99 4x4 5speed ecm issue?

[Greenbastard]

Alright, first off and for most thank you for any and all reply I receive
So I have done a fair bit of Googleing and searching around, and have come up with nothing. Called cummins, called blue chip diesel, and haven't found a single person who has had the same issue happen. I have a 5 speed 99 dodge 4x4 2500 exsb, ts mvp fuel boost Pyro gauge, bhaf, s366, 150 injectors, pusher intake. When I start the truck at any time it INSTANTLY revs to 3000 ish rpm, then drops to 1000. When I push on the accelerator it will only Rev to 1800 or so, and that's it. Sounds awful and produces and incredible amount of white smoke (as in my cul-de-sac is filled as soon as the truck finishes going to 3000 rpm) I have never tried to drive I'm in this condition. I have attempted to reset the ecm by disconnecting my battery cables and turning the key (this worked, I've had the issue for a few months now and it only used to happen every so often, more so after a raining) but that doesn't work anymore. Scanned the codes found a p0606 and a p0602 code. Attempted to clear the code, nil. Nothing. When the problem was very intermittent, the truck drove fine when this didn't happen, but now (tried for over a week to clear this issue including a new map sensor) I cannot get the truck to properly start. I have heard that these trucks do funny things when the alt. Is starting to die, so I will be replacing it with a friend's to see if that fixes the problem. Really hoping that p0606 code is just make believe because 700-1300 for a new ecm is out of the question. I have attempted to start it with the ts mvp disconnected and it doesn't help. Prior to starting the truck takes around 3-5 seconds of cranking. When she is running healthy it only takes 1 second max.

[dripley]

The 2 codes do not bode well for the ECM. The alternator issue is to much AC current produce by the alternator. Some out of the box do the same thing. AC current is bad for all the electronic. Checking all of your connections both + and - is good to do no matter what is going on with your truck. Bad connection and AC current will make these truck do crazy things. You can try all of that and see if it helps but if I were you I would start saving up for an ECM. Mine went years ago but acted mostly different than yours.  ECM problem Mine set me back $1400 6 years ago and that is for a reman, there are no new ones anymore. Mike has a great article on testing for AC current. But I can never find it. Someone smarter than me will post it for you though. 

 Is your wait to start light delayed in coming on? Common problem of a failing ECM. That could be causing your engine to not start for a few seconds like you are experiencing. Next time you start it pay attention to the light. Temp gauge pegging on cold start is another. Lift pump not functioning properly is another. Mine did all kinds of crazy stuff when it went. It spit out codes left and right but never a 606. The truck was undriveable until the ECM was replaced. If you have a friend will to loan you alternator and has Cummins swap his ECM in and see if that fixes it.You would then no for sure.

[Greenbastard]

Thank you for the reply! I had my alt. Load tested yesterday, and everything checked out, all of the voltages were proper, I have cleaned all of my grounds, and electronic connectors. The truck was only doing this intermittently.  Also, can I swap an ecm from an auto 99 to a 5 speed with no consequences? Just to verify that the ecm is the issue? Also, nothing funky is going on with my wait to start light, or my gauges. Although every once in a while it will act as if the neutral safety switch is bad, it won't kick over when the clutch is all the way down.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Greenbastard

[Hawkez]

When @Dripley talks about checking your alternator for AC voltage this is different that having Auto Zone checking the alternator.  When you checked your alternator did you check for AC voltage?  This is a must.  Have you tried resetting your APPS?  After disconnecting the battery you should have done this.  Turn the key to on, without starting the engine, and slowly press the accelerator to the floor and then release the pedal.  After that turn the key off.

 

I recently had some started issues and I mistakenly thought it was my neutral safety switch.  When it fails to start are you hearing clicking from the area of the starter?  Next time it happens you ought to have someone tap on the starter while another person is turning the key.  Very easy to rebuild and the contacts inside the starter are a common item to fail.

 

Here is the article that will walk you through testing your alternator.

 

Edited February 16, 2017 by Hawkez

[dripley]

i believe you can use the manual ECM just to test. Not sure how it will interact with the PCM since it is auto. It will probably set some sort of code but should not hurt anything. I am pretty darn sure it is ok but lets see if someone else can add to this before you try.

[Greenbastard]

Thank you for the help folks! Hawkez, I will definitely look up the ac test for the alt. I currently do a wide variety of electronic and rf repair, so I can get in there with my multimeter and figure it out. Also, the starter contacts are new, I replaced them about 7 months ago. Also I just found a good ecm from a 5 speed 99 truck that has 105k on it from a rollover for 200. So I'm going to buy it and hopefully it will fix this issue. If it does, I will get it flashed and it's burnouts for everybody, if not, well I guess it's back to the drawing board. Really need to get this truck up and running soon, as it makes me some decent money..

[Greenbastard]

Thank you all so much for your support, after extensive testing, swearing, and kicking, I discovered that the electrical connecter to my map sensor was damaged. The 3 prongs were making terrible contact, and a slight wiggle snapped them. A little soldering and a lot more swearing later, the green beast is doing celebratory burnouts. Thank you again for the assistance! Hopefully some one else has a typical issue this can help them. 

[SilverMoose]

[dripley]

Happy for the good out come and it was not the ECM.

[Greenbastard]

Just kidding, back to doing it, I think it may be caused by a low voltage situation from my seatbelt. Does anyone have the seatbelt wiring floating around? Last night after I shut the truck off I heard the pass seat clicking, obviously drawing power, this morning volt gauge showed a hair closer to the low side of "normal" than the middle line. Is it possible that I'm just getting pushed to my wits end by a malfunctioning seatbelt sensor? My thinking is, low volts to the ecm, ecm is outside of acceptable voltage reading by any where from .01v to whatever, fails self test, throws a p0606 code, disables my truck, I want to hit it with hammer" please help, wife's pulling the "you need to fix it or sell it" and not trying to sell, so...

[Hawkez]

Why not just disconnect power to that circuitry? I didn't know there was any power going to the passengers seatbelt. 

[Greenbastard]

I'm at work now, that's what I'm going to do, I know there is a relay or something under the middle seat, I going to pull that and charge my battery and see what happens. 

[dave110]

The IOD fuse controls it. I figured it out by accident. pull the fuse and you can hear the retractor click and it will lock and not come out. Put it back in and click again, it works. Do an amp draw test on that circuit and see what it's drawing

[Greenbastard]

So I pulled the pass seatbelt relay, charged my batteries, and blam it starts fine. Only issue is the codes are still there. I took it to the parts store to clear them and they won't go away, anyone know how to clear them other than the battery trick or a code reader?

[abner99]

That's the only other way I know how too I use a scan gauge tool that usually does it for me. Best of luck. 

[Hawkez]

17 hours ago, Greenbastard said:

So I pulled the pass seatbelt relay, charged my batteries, and blam it starts fine. Only issue is the codes are still there. I took it to the parts store to clear them and they won't go away, anyone know how to clear them other than the battery trick or a code reader?

Disconnecting the battery will not clear codes.  Certain codes (I thing they are referred to as "permanent") will only clear after they system has operated OK for a certain time.  The code reader will point our if they are permanent or not.

[Greenbastard]

Alright, it's been running fine now. And hopefully it clears soon. Thanks for the help fellas.