Not starting straight away every time

[wil440]

Noticed recently that my truck sometimes doesn't fire right away, if it doesn't it will only start after turning the key to off and then start again, It is very intermittant which makes me think electrical, not noticed the WTS light yet but I'll be watching that over the next few days, no fault codes on dash but again haven't had time to drop the box on it,  but over the weekend I'll get to it, I suppose it could be the VP, whatever it is I get the feeling its not going to be a cheap fix

 

Couldn't have come at a worse time as going into hospital a week tomorrow (saturday) all being well for my hip replacement, being done on our NHS for free,1 night in hospital then home and out of action for a fair few weeks 

 

Had to go to a concrete plant today to a Cat 930H about 35 miles away, thing is we are right in the middle of a 2 day storm, lots of roads flooded,idiots in normal cars, van and pickups stranded in flood water,my truck pulling my mobile workshop trailer was fine, came up to one flooded area on a road, 3 small vans stuck in the water my side of the road, so had tried and sucked water 3/4s of the way through,one van in front of me turned around and thought best of it, another van in front of me sat there thinking about it, I drove around him and carried on, flood was maybe 200yards long with the middle coming over the top of my 305 mud terrain  tyres, as I got to the middle the idiot in the van decided he could make it too, needless to say he didn't, it was a Vauxhall Vivaro, air box is right low down. 

here today UK wide there are 1000's of stranded flooded vehicles, my truck was not one of them   Forecast for ALL day tomorrow too

[Tractorman]

1 hour ago, wil440 said:

Noticed recently that my truck sometimes doesn't fire right away, if it doesn't it will only start after turning the key to off and then start again,

 

Well, I'll be gobsmacked!  Isn't it rather obvious what is the matter with your truck?

 

The ECM on your truck not only communicates with various sensors and the VP44, but also communicates with diesel truck forums, so it knows what you are thinking and saying about your truck at all times.  And you have been saying plenty.  Things like, "I've bought a AM General M50A2 so pretty sure the ram is going...".  Wow!!  How is the ECM going to take that profound statement?  Maybe give you a little trouble next time you try to start the engine?  Duh!

 

I always wanted to use that word "gobsmacked".

 

- John

Edited October 20, 2023 by Tractorman

[Mopar1973Man]

Wait to Start light should always come on for a bulb check even if you don't need to wait to start. Could you check for error codes if there is a P0381 then it's a bulb or circuit issue between the ECM and the wait-to-start light.

 

Harder starts typically I first think about the air in the fuel or air leak on the fuel system. Yeah, I know that the VP44 injection pump can also fail without codes. But typically there are other issues that come up where performance suffers like MPG's, or just running performance. Error codes just usually mean an electrical circuit or sensor is not working like it's supposed to. 

[wil440]

7 hours ago, Tractorman said:

 

Well, I'll be gobsmacked!  Isn't it rather obvious what is the matter with your truck?

 

The ECM on your truck not only communicates with various sensors and the VP44, but also communicates with diesel truck forums, so it knows what you are thinking and saying about your truck at all times.  And you have been saying plenty.  Things like, "I've bought a AM General M50A2 so pretty sure the ram is going...".  Wow!!  How is the ECM going to take that profound statement?  Maybe give you a little trouble next time you try to start the engine?  Duh!

 

I always wanted to use that word "gobsmacked".

 

- John

😊  and just the right context too 

5 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Wait to Start light should always come on for a bulb check even if you don't need to wait to start. Could you check for error codes if there is a P0381 then it's a bulb or circuit issue between the ECM and the wait-to-start light.

 

Harder starts typically I first think about the air in the fuel or air leak on the fuel system. Yeah, I know that the VP44 injection pump can also fail without codes. But typically there are other issues that come up where performance suffers like MPG's, or just running performance. Error codes just usually mean an electrical circuit or sensor is not working like it's supposed to. 

👍 I'll check for codes today and get it on the ramp to check everything else, got to look over it today to check fluids after the water yesterday 

[IBMobile]

On 10/20/2023 at 3:10 PM, wil440 said:

Couldn't have come at a worse time as going into hospital a week tomorrow (saturday) all being well for my hip replacement, being done on our NHS for free,1 night in hospital then home and out of action for a fair few weeks 

Had my left hip replaced a few years back.  It went so well and easy.  I was off major pain meds in a week and back at work in 4 weeks.   

Wishing you well and a speedy recovery

[wil440]

Just now, IBMobile said:

Had my left hip replaced a few years back.  It went so well and easy.  I was off major pain meds in a week and back at work in 4 weeks.   

Wishing you well and a speedy recovery

Thanks  I'm not looking forward to having to basically do nothing for a while. Here you can drive after a week if you have an auto and it's left leg, mines the right leg.  Took the big truck out today to the local pub, be a few weeks before I can get back in that so I'll be putting it in the workshop later this week.

