Dodge 2001 Cummings losing power

[reznici]

Hi, new member as of today;- need help !
My 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 t.diesel is losing power from time to time. It is predictible, when going down hill, and dont need power for a whille and then start to push the pedal it feels like going on 2 cylinders only. I have to stop (mostly) and exersize the fuel pedal for few seconds, then it starts to catch a breath and goes again. The dealer put a new fuel pump in to the tank (did not help), change the fuel filter and did not find nothing wrong. Bad fuel ?-I went thru 2 gas tanks of fuel from other pumps, adding a fuel treatment,- still the same.
Any ideas anybody ???
Thanks, Karel

[Tbird100636]

Hi, new member as of today;- need help !
My 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 t.diesel is losing power from time to time. It is predictible, when going down hill, and dont need power for a whille and then start to push the pedal it feels like going on 2 cylinders only. I have to stop (mostly) and exersize the fuel pedal for few seconds, then it starts to catch a breath and goes again. The dealer put a new fuel pump in to the tank (did not help), change the fuel filter and did not find nothing wrong. Bad fuel ?-I went thru 2 gas tanks of fuel from other pumps, adding a fuel treatment,- still the same.
Any ideas anybody ???
Thanks, Karel
Any Check Engine light??? If so what were the DTC's set??? Does it sometimes from a stop accelerates normally, then de-powers and won't rev. higher unless you let off then come back on the accelerator, just to have it de-power again???

[reznici]

No engine light, some times if I let go the fuel pedal for few seconds it will power up and go like nothing. Then on the HWY it may repeat at next downhill, or it may last 100 Km.

[Tbird100636]

No engine light, some times if I let go the fuel pedal for few seconds it will power up and go like nothing. Then on the HWY it may repeat at next downhill, or it may last 100 Km.
There have been Injector Pump Issues, but usually the Check Engine light comes on with an Injector pump timing failure or Injector pump crank sensor doesn't agree with engine crank sensor. The Cam Sensor that's on it's way out can cause a de-power issue.

[Trucker53]

I am in the same boat as you...a new user of this forum...have an o2 model doing the same thing......my question out there to the experts is...is it a faulty accelerator sensor. I'm waiting for a reply too. Trucker53

[Tbird100636]

I am in the same boat as you...a new user of this forum...have an o2 model doing the same thing......my question out there to the experts is...is it a faulty accelerator sensor. I'm waiting for a reply too. Trucker53
Not unless you set a DTC for it. I answered your own thread by the way.

[mike5742]

I know this thread is old but wanted to see if you have found the solution to this problem. I just bought my first vehicle, a Ram 2500 with Cummins 24valve and am new to the forum. It has similar symptoms. Just wondering if any body has reached a conclusion on this and what course of action was required.
Thanks you.

[Trucker53]

Not yet.....I live in Alaska in the bush....have to take a boat to the road system so I'm a little slow getting things done. But, I am gonna change the cam sensor like Tbird suggested and see if that does the trick. It is a lot cheaper thing to try vs changing the injection pump. That may be the next thing to do if the cam sensor thing doesn't fix the problem. Trucker53

[mike5742]

Do know if you can test the sensor first?

[Tbird100636]

Do know if you can test the sensor first?
Not really. It's in a tight spot below the injector pump (the pump DOES NOT have to come out to replace the Cam sensor though) and there is no specific test for the Cam Sensor, other than the harness wiring. The truck I worked on years ago wasn't setting any code for the sensor specifically, just the Timing Failure code (P0216). It was a shot in the dark since 2 injector pumps, a transfer pump, amd an ECM didn't fix the problem. The cam sensor is around $90 list at the dealer, which is far better than up to $2,100 for a reman injector pump. We had a couple other trucks with the same issue, and a cam sensor fixed those too.

[mike5742]

Tbird, not to be too naive, but any chance my issue could be caused by a bad fuel filter or transfer pump? If I do the DTC and don't get a timing failure code, is that posssible. I'm also not getting the engine light.

[Tbird100636]

Tbird, not to be too naive, but any chance my issue could be caused by a bad fuel filter or transfer pump? If I do the DTC and don't get a timing failure code, is that posssible. I'm also not getting the engine light.
The diagnostic tests lead to testing fuel flow, and checking the filter. You can try a filter, but it probably not help. Transfer pump Pressure isn't essential on these, just adequete flow.

[mike5742]

Am I correct in assuming there are three sensors to consider in this situation? 1. A crank sensor, 2. A cam sensor and, 3. A cam sensor on(or near) the injector pump?

I'll replace them all.

[Tbird100636]

Am I correct in assuming there are three sensors to consider in this situation? 1. A crank sensor, 2. A cam sensor and, 3. A cam sensor on(or near) the injector pump?

I'll replace them all.
I just looked this up and remembered, no seperate crank sensor. Just the cam sensor under the injector pump, and a cam sensor internal to the injector pump. So, unless you want to spend $2,100 on an injector pump from the get-go, I'd strongly suggest you do the cam sensor first.

