Hi Everybody ...from Texas

[Txsrebel]

I've been a member for a while now, but I'm not one of the computer savy folks so I haven't done much but read. I have a 2001 Dodge 3500 dually 5 speed. It quit on me about 3 months ago...just died like you turned off the key. I figured It was electrical...but started checking the fuel first and for the record I knew nothing going In about the electrical system on this truck and not much about the fuel system. At any rate I found metal In the fuel/water filter and then realized that the lift pump was bad...or at best going bad. I bought a Raptor pump to install by the filter then realized that this truck had been retro fitted by Dodge with a tank pump. I pulled the tank and cut out the old pump and got the power wires out of the tank and hooked up the Raptor to the original tank lines...and Installed the raptor up by the filter and plugged It In to the original wire that Dodge had there before the retro fit. It would run fine for about an hour then It would die just like turning the key off...set for a while and restart just fine. I get no codes from the truck dash system or from my code reader that are not very explainable. I have since installed a new Injection pump thinking that maybe the computer In It was heating up and cutting off.....after that the truck ran fine but would stumble and sputter about 3rd gear...which it did not do before. Next the fuel just stopped pumping from the new lift pump, so I wired direct and still no fuel...the new Raptor had quit on me....got another new one and started over again...same results. Runs good then stutters about 3rd gear then dies...but I have fuel from the lift pump at 18 pounds. Early on I checked all the grounds and found the main passenger battery ground loose as a goose on the block and tightened It up...no change. 

 

At this point I think we either missed a tooth on the Injection pump going back In to cause the piss poor running after the install...or that pump Is bad too...which I really doubt !!! I personally think that my ECM Is the problem now but still need to check the wiring to see that I don't have a problem there. I have also put on 2 cam sensors, and this truck does not have a crank sensor. Back by the starter on the block where the crank sensor would be Is a hole plug with one wire on It that goes Into the main harness...It looks like a ground as I can see no other purpose for It. At any rate this plug has puzzled me from day one because I have not found anything about It anywhere !! It seems my truck is the only one with It !!! LMAO !!! I have not driven this truck since the problems started, other than around the parking lot testing It...where I work and where my tools are, and where I work on the truck. To be so simple...this is bugging the hell out of me !!! 

[Mopar1973Man]

Welcome to the family... 

 

Look like you might have several things gone on here. I might suggest you break it down a bit and well sort this mess out for you. 

 

[snoogett]

I would start with your ground wires these year models have several ground wire issues can cause a mess of trouble.

[Mopar1973Man]

17 hours ago, snoogett said:

I would start with your ground wires these year models have several ground wire issues can cause a mess of trouble.

 

We've got a solution to that...

 

[Txsrebel]

Hello Again and Thanks for the suggestions. After looking at that diagram and the pics...I will give that ground a look ! I checked all the grounds except those that were factory heat shrunk. I figured they were ok because they were still sealed and had not been hot that I could see. But after seeing that pic....Dodge did a piss poor connection there and mine could have shook loose on the Inside. I live a mile off the highway and my road Is rough as hell, so the truck has been hammered pretty good. I haven't fooled with the truck In about 3 weeks, but will get back on It shortly. This truck has been very dependable and never really given me any trouble other than normal crap like AC compressor, alternator, starter, some tie rods a radiator, the brakes as always and the bracket that the brake and clutch pedal work on wore out ( cast aluminum and flimsy plastic bushings)( so they didn't plan on It lasting from the get go) ! 

 

