Runs rough, stalls, dies, fault code P0320

[WesHawkins]

  I’ve got a friends 2001 Ram 2500 that run rough, dies and doesn’t restart but this is intermittent.  It will run fine for miles before it starts acting up.  There was no check engine light but I checked for codes anyway and it had a P0320.  I graphed the injector pump timing with my scan tool and the timing showed to be all over the place.  Truck has 179,000 on it, original injector pump but has  direct replacement FASS fuel pump on it.  It also has the original crankshaft sensor.  Questioning whether it’s the injection pump or the crankshaft sensor.

 Any ideas are appreciated.

Thank You.

[Tractorman]

To muddle your issues even more, there may not be a crank position sensor on your engine.  Somewhere around the year 2001 model engines, Cummins stopped using a crankshaft position sensor began using a cam position sensor only.  If this is the case with your turck, that sensor is located on the timing gear cover housing just below and close to the bottom of the VP44 injection pump. 

 

If your engine has a cam sensor, it will have 3 wires attached.  One for 5 volt supply, one for ground, and one for signal to ECM (terminal #9 on the ECM).  Sometimes the sensor can be faulty - sometimes the wiring or connector can be faulty.

 

Also make sure that all battery connections and grounds are clean, tight, and in good working order.

 

- John

 

 

Edited June 3 by Tractorman

[WesHawkins]

Tractorman

Thank you.  I was assuming it had a crankshaft sensor because my 2000 does.  I haven’t had a great deal of time to spend diagnosing it but now will look to see if it has a crank or cam sensor.  Each time I’ve had the truck it has run and driven just fine but when he drove it home from my house the second time it died on him and he towed it home.  I’m leaving on vacation for three weeks so it will be waiting for me when I return.

[Mopar1973Man]

This explains it a bit more...

[WesHawkins]

Mopar73Man

  Thank you, I had no idea.  I have three customers who have 98.5 to 2001 Dodge’s with the 5.9 Cummings.  I’ve done basic service work on them but little diagnostic work for running problems.  I’ve done upgrades to their trucks and mine based on information here on your site so drivability issues have been minimal.  This is very good information.  At this point I don’t know if I’m dealing with a failing VP44 or a failing cam sensor.  I’ll be working on in July after I return home. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Again a bit more

 

 

[WesHawkins]

On 6/3/2024 at 9:46 PM, Mopar1973Man said:

Again a bit more

  Well I’m back home and have the truck here now and it’s actually acting up for me pretty consistently.  Same code, P0320.  It’s missing, sputtering and stalling and dying, at times has to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before it will restart.  Don’t know that your previous post will work for this truck since this truck doesn’t have a crank sensor.  I can grab and put side pressure on the electrical connector on the injector pump and alter the way it reacts.  It seems like it’s just shutting down the fuel injection and it does seem heat soak related.