[mike5742]

Thank you for your reply. My mechanic recommend we check the pressure comming out of the lift pump and it was very, very low. So we replaced it and we now have 15psi coming out. During the diagnosis we got 4 codes, one of which was P0216-INJ Pump Timing Failure. The others were P1693-MIL Fault in Companion Module, P0234 Turbo Boost Limit Exceeded, and P0230-Transfer Pump Circuit Out of Range.

But, since this replacement I still experience some 'dead' pedal feel in two modes.

1. When the engine is comming up to temperature.
2. When I am at a steady speed with no load, say 30-40 mph, and I start to depress the accelerator. I think I'm in 4th gear at that time, but not sure.

If I lift my foot off the accelerator and depress it again, it seems to downshift and has good power. It's almost like it doesn't doesn't know it needs to possibly downshift unless I pump the pedal.

I also found two other codes on the print out my mechanic gave me that I think came up after the install. They are P0500-No Vehicle Speed Sensor Detected and P0460 Fuel Sender Circuit fault.

I'm confused and wanted to bounce these codes off you to hear your opinion. Do you think my next step should be to replace the cam timing sensor as mentioned in your previous comments or do these codes and current symptoms indicate I'm doomed to replace the injector pump?

[Tbird100636]

Thank you for your reply. My mechanic recommend we check the pressure comming out of the lift pump and it was very, very low. So we replaced it and we now have 15psi coming out. During the diagnosis we got 4 codes, one of which was P0216-INJ Pump Timing Failure. The others were P1693-MIL Fault in Companion Module, P0234 Turbo Boost Limit Exceeded, and P0230-Transfer Pump Circuit Out of Range.

But, since this replacement I still experience some 'dead' pedal feel in two modes.

1. When the engine is comming up to temperature.
2. When I am at a steady speed with no load, say 30-40 mph, and I start to depress the accelerator. I think I'm in 4th gear at that time, but not sure.

If I lift my foot off the accelerator and depress it again, it seems to downshift and has good power. It's almost like it doesn't doesn't know it needs to possibly downshift unless I pump the pedal.

I also found two other codes on the print out my mechanic gave me that I think came up after the install. They are P0500-No Vehicle Speed Sensor Detected and P0460 Fuel Sender Circuit fault.

I'm confused and wanted to bounce these codes off you to hear your opinion. Do you think my next step should be to replace the cam timing sensor as mentioned in your previous comments or do these codes and current symptoms indicate I'm doomed to replace the injector pump?
Damn you got allot of codes!!!
P0500- No Vehicle Speed Signal- Is the ABS light on??? If it is you need to get the code from the ABS module and go from there. Otherwise, further electrical diagnosis is required.

P0460- Fuel level no change over miles- Fuel sending unit in tank if tank isn't damaged.

P1693- you have the exact definition- you have to look in the PCM and the ECM for DTC's. ECM is for Cummins engine. PCM is a Chrysler controller, handling auto. trans and speed control operation. Ignore this for now.

P0230-Transfer (Lift) Pump Circuit Out of Range- You just replaced this... lets leave this one alone for now... did this code set AFTER it was replaced or was it already there???

P0234- Turbo Boost Limit Exceeeded- DTC indicates a wastegate mechanical failure. If DTC good trip counter is 0, or if it isn't and you can duplicate the freeze frame conditions that set the code and the counter changes to 0, you have a wastegate issue, which the last time I looked was part of the turbo ($1,140 list for a reman). Have you made any modifications to the wastegate actuator???

P0216- Fuel Injector Pump Timing Failure- My recomendation is the same- cam sensor.

These are allot of codes. This is what I want you to do. Clear them all out. Start the truck and drive it. Whichever codes reset are what will be addressed. P0216 will most likely set immediately. If P0234 sets, you're in for an expensive repair. If P0230 resets, you will have to run through the diagnosis for that code, which could be a wiring fault, a pump issue (doubt it, since you replaced it already). P0460 won't return right away, but if it does, it needs the sending unit.

[Trucker53]

Well, I installed the cam sensor today with the help of my brother and drove the truck about 25 miles back home.....the truck seemed to run fine and the problem appears to be fixed. I plan on driving back into town in a few days so will continue to check it out as we use it. I bought the cam sensor at rockauto.com for about $45 plus shipping. I was glad to have the extras pair of hands for the removal and installation.....one of us on the top of the engine and the other under the truck. On my truck ..an 02 model, it had a bolt holding the sensor in and it took an 8mm socket with an extension to get it off. On installation, one person under the truck held the bolt in place with a extension holder while the person on top put the socket on and turned it in. It took about a half hour to change it. Good luck, Trucker53

[mike5742]

Tbird, Trucker53. Thanks for the help guys.

I'm loving my truck! And I know I'll have a few more questions.

As you know from the thread I replaced the lift pump because of low pressure. I still get the low power mode some times. It usually happens when I first take the truck out and it is warming up. But if I pull over and turn the engine off, then restart it, I have full power. Sometimes it comes back for a second or a little more. After that it runs real well but can occasionally (but briefly) go into that mode.

There is no check engine light. ....Should that come on?

I think the next thing I'm going to do is the cam sensor.