VP44 1998.5 Eyes Burning, Bad Mileage Help

[MikeH]

Having you tried putting keys in the ignition and turning to "On" three times and leave it in the "On" the third time (don't hit start!). You will be able to pick up a list of codes from the odometer. Let us know what comes up. YouTube clip for Ram 1500 but works with most Dodges: 

 

[Great work!]

Check the air filter it might be sucked into the tube or critters made a home in there.

[Njbenz]

Thank you all!! Gonna put in the new sticks tomorrow when they come in. 
 

I can’t do the key check for codes, as the 1998 doesn’t have that function. I have hooked it up a new scanner and my old Snapon Modis, and there are no codes present. 

[MikeH]

27 minutes ago, Njbenz said:

Thank you all!! Gonna put in the new sticks tomorrow when they come in. 
 

I can’t do the key check for codes, as the 1998 doesn’t have that function. I have hooked it up a new scanner and my old Snapon Modis, and there are no codes present. 

No codes is good. That makes it a mechanical problem. The air filter also came to mind along with a plugged or leaking crankcase ventilation. Don't know how a '98 is crank ventilated but had a Jetta TDI venting near a cabin intake air vent. Same teary eyed symptom you described. Just some things to look at. Good luck!

[Mopar1973Man]

Right back to the injectors since there isn't any error codes present. Normally injectors are set between 300 and 310 bar. Most performance built injectors are 300 to 305 bar to help with flow and pintle lift. Now according to Dodge FSM your allowed +/- 250 PSI to 4500 PSI (310 bar). -250 PSI from 4,500 PSI is 293 bar. Then top end +250 PSI from 4500 PSI is 327 bar. Once you drop below 290 bar injector performance get larger droplet and typically not misting anymore but acting more like a squirt gun. It's impressive to go to a injector shop and watch your old injectors just squirt and, piss, leak, and not fire right. Then wonder why it still runs good. 

 

Another way I detect the injector life is look at the engine load of the live data if it near 0% engine load the ECM is attempting to defuel enough to hit 800 RPM. Some times you'll find the engine load at 0% and the idle is about 800 maybe as high as 875 RPM. This is what my factory stock injectors did at 150k miles. Still ran good, no smoke or anything. Had them test by DAP and they were below 280 bar and pissy. My idle was 875 RPM and 0% engine load. 

 

NOTE: Just remember as injectors wear out and the pop pressure falls this means the duration is increase because it opening longer from the time it starts to the time it closes again. This also means the injector timing is ADVANCED! This is why the idle increases because the duration is longer and amount of fuel is increase so the ECM will attempt to pull the fuel down to hopefully reach 800 RPM. 

 

After having those injector bodies inspected and then new 150 HP nozzles (7 x 0.010) put on and popped to 320 bar. I was idling a perfect 800 RPM again at about 12 to 13%. Now few years later I'm down to about 7% engine load so I'm about half life on the injectors. I've got some time left before getting too pissy.

 

NOTE: As you see I opted for 320 bar (4,641 PSI) on my injectors but knowing that I'm making the injection event later I can bump the timing in iQuad App and make up for the retard timing of the pop pressure. Basically need about another 2 degree to be right. 

 

I don't wanna high jack but... 

 

You should see the amount of people running CR injectors upwards of 150k to 200k and the amount of engine damage they take on. I just met with a gent in McCall ID with a 2007 Dodge Ram and was wondering what to do. I got the hood open and screwed the oil cap and it shot out of my hand. Then the blow by at idle was so bad the cap would not even sit in the hole it just blow the cap off again. This is all injectors wash damage from injectors not being replaced as a set but one at a time. 

 

I've got a 2015 Dodge I'm got injectors order for which the truck is so bad now she can get the regen mode to clean the DPF and its slowing plugging up. The spray pattern is complete junk and creating tons of soot just keeping the DPF full. Injectors should be here soon. 

 

I've got a buddy down the road from me with a 1994 Dodge which his Dad ran the stock injectors for +400k miles. They were so crappy and wore out after dropping in +150 HP injectors it woke that truck up seriously. Lots of good pulling power now. Rolls cxoal but a little plate adjustment and AFC starwheel it will be really a clean truck. 

 

Injectors for ANY Dodge Cummins engine (6BT or ISB) should be changed EVERY 100K to 150K miles period. No questions asked...

Edited July 1, 2021 by Mopar1973Man

[Njbenz]

What an awesome write up sir!! That message is the exact reason I had no issues spending $100 to support your site!!! I just got the injectors pulled out, and waiting for my 50HP Ducky’s to show up today. On two of the injector nozzles I had lots of carbon buildup (on the nozzle and on the injector tip)

Edited July 6, 2021 by Njbenz

[LorenS]

that's impressive and shiny carbon buildup.

[Njbenz]

3 minutes ago, LorenS said:

that's impressive and shiny carbon buildup.

It’s good shop lighting! 😂

[Mopar1973Man]

Another little secret we have learned here. If you mix 128:1 ratio of 2 cycle oil and diesel fuel basically 1 ounce of 2 cycle oil to a gallon of diesel it will keep the injectors cleaner than any injector cleaner will. The added lubricity will extend the life of the VP44 and the injectors. The oil is a natural cetane reducer and adds BTUs to the fuel. The 2 cycle oil will keep the injectors cleaner longer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dieselfuture]

3 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Another little secret we have learned here. If you mix 128:1 ratio of 2 cycle oil and diesel fuel basically 1 ounce of 2 cycle oil to a gallon of diesel it will keep the injectors cleaner than any injector cleaner will. The added lubricity will extend the life of the VP44 and the injectors. The oil is a natural cetane reducer and adds BTUs to the fuel. The 2 cycle oil will keep the injectors cleaner longer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got to be honest I haven't used any 2cycle for a while since I've been running bio blend, seems to be everywhere around here. Truck seems to run good on it, time will tell. 

[Silverwolf2691]

23 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

This also means the injector timing is ADVANCED! 

 

I need a refresher, the vp44 has 0-30* of timing, is that before or after top dead center? Because when I think advanced, it's after top dead center... 

[Mopar1973Man]

BTDC is advanced

ATDC is retarded

 

Quadzilla can give up to 30 degrees BTDC.

[Silverwolf2691]

24 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

BTDC is advanced

ATDC is retarded

 

Quadzilla can give up to 30 degrees BTDC.

 

Whelp, that explains a bit more. Learned something new this morning.

 

That explains partly to mostly why too advanced can/does cause the bucking/surge in cruise state. 

[Njbenz]

New injectors are in! Hopefully this fixes the issue!

[Doubletrouble]

Keep us posted 

[Mopar1973Man]

8 hours ago, Silverwolf2691 said:

 

Whelp, that explains a bit more. Learned something new this morning.

 

That explains partly to mostly why too advanced can/does cause the bucking/surge in cruise state. 

Exactly. This is why is start at 13 degrees so it doesn't buck. There is enough retard to prevent bucking.