Hello all, I am new to this site and wanted to kick something around maybe get some feedback and troubleshooting help.

When i would turn on the truck, i would usually let it idle for awhile. I would put it in “D”, push on the gas, the truck would start to travel, than it will suddenly get the case of the "dead pedal" and then kick into gear. This started in a sporadic fashion. It then led to a daily ritual to get to work having to rev-up the engine in order for the truck to move. I have briefly explained below how I got to this point.

The beginning of this story is as follows:

I initially replaced the fuel lift pump when I first got the signs of white smoke coming out of the tailpipe and the engine stalling out with my check gages notification on the dash (5 years ago). I replaced the lift pump, the problem went away for about 2 years (no codes). The white smoke eventually came back, so I replaced the lift pump again and the white smoke went away again and lasted for 2 years (no codes). I replaced it with a third and changed out the filter (1 year)(no codes). I finally got the case of the dead pedal and replaced my VP44 at 189,000 miles (figured it was time since I did not get any codes and read bluechip diesels overview). I installed the VP44 and finally got a companion code P1693 when i tried to start it up. I finally pulled the codes from the PCM and got the P0122 low voltage APPS code. I replaced the original APPS with a TIMBO and I now I have intermittent dead pedal. I also have the loss of power like if I am towing something at take-off. I punch the gas violently than the truck finally starts to sputter and then go away and begin to function properly and picks up speed. On the interstate, the truck runs fine once I start traveling at a constant speed. This behavior only occurs initially at rest or when I slow down and then punch the gas.

I have questions that may or may not relate to my problems, which are as follows:

[*]When i replaced the VP44, did i somehow take it off its timing?

[*]Does this mean my ECM is the culprit and not the VP44?

[*]Can i rule out the transmission due to not pulling any load?

[*]Did i purchase a bad OEM VP44?

When I installed the TIMBO Apps, I smelled burnt plastic that eventually went away. I am attributing it to that new plastic smell. I also noticed that when I hooked up the voltmeter, I got a reading of .510. I followed the instructions and when I turned back to ½ a turn as instructed, I ended up at .510 again, is this right? (the original apps has .521 VDC) Do I need to set it at .521, .498, or leave it at .510?

I have recently replaced one of the batteries (drivers side), but still have the original battery on passenger side. Can it be related to the problem that I have? Do I need to replace that battery as well?

Any and all comments are welcome. I thank you for your feedback in advance.

That's the ECM plug... Go over to the Download area grab a copy of the Dodge FSM for 2001 and turn to page 1053 (8W - 80 - 40) Shows all the pin outs for the ECM...

Basically all you need to do is test each wire from APPS plug to the ECM plug for zero ohm from one point to the other (should show 0 ohms).

Then test again testing for ohms between each wire and ground (should show infinite ohms). If your see flow at this point start looking for harness that has been rubbing the block or sharp edge.

Do i perform this task with the battery disconnected?

Will i still be able to get a voltage reading?

No voltage present... Just OHMs... Both end will be discconected... As well as the batteries being disconnected...

Update! I checked all pins as directed. My findings are as follows:apps to ecm test (pins 1-6): all had current (.3) thru them(batteries not connected)apps to ground (pins 1-6): all had 0 ohms, even the one that should have currentChecked all sensor harnesses connected at s165, which all led back to pin 11 on ecm: all had a reading of. 3What am I doing wrong?

Update! I checked all pins as directed. My findings are as follows:

apps to ecm test (pins 1-6): all had current (.3) thru them(batteries not connected)

What setting where you on here? If your DVM was set to OHMs and you got 0.3 Ohms that's good!

apps to ground (pins 1-6): all had 0 ohms, even the one that should have current

Checked all sensor harnesses connected at s165, which all led back to pin 11 on ecm: all had a reading of. 3

What am I doing wrong?

As for here... Are you reading the display correctly some like my old Fluke shows OL (Overload) which meant to be Infinite Ohm's double check you dispaly again because if it actually showing Infinite Ohms then your fine that mean there is no shorts to ground and none of the wires are damaged.

0 Ohms = Dead Short

Infinite Ohms = Open Wire

Yes, it was infinite ohms. I checked again this morning and I don't have a short. The bad news is that according to the apps diagnosis, my ecm is bad. Sure wish there was a way to correct. Going to take it in ad have them verify.:banghead:

I would like to personally send a full round of THANKS to all of those that put an effort into resolving my issue. thinking i need to take it into dealer to check out ECM. Has anybody out there been through the process? I sure would like to know before hand, so as to not be jerked around:spend: any feedback would be appreciated.

Glad to hear you found out what the cause was. Right on!How did you confirm your ECM was bad?

