i've been noticing things over time, and tried to explain them away.last summer the truck dies not very often when i use the jake and make a shift down to 3rd. did that like three times. then winter comes, and i use the 3cyl idle and the jake, and the truck doesn't stay running. turn the jake off, and egts are only at 200* in 3cyl idle, and the snap of that idle isn't there either, it really only sounds like high idle.last week it died on my 5 times in a day with the jake on and that downshift into 3rd.you guys think it is my vp44? it has 123k on it and i believe it to be original. i've treated it to fuel pressure and 2 stroke oil since i've owned it, but that's only been for about the last 20k miles.

Any codes? What is the fuel pressure like?

Fuel pressure at idle and WOT (@ highway speeds)?And the error codes like ISX is asking...

fuel pressure is 18 idle and a good 15 at highway speeds.the codes i just pulled with the smarty are 1682 and 1693. the volt meter always reads normal, so i don't know what the 1682 code is about.and holy cow, you guys are quick in response time, lol! thanks.

You might go over your electricall and see if there is a loose connection, corroded battery terminals, etc... Remember that both computers (ECM and PCM) rely on the battery cables for ground and power not body ground. So if the cables are bad or grounds are weak it might cause a problem. As for gauge on the dash it responds slowly to changes so it might not show a weak/loose connection but a DVM will if used properly. http://articles.mopar1973man.com/2nd-generation-24v-dodge-cummins/59-obdii-error-codes/224-p1682-charging-system-voltage-too-low http://articles.mopar1973man.com/general-cummins/34-engine-system/136-voltage-drop-testing-of-wiring-and-feed-cables

:banghead: i forgot to mention the last thing that i've been noticing over the past several months/years: fuel economy is dropping. i used to get solid mid 15s as little as last year. and now i'm aproaching low to mid 12s. i didn't use the winter blend that often this winter either, though i realize that is where some of the mileage has gone. the fuel station i use has both all winter (at least that's what the hose tags say). now i can't even clear 15 on a highway tank when i used to get mid 18s.i will look into the grounds and such shortly as well. the starter didn't kick in once last winter on one of those colder days. i have the parts sitting here for it, just have to go lie on the ground and do it.

As for the fuel mileage you might look into testing the injectors and see if they are still performing properly. 125 HP injectors are bit too big for MPG's... Anthing over +75 typically starts to fall in MPG's. Like myself I run +40 RV275's and still keeping 21-22 MPG typically in the summer.

Is your Jake connected to the ECM pin 20 or do you have the microswitch? Sometimes the APPS can cause the issues your describing so you might want to try resetting it. And as Moparman was indicating, the ISB can react negatively to any loss in proper voltage/amperage in the electrical system. For that reason weak batteries or one bad battery and one good battery can cause more problems then most think. And if you live where corrosion is an issue then considering all electrical connections is a must.

it's been a while, and i've noticed another little symtom: it get's worse the longer and warmer the truck is on. i hooked to a trailer and loaded with wood and it died every time i slowed down that day. it's sounding to me like the heat soak vp computer issue is happening to me.

you have a loose wire somewhere...check every ground on the truck..they are everywhere to.

A heat soaked VP wont cause the engine to shut down but rather cause a hard start or no start when the engine is warm. Did you ever check the ideas suggested?

i've pulled and cleaned the starter up (to change a motor mount), and checked the ground under the turbo behind the oil filter. haven't pulled codes lately to see if it has cleared or not.i keep going back to the vp because soon after i bought it, i found that there wasn't any lift pressure. who know's how long it was running that way? and it ran great then, and has slowly gotten worse over the years.

Well this may be your original VP simply wearing out. The older OEM VP's were subject to poor quality control and inferior materials and there was really nothing you could do to keep them wearing out. Fro example, over time those components, like the timing piston, would wear out the bronze timing sleeve and you'd end up with poor fuel timing. If you're experiencing loss in power and loss in fuel mileage then maybe thats the problem. But I would certainly explore all options before running out and replacing the VP.

I believe there are hard to reach grounds behind the VP44 on the block. Also check not only battery terminal but also the connections a few inches away. I could have saved some money if I'd checked them all myself.

well guys, i was out grilling this afternoon, next to the dodge, and i decided to pull codes and see what i got...no dtcs stored. now that surprised me, i expected to see at least the code that's thrown for using the smarty, (i've forgotten what it is). i can't believe i had a problem at the starter for that charging code, cause the other ground i looked at was tight, but it must've been.

soooo..your good now?

no, still dies all the time.

Try looking here. http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/troubleshooting/24v_trouble.htm