplest solution is usually correct"?



-Ryan

Sherlock Holmes.

 

[moorepowercoatings]

Make sure the turbo compressor clamp is torqued down snug. It kind of sounds like a boost problem to me, turbo related. If the hose going to the waste gate is off or loose it can cause a problem. Look at the turbo.

 

[CChase]

Originally posted by mberry

Sherlock Holmes.

Actually it originated in the 1300 as a product of William of Ockham and is known as Ockham's Razor.

 

[rashwor]

Change the fuel filter... even if it does not look dirty... but it will.

 

[ChadMercer]

OK, the dealer came out and drove both trucks today and admitted I have a problem (believe me, thats progress. . ) He thinks its turbo related too. I'll change the fuel filter in the morning before I haul it over to them, and see if that makes a difference. I guess I will let them take another crack at fixing it, I don't really know what else to do. He sounds like he wants to throw a few new parts at it and see if he can accidently fix it. He also mentioned one other solution. There is a white '04 identical to my black one, and its on their lot. The only thing is, I have put in a gooseneck plate, sprayed in a bedliner, and added some extras to my truck. He wants the truck in tomorrow morning and they are going to get right on it, so maybe by this time tomorrow I'll know something. I'll keep you guys posted. If someone has any last second ideas I'm all ears.



Chad

 

[PJ]

Take the white truck and RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DIESELMAN]

In the words of William of Ockham...

"Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate''



Change the Fuel Filter First.

 

[ChadMercer]

OK, heres the story so far today. I changed the fuel filter and it made a huge difference. Still didn't have the power it should, and it drove and pulled exactly like my non turbo ford diesel pickup. I decided I'd pull the breather tube off and look at the front of the turbo, don't really know what I was looking for but I found it. Looking at it I couldn't tell anything, then I went to touch it and I could barely turn the blades using my finger. I mean, it would just barely move putting lots of finger pressure on it. I then looked at the blades on my red truck, I could stand, leaned over the fender and almost make the fan spin by blowing on it. So, I took it in and we checked everything else out and thats got to be the problem. The svc manager thinks the barking is when the blades are sticking, and the loud skreek it made last fall was when it started binding. I am not too familiar with these trucks so I am trying to learn as I go,so forgive the non technical terms I am using. They are going to put on a new turbo tomorrow and see if that fixes it. I talked with him a little about trading to the white truck, and he's fine with it, and apparently has chryslers approval to do so. I just want my truck fixed, it's the one I picked out, and it's the one I want. But, I told the dealer that if this doesn't fix it I will be trading with him. So either way, my problem is going to be solved tomorrow. I may not trade to his white one, I looked at it and it was missing a few features mine has, but it was a 600, which might make up for something. I think I still would rather have a 555. I'll let you guys know tomorrow what happens.



Chad