I've been reading all the ecu/pcm/vp/sensor/alternator failures over the last few months on here and getting more and more paranoid by the day as over here in the uk no recovery is available for my 5th wheel and I doubt any recovery/breakdown co would touch the truck either. So my question is would a 01 ecm work with a flash on my 98.5 ? I have sent acs a message on this also.

Also going to try and locate a spare pcm and maybe a new alternator and whatever else I can think of

I've done the WT mod. And also Mikes alt protection

As I understand later ECM PCM is preferred, like 01,02 vs 99, but it should work on any vp44 truck as long as it's programmed to a specific one. 

Just had a really good email from ACS regarding testing and reflashing a ecu. They don't ship international but i'm working on that

You should just do the W-T ground mod and PCM protection fuse then you don't have to worry about ECM or PCM replacement. That problem is taken care of. 

 

As for just getting a replace ECM and PCM I would go with matched sets. Find the same ECM for the same year. There is like 53 versions of software per model year. Getting the wrong software is very frustrating and can pose bigger issues just trying to correct. ECM and PCM should come from the same truck too. This just reduces the amount of problems. Also remember the ECM is a secondary computer and the PCM is the primary computer. 

• US Federal, US california, vs. Canada Emissions
• 2WD vs. 4WD
• Automatic vs. Manual
• High Output vs. Standard Output
• Fly by wire cruise vs vacuum motor cruise
• Security Fob vs. No security

These are just few differences software wise that could make a break getting the right ECM and PCM.

 

 

I've already done both mods, acs says if the part numbers for mine and replacement match then it will be fine to flash to my truck.

If I can get a ecu and pcm all either have to do is run the truck to get me home. 

I'm trying to figure out what would stop the truck dead, ecu,pcm,vp, trans alternator and starter because there is no option for next day parts or recovery here certainly when towing the 5th wheel

7 hours ago, wil440 said:

I'm trying to figure out what would stop the truck dead,

The VP44 will stop it dead.  Mine went bad on a trip to Banff, Canada.  Luckily I was about 24km from Mopar Man when it took a dive.  He got me one but it still took about 4 days to get back on the road. 

6 hours ago, IBMobile said:

The VP44 will stop it dead.  Mine went bad on a trip to Banff, Canada.  Luckily I was about 24km from Mopar Man when it took a dive.  He got me one but it still took about 4 days to get back on the road. 

Was there any previous warning before it died ?  I wouldn't like to guess how long for me to get a vp, 2 or 3 weeks i'd say

None at all.  I was going down a long steep grade on US highway 95 just north of Riggins, Idaho  when, about three quarters of the way down, the engine turned off. 

My last injection pump died on a trip to Riggins, ID as well I went to town to visit with a friend there. I got to town pick him up and the engine started knocking barely had any power. It threw the P0216 code and lit the CEL. Truck would still run and drive but very weak on power barely 25 MPH till I got home. The timing was stuck in full advance!

 

My OEM pump died at 50k miles with P0216 code and white smoke and low power. 

 

Pumps that die without warning typically the PSG unit burned up and now after talking to people W-T ground mod is now closing that door some what. Like my truck the fuel temp and IAT temp are always the same. Typically below 130*F on the worse case heat. PSG typically do not burn up with good fuel pressure to keep them cool. Another tidbit there is no heat soak rise on my truck I can run hard for hundred of miles and the fuel temp always falls when shut down not rise. 

Edited June 11, 20204 yr by Mopar1973Man

4 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

My last injection pump died on a trip to Riggins, ID as well I went to town to visit with a friend there. I got to town pick him up and the engine started knocking barely had any power. It threw the P0216 code and lit the CEL. Truck would still run and drive but very weak on power barely 25 MPH till I got home. The timing was stuck in full advance!

 

My OEM pump died at 50k miles with P0216 code and white smoke and low power. 

 

Pumps that die without warning typically the PSG unit burned up and now after talking to people W-T ground mod is now closing that door some what. 

Also read on Blue Chip Diesel diagnotics pages that the rotor can sieze in the housing which snaps the drive shaft within the pump which is another cause of a dead stop, caused by sharp edges which dig into housing. This would be rectified after failure maybe as it was a Bosch problem from new oem

Rare to happen any more that was an early Revision number. There hasn't been failures like that since early 2000's. Just like torn diaphragm that can't happen because new pumps don't have that rubber but steel disk now.