The original problem was that the truck just died at a 4 way stop...died just like you turned the key off, and would not restart. I had It towed to a shop that didn't know much of anything !!! The next day I went over and It fired right off and ran perfect. So I had them run a scan on It and said they couldn't find anything wrong with It. I paid them and started for home....I got about 20 miles and It died again and wouldn't start...I gave It a shot of starting fluid and It would fire of and run about 100 yards and died again. I towed It to the shop where I work and found fine metal In the fuel/water filter. This Is when I bought the Raptor pump off ebay, which probably wasn't the best plan but It was cheaper and new...anyway after the Install It would run just fine for a good while then die again when I would start driving It. I was already suspecting the Injector pump to be bad at about 190,000 miles so I bought one from Thoroughbred Diesel. It came In and I put It on. After the Install I bled the air and had her running just fine...setting there at Idle or even reving the engine up... It was acting fine. Test drive and about 3rd gear she would start stumbling and die...but would restart with a little effort. Before the Injection pump install the old pump ran fine until It would die...no 3rd gear stumbles...just die like cutting the key off, and It wouldn't restart for at least 2 hours. This leads me to think It was something I did when I put the new Injector pump on that caused the 3rd gear stumbles. After that I checked all the grounds that I could find, as well as replacing the fuel pump relay, and the cam sensor twice...same old crap...stumbles and dies. I had bought a gauge early on so I could check and set the lift pump pressure which I did at 18 pounds and It had been good. Anyway after dying again and losing fuel pressure due to the new Raptor going out, I called them up and got a replacement pump and put It on....got fuel pressure when I have It wired direct...but when wired through the Dodge system It drops power or ground and kills the pump. BUT...when wired direct the truck runs fine til I drive It and about 3rd gear the stumbles start then the truck dies.

 

This Is where I am at right now. My first instinct was that the original problem was electrical !!! That's when I started reading everything I could find on the truck electrical system. I still feel like my ECM is messed up but after all I have already spent I hate to go buy one then still have the same crap. Like I said In the first message I found the main battery ground on the passenger battery was almost off the block...two more rounds and the bolt holding It would have been on the ground and the cable completely loose !! I have no idea how long that ground had been loose or what damage It might have done to the ECM. At any rate I will check the grounds and see whats happening there first...after that I am going to try checking the timing to see that I didn't miss a tooth In there somewhere. After that about all I know to do Is start checking the wires that deliver the juice to the Injector pump and see If something Is wrong there. No codes have ever come up that were not explainable, and when It dies no codes come up, on the truck dash or my code reader,,,none are stored either. Anyway...thanks again and I'll check back later !!! 

[dripley]

I dont know your problem but the pump gear cannot jump a tooth unless you remove the timing cover. There is not enough room for that to happen. if there was there would be alot folks knocking them out whack. Me included.

Edited July 12, 2018 by dripley

[Txsrebel]

Thanks Buddy....I wasn't sure If It could or not. I'm going mess with It after work today and that saves me some time not having to check that. I thought that might explain why It ran worse after replacing the Injector pump than the old one did. 

Edited July 18, 2018 by Txsrebel

[Txsrebel]

On 7/9/2018 at 8:26 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

 

We've got a solution to that...

 

 

So far all my grounds have been good, but I am not through checking them. I will also add an 8Ga. ground loop to the main battery as shown In your pics. There Is a tan/black wire coming out of the main harness back near the rear of the ECM and It grounds to the block behind the starter. The bolt that holds It to the block Is froze up and will break If I put anymore on It. I think I need to cut this loose and take It to the battery, as It is pretty rough looking. When I first found It I was looking for a crank sensor, which my truck does not have. At any rate, If this doesn't do the trick, I think I will be looking at either a new ECM or having mine rebuilt. The truck cranks up just fine but Is now running a little rough at Idle which It wasn't doing the last time. Anyway...Thanks for the Info and all the help so far  !!!

[dripley]

The beauty of that mod is what it does to reduce stray ac voltage on the entire system. AC voltage that kill electronic parts like the ECM. Most are seeing a 50% or more decrease with nothing but that mod. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Here is now my handy work on re-doing the ground wire and alternator cable. 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[Txsrebel]

Sounds like a plan, gonna do that on mine too. Maybe next week If I don't get sent south for work.

[dripley]

I have been stuck going north. I had to look up where you are from. Was afraid you were going to Guatemala or something. My next job is south as in South Carolina.  Texas is big place. My parents lived in Laredo for a year and my oldest lives in San Antonio. 

 Do the mod, it is simple and beneficial.

Edited July 22, 2018 by dripley

[Txsrebel]

Still here but It's been so hot I can't make myself work on my truck after working 10 hours on big trucks in the heat ;)

[dripley]

1 hour ago, Txsrebel said:

Still here but It's been so hot I can't make myself work on my truck after working 10 hours on big trucks in the heat ;)

Being on the road all the time makes it difficult for me heat or no heat. I am getting behind on things.