Oh and my Ram has been starting fine the past few days 

[IBMobile]

17 minutes ago, wil440 said:

I'm not looking forward to having to basically do nothing for a while.

Think of it as a forced vacation and relax; there's nothing you can do about it so make the best of it and enjoy the down time.

[Doubletrouble]

3 hours ago, IBMobile said:

I'm not looking forward to having to basically do nothing for a while

 I feel your pain. I just found out Friday I am laid off as of Monday morning. 

 Time to get caught up around the house.

[wil440]

3 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

 I feel your pain. I just found out Friday I am laid off as of Monday morning. 

 Time to get caught up around the house.

Sorry to hear that 

[Doubletrouble]

5 hours ago, wil440 said:

Sorry to hear that 

 I prepared for it, have some money saved to get by. Should be just fine.

 

[JAG1]

I hope you'll be okay. It seems so many young people are up and coming in the world keep buying everything they need so any recession should be mild. Plus everyone seems better prepared this time around. We actually need a recession. It would kind of straighten things out a bit!

Edited November 8, 2023 by JAG1

[wil440]

Well my hip replacement got cancelled while I was on the bed due to very high blood pressure because I do not like doctors or hospitals, I did try to tell them it was due to being in hospital but they were not having any of that, 5 hours sat waiting and 5 BP checks all off the scale, didn't help at all being the first think the surgeon said was "we're doing your left knee right" eerrr no we are not ejit

Done the home 7 day morn and night check and all good just where it should be, now got a letter stating I have white coat syndrome and a new date of the 19th of December

 

On another note...... my truck had a real good go at killing me last wednesday, ball joint at the steering box snapped at 65mph, luckily my truck pulls to the left when braking  but only very slightly, something I don't ever notice I just know hands off of the wheel and braking it drifts VERY slowly left, It is going to stay that way too, if it pulled to the right I would be dead as there were 3 HGV trucks in a line coming the other way, luckily it snapped where there was a wide grass verge on the left where it bounced up the kerb and  left 4 big ruts in the grass but stopped before I joined all the girls in a YOPA office having a break in their canteen but through the front plate glass window, I did just sit for a few minutes

Even more lucky was the day before I was in the outside lane on our M1 going 85mph..... all in all a bit of a Final Destination event

And yes I have bigger than stock tyres but the joint was cracked all the way through

[Tractorman]

24 minutes ago, wil440 said:

On another note...... my truck had a real good go at killing me last wednesday, ball joint at the steering box snapped at 65mph,

 

Holy cow!  You were very fortunate with the end results.  Glad to hear that you and no one else got hurt.

 

So, was it the ball joint that joined the Pitman arm to the drag link?  I would like to see a photo of that failure.  Always like to learn from experiences like you had.

 

- John

[wil440]

48 minutes ago, Tractorman said:

 

Holy cow!  You were very fortunate with the end results.  Glad to hear that you and no one else got hurt.

 

So, was it the ball joint that joined the Pitman arm to the drag link?  I would like to see a photo of that failure.  Always like to learn from experiences like you had.

 

- John

Yes it was that ball joint that snapped,  I'll get a picture tomorrow tiniest area of shiny metal so was cracked 99% through 

I really ought to start a new thread for it as it's pretty serious 

[IBMobile]

19 hours ago, wil440 said:

didn't help at all being the first think the surgeon said was "we're doing your left knee right"

It must be a doctor thing.  The surgeon, replacing my left hip, ask me the same thing just before I lot consciousness.

[wil440]

3 hours ago, IBMobile said:

It must be a doctor thing.  The surgeon, replacing my left hip, ask me the same thing just before I lot consciousness.

Here they do not use general anaesthetic.  Just either epidural or needle in the thigh. Been told to take headphones and some good music or you just hear the grinder and alligator saw, oh and the hammer and chisel  

[Mopar1973Man]

Well, I guess you are going to be doing a full inspection of the ball joints and tie rod ends. Highly suggested. 

 

As for start up issues. Check the injector o-rings, crossover o-rings, return tee in the back of the engine or any weeping injector lines. 

[IBMobile]

1 hour ago, wil440 said:

Here they do not use general anaesthetic.

HELL NO!!!

[wil440]

21 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Well, I guess you are going to be doing a full inspection of the ball joints and tie rod ends. Highly suggested. 

 

As for start up issues. Check the injector o-rings, crossover o-rings, return tee in the back of the engine or any weeping injector lines. 

Already checked and I'm changing all ball joints. 

On the startup, it's been fine for weeks now 

6 minutes ago, IBMobile said:

HELL NO!!!

Tell me about it... not happy that's for sure 

Need earphones and ACDC 

[IBMobile]

3 minutes ago, wil440 said:

Need earphones and ACDC 

HELLS BELLS