I followed the P0122 APPS troubleshooting article posted on this site. I got to step six and had continuity, therefore directing me to replace ECM. I am debating what avenue to proceed. There is a shop out here in downey, ca that will charge me $250 just to plug in the truck and see what's going on with ECM, abs, and brake light issue that i have. I might have them check the fuel sender sensor as well. or take into the dealer and have them diagnose the problem. what do you all think?

mine just went out and i had to replace it. i broke down in a small town in Tenn. a buddy of mine hooked me up with alocal mech. he possesed an OBDIII which alllowed him to program it. he got me the ecm that lists for about $1400 at dodge for $1000. he even found me acore for $100. i had the one on the truck rebuilt about 6 months ago and it is under warranty and i wanted to keep it and have it fixed for a spare. anyway he got me going for $1100 for the ecm and $100 to program it. i dont know what the dealer will do about the price you would just have to negotiate with them. out here they charge around $150 to program them. after my experience with rebuilding my old one i would not go that route again unless ther is someone here who knows a rebuilder that know what he is doing. what test did you do on your apps that told you the ecm was bad?

an ECM for $1400! I went to autozone and they can get me a programmed reman for $400. Does this sound right? It's the troubleshooting Apps article posted on this site, but I still need to verify if it is the ECM that went bad. The Haynes manual states that if the ECM is suspect in failing, the only place that could diagnose it properly would be at the dealer. my plan was to take the truck into a mechanic's shop to diagnose my problems ECM, ABS light, fuel sender, & Brake light. I am hoping that it is just a matter of replacing the sensors(ABS, Fuel, Brake). As for the ECM, i am hoping that he has some type of a process or machine that he hooks up to diagnose it. I will find out on friday and will get back to you all.

an ECM for $1400! I went to autozone and they can get me a programmed reman for $400. Does this sound right? It's the troubleshooting Apps article posted on this site, but I still need to verify if it is the ECM that went bad. The Haynes manual states that if the ECM is suspect in failing, the only place that could diagnose it properly would be at the dealer. my plan was to take the truck into a mechanic's shop to diagnose my problems ECM, ABS light, fuel sender, & Brake light. I am hoping that it is just a matter of replacing the sensors(ABS, Fuel, Brake). As for the ECM, i am hoping that he has some type of a process or machine that he hooks up to diagnose it. I will find out on friday and will get back to you all.

i could not find one at auto zone or advance when mine went bad. just went to autozone web site and they had one for $250. said it came programmed. the part # was completely differant from mine though. from shat i haave read here ther are many different part#s for our computers. wish they had had something like that when mine went bad coulda saved a ton of money and time. i could not even find one at a juckyard for that kind of money. seems like every time i fix something somene comes out with cheaper stuff. to diagnose the ecm i believe you have to have an OBDIII computer for that. the guy that fixed mine had one. someone else here probably knows more about it than i do.

Update! Got back from mechanic. Had two codes. Read/write and checksum. Ya'll ever heard of this? I also got a code after a pinpoint test and found abs module failure. I am assuming the codes got cleared cuz now my truck runs awesome!!!!!v:woot:

Update! Got back from mechanic. Had two codes. Read/write and checksum. Ya'll ever heard of this? I also got a code after a pinpoint test and found abs module failure. I am assuming the codes got cleared cuz now my truck runs awesome!!!!!v:woot:

Hmmm... Interesting... Make sense though when you think about it... ABS module senses the wheel speed from the rear axle and at speeds below say 20-25 MPH its in torque management so it will accelerate slower. So if the ABS module was bad then the ECM would run in torque management mode all the time... (Thinking out loud) But this is the first time I've heard of this...

All that trouble just for that... I probably would have torched the thing by the time I had figured everything out.So, I started thinking about the initial problem, which was a dead pedal, correct? After having replaced the APPS sensor and going through calibration, you then ran into a brake light and ABS issue after disconnecting the PCM harness and batteries. How was the ABS sensor able to go bad during all this process from the beginning of this thread till now?Just doesn't make sense.

DieselD24, yes, i know i broke my head trying to figure this :banghead: out and i knew that was going to happen. Yes, it was the dead pedal problem, but because there are other items that make up this ingenious fuel system, it was pretty tuff trying to narrow down what system was actually the failure point. i am no diesel technician, but i believe that the ECM stored the codes and the DRBII scan tool could not clear the codes, therefore still allowing my system to go throught the motions of having dead pedal. I think that once the DRBIII scan tool was connected, this tool cleared the error on the ECM. correct me if i am wrong, because i am trying to make sense of it myself. I think i ran into the ABS/Brake light problem due to having the dead pedal. I noticed that i needed to rev up the engine continuosly just to make the truck move, therefore always peeling out the rear wheel once the gear kicked in. It probably overloaded the sensor module. Is this possible? Other than that, you're guess is as good as mine. Okay, so i need answers on the read/write and checksum codes the ECM had stored. I have a DRBII scan tool, which i feel is not capable of clearing the codes completely. I feel that although i cleared the APPS failure, the ECM still needed to be "re-booted", which only the DRBIII can accomplish? Does this make sense? I am trying to justify the money spent on just having those two codes cleared, which i am assuming was the crux of the problem.

Grid heater draw 195 Amps the alternator produces 120 Amps... So yes the voltage will fall some while cold starting... But typically doesn't drop below 12 volts...

Yea, same here. I'll usually see 8-10.