Archived Very difficult Starting

[Sh8ryn]

I hope someone can help me . We have a 1998. 5 24 valve TD pick-up that has been giving us a lot of grief . It would not start once the cold weather arrived. It was taken to our local Dodge dealer who installed a number of components includin ECM, lift pump and injector pump. We finally got the truck back after more than 7 weeks, and the problem still persisted.

Last week we took it shopping some 50 miles from home and when we tried to start it, it would not start. Fortunately ( I guess)

we were just around the corner from a Cummins garage, so we took it there and they installed a new lift pump . Because our Dealer told us the warranty was no longer valid, we paid the Cummins bill (a little over $1,000. 00) . The next day when we tried to start the truck it was doing the same cranking over and over before starting. I had also checked the warranty and found it should still be valid. Does anyone have any idea how to correct this problem ( hard starting) .

 

[Extreme1]

Since the work was done at a Cummins shop and not a Dodge shop, you will need to try to get reimbursed by Dodge.



The hard starting problem seems like it might be similar to what happens on the 12 valve trucks when there is a leak in the return line and the fuel system looses prime. If the Dodge dealer you're working with runs out of ideas try to find one in your area that is more familiar with the diesels.

 

[Shovelhead]

Also see this thread.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74214

 

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Sh8ryn

Fortunately ( I guess)

we were just around the corner from a Cummins garage, so we took it there and they installed a new lift pump . Because our Dealer told us the warranty was no longer valid, we paid the Cummins bill (a little over $1,000. 00) . The next day when we tried to start the truck it was doing the same cranking over and over before starting. I had also checked the warranty and found it should still be valid. Does anyone have any idea how to correct this problem ( hard starting) .

$1000 for a lift pump, or was the grand from the dealer? If it was the dealer, you got a fair deal (is that possible?) If it was cummins for the $140 lift pump, I would be choking the pi$$ out of someone.



Get a fuel pressure gauge at you local auto parts store and presuming you can get it started, check to make sure you are getting fuel pressure.



You may also have a leak in one of the fuel lines between the tank and the injectors that is letting air get in. Do a search on fuel leaks to find more about it. If air seeps in after shutdown, that could cause it.

 

[rashwor]

I had this problem...

It turned out to be my injector pump going bad. The starting would be noticably harder when the truck was warm / hot in this hot Texas weather. Let it sit overnight and it would fire considerably better. Truck always ran fine once it started.