rburks

I Agree with mike i prefer solder whenever possible and heat shrink.. thats the closest to 100% connection you can get

I replaced the hot cable going over to the Passenger side and new terminal clamp on hot on driverside.. I USED HD terminal clamps from Fastenal that solder on and also used adhesive heat shrink ....3-yrs ago and still look new and no corrosion

Im sure someone will chime in and explain it in more detail

code# 341 Camshaft Position Sensor signal missing, EITHER your cam sensor is bad or you have wire or connection issues. Im guessing that the black smoke is coming from the fact that by not having a signal from cam sensor the VP44 fuel delivery timing is off causing the miss and smoke

Yep, at this point I'm inclined to agree that the VP44 is TOAST.. As to the cause its hard to say IT was for certain the RAPTOR sense you have not had pressure gauge working. If you could say yes"FUEL PRESSURE IS LOW AND HAVE HAD ISSUES With fuel psi fluctuating and dropping at random then yes i wouldn't hesitate to point the finger at the Raptor. you have described a couple of instances here in the last few days of loosing power to the Lift pump to intermittent short in LP circuit.... BUT having said that, I'm convinced that your VP is bad, but you may still have issues in your LP circuit To answer your question, i have seen instances where VP would result in hard difficult starting. In the future maintain a working Fuel pressure Gauge. this will assist you and others in trouble shooting issues with your truck

P0230# Transfer pump circuit out of range?? P0216# VP44 Fuel Injection Pump Timing Failure {Death Code} P1603# Companion code means there is a code in ECM OR PCM

does your wiring harness to ECM & VP LOOK GOOD, No questionable looking splices, connections, loose pins...

AT THIS POINT IM PRETTY SURE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE VP INJECTION PUMP.... Don't know exactly where, Im interested to see what Mikes has to say, HE knows the inner workings of the VP rather well

did you get the codes erased and see what codes came back if any????

Mike....What do those solenoids control, (Metering solenoid and shut down solenoid); do they control INJECTION PRESSURE AND DELIVERY TO INJECTORS?? what about the timing piston, if its stuck in the advanced position wouldn't it create difficult starting???

opps

K THANKS

Mike, do not still have Airdog 150 set-up????? I AM still running my AIRDOG 100 after 6yrs without any issues.

MICHAEL,, Could this be the METERING SOLENOID OR "SHUT OFF SOLENOID IN THE VP44 Randomly killing the LP Circuit?????

You really need to trace the random short in your LP power circuit.. I had the 216 deaTH CODE in mine for 1yr before i replaced it and it never failed to start fine,,, just real lazy and fuel mpg sucked...your intermittent problem maybe in the computer board on top of VP IDK...Need to see if power on relay while cranking #87 pin if nor cross those two over and see if truck starts and hold Fuel psi. IF IT DOES START AND HOLD FUEL PRESSURE THEN YOU HAVE A SHORT OR SOMETHING IS CONTROLLING THE RAPTOR PUMP TO NOT ENGAGE ...We will get there, but if you drop the coin for new VP and thats not it, your out $1,000.00+ cause you will not be able to return it no matter where you buy it...I know this stuff can drive you nuts but really the best thing to do is to diagnose it a little further before you start buying parts..

check voltage on pin87 on relay, you'll have to have somebody crank over engine while doing this

If the overflow were stuck open would it keep from building up pressure to the hp lines and injectors???? OK ANSWERED THAT check your relay and see if its opening with starter engaging by the bumping the key or should have power on 87 pin when starter is bumped..if not you ave a random intermittent short somewhere

NO, IT SOUNDS as if it probably the rotor,.. i could be wrong, but its not building up enough pressure to pop the injectors,,,, MIKE your the VP GUY here, whats inside the VP that would cause low pressure to the injectors????

did your truck originally have carter LP pump on rear side of engine block behind ECM or had id had the updated LP pump installed in the Tank by OEM dodge dealer

now try starting the engine while watching the gauge,,report back weather or not if it falls off drastically

OH, ONE LAST QUESTION, now that it doesn't want to start agin, "ARE YOU SURE THE LP IS RUNNING, Could you just bump the starter to make the LP run...DONT CRANK,,Just bumping starter should activate the RAPTOR LP PUMP IF ITS NOT RUNNING, JUMPER OVER THE FP RELAY AGIN and see if it runs...

did you hook grid heaters back up.. did you get Batterys charged back to full cap. and is the engine cranking slow when you start it opps,,Sorry you posted 2 replays what time i was typing this....sorry i didn't see them.. As Mike stated i think we've went bout as far as you can without F/P Gauge. you could have a problem of LP Pump sucking air or Pump Cavitation. Could also explain why your eating Raptor LP Pumps.....bUT WE NEED A WORKING Fuel pressure gauge to proceed further Stay away from the Starting fluid thats my SPRAYING THAT ON TOP OF ACTIVE GRIDS COULD BE REAL BAD

ID say your fine now,, don't underestimate what air in VP fuel system can do

RED TOP OPTIMA'S HERE.....4YRS OLD cranks the starter so fast it makes the truck shake....

Pictures of the oil filter cutter please