Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Truck Won't Start.......Sometimes

[khaneberg]

Here's the deal... ... Last September after coming back from a Field Exercise at Wright Patterson AFB in southern Ohio,(hour and a half drive) me and a buddy stopped for a drink. I came back outside and attempted to start my truck... ..... NOTHING... ... . Just cranked and cranked. I let it sit, and then, BOOM, it fired right up. I knew I had run fuel low so I thought it air in the lines and blew it off. Two weeks later it happened again. So I took it to the dealership. My guy there looked at it, ran tests and said it was fine. I had no problems for about a month. Then it started again. This time I saw that when it's not going to start, the "wait to start" light doesn't come on. This problem is not related to cold starts, or hot starts, it just does it when it wants. Like last night in the Burger King drive through. Imagine how I felt as I pushed my mighty Cummins through the line until it would start :{ Anyone have any ideas on this? Sorry for being long winded.

 

[Andy Redmond]

From your post I'm still not certain if you shared with us the fuel level each time it happens.



If its always when its low on fuel maybe you have a fuel tank sender/module issue that is allowing it to pull air, since the fuel level is low.



Also if you have a weak lift pump, fuel line restriction etc. a full tank's "gravity" advantage may help to overcome some lift pump frailties (sp).



I ran the valves on a 98. 5 (100K) recently that had a whopping 3 psi @ idle aqnd 4 @ psi at rated rpm before the filter and neglible pressure while cranking. He was to contact the DC as it was barely outta warranty.



You should have the updated lift pump, but I think I'd do some pressure checks.



Also, a bad injector pump will do this and finally it will never crank again.



Let's hope this isn't the case.



Think positive right!



Good luck, Andy

 

[khaneberg]

Just like the hot and cold don't affect it starting, neither does fuel level, last night it had 80 miles off a full tank. The pressures (fuel, according to the shop) were fine. The truck has 7300 miles on it. I hope it's not a pump issue. But even with that, why does my "wait to start" light not come on? I know if I don't see that light, it's not going to start. I've check codes, and get nothing. I'm getting a FP gague here soon. But like I said, according to the shop, I have real good pressure.

 

[Pit Bull]

Write up everything it is doing. Take that information to the dealer and make them write it on the repair ticket. Now don't let them get away with saying you don't have a problem. It is a new truck. You don't have the equipment to ascertain the problem let alone fix it. It sounds like a fuel system problem.

 

[khaneberg]

Progress??

I just got off the phone with the dealership. It's going in the 12th. My tech said he thinks its a bad sending unit, or a bad ground related to the sending unit. He said both of those problems would knock out my "wait to start" light and would disable my injection pump. I'll let you all know what I find.

 

[rashwor]

I think ...

you are on the right track. It sounds like an electrical issue. Sounds like an intermitant (sp?) short of some kind. Good luck and keep us posted with what you find.

 

[Oil Burner]

I agree, sound electrical. I had the same problem with 4,000 miles on mine. went inside after a long drive, came out and it wouldn't start until later that night. never happened again but i suspect a faulty wire somewhere. hope its not your injection pump keep us posted

-Jason

 

[Bratton]

I had a similar problem with my '02 6spd ETH. It started fine the first few months of it's life. Then it started intermittently being hard to start though it did always start eventually. The Wait to start light behaved like yours. Chrysler replaced the VP-44 but the problem didn't go away. The IAT sensor was reading 140 degrees when the dealer shop was at 60. Chrysler would not let the tech order a new IAT sensor, they said keep looking. The actual problem turned out to be a bad o-ring and washer on one of the injectors. This allowed the system to lose prime it also caused a lot of carbon build up on the injector. It starts and runs great now that the o-ring and copper washer were replaced and the injector cleaned.

The IAT sensor also reads correctly after the above repair. (Go figure on that one. )

I have 15,000 miles on the clock and the problem started at about 11,000 miles.

 

[khaneberg]

Making Progress

Well, it looks like it's my ECM. :--) My tech called me today. He told me he finally got it to act up for him, and when it did, it locked him out of EVERYTHING. No Chrysler Computer, no Cummins Computer. SO he called Cummins and had them order me a new ECM. Should be here and in by closing Friday. Hope this solves it!!! A little FYI on this dealership, they told me that even if they had to push it, my truck would be kept inside every night they had it. That's service!