Wait to Start Light Delay

[BMelhuish]

I have a 1998.5 3500 w/ 166,000 miles. I plan on keeping this Truck and work hard to keep it in top shape. Very recently I needed to crank the engine before it would start. Once started, it ran just fine. It was almost like it was losing its prime. I then noticed that the WTS light light seemed delayed. Honestly, I never paid that much attention to it. But, I swear it used to come on with all of the other lights. It now comes on after all of the other dash lights go out.

If I wait for the WTS light to come on and go out, the engine starts right up. If I don't, it will crank 3-4 secs, and then start right up. There are no issues with running at all. I have not started to check this out except for some research. The research here suggests that the problem might be the ECM. That's a logical but expensive conclusion.

But, I'm not so willing to accept that diagnosis without thoroughly checking it out. I'll check for fuel leaks and grid heater operation first. Also, the thread also suggested checking some data connectors, but the thread was old and the pictures are missing. Has anyone had this issue, and if so, how did you deal with it? Anyone know where the data connectors are?

Thanks,

 

[GAmes]

On a 12 valve the WTS light is tied directly to the air intake temperature (AIT) sender. Do you have one of those?

 

[DavidC]

On a 12 valve the WTS light is tied directly to the air intake temperature (AIT) sender. Do you have one of those?

Yes he does. Any post about this problem I ever saw always resulted in the ECM.

 

[BMelhuish]

Everything I'm seeing indicates the ECM too. There are some threads where folks sent theirs in for rebuild. If you're one of these, what has been your experience with the vendor and the product? I assume that I cannot get a new one from either Dodge or Cummings. Also, after a rebuild, does it need to be flashed by Dodge?

 

[DavidC]

Mine is still original. There are 2 posta around here with reputable rebuilders. I will look around and see if I can find. No promises. No reflash required and no new ones's available that I have seen.

 

[DavidC]

Here is one from moparman1973.com. There is another one tho.

 

[DavidC]

Here is the other
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/ecm-repair-or-replacement.266771/

 

[BarryG]

On my 01 i had to replace my ecm. My wait to start light would not come on at all. As long as it was not too cold it would still start. I could reset it and all would be good for a while and as time went by the time period between resets went from a couple weeks to almost daily over the course of a couple months.

I used a place at the time called auto computer exchange out of Florida (probably 10 years ago) they appear to still be in business though. Gave them the info, they sent one out it didnt work for me, called them iirc I had to send the first one back then they sent me another one sort of a pita but the second one worked fine and is still going today. At the time there were not too many choices and none of them had great reviews well they all had mixed reviews some great some stank badly so it was sort of a crap shoot I rolled the dice as who I used seem to have the most good reviews at the time but they still had plenty of bad ones. Worked out ok in the end, at least for me.

They needed to know year, make, model, auto or standard trans and whether fed or CA emissions, vin I think and perhaps mileage cant remember that for sure (but after the swap the mileage was correct. I did not have to get it flashed at the dealer.

 

[BMelhuish]

Sorry, I've been away a while. Thank you.