Please Help Troubleshoot, bad ECM, poor mileage, possible injectors, po234

[CSM]

Hi everybody. I am new here, and I have an interesting problem. Thanks in advance.

2000 5.9, 5sp, 4x4. 210,000mi.

New injector pump from Midwest EFI, new Air Dog 100 lift pump. Otherwise stock.

After sitting for a few days, it will take 5-10 sec crank time to start, but once it starts it runs normally. Tech is steady and normal. Not much smoke except at RPM near redline. When the truck is warm, if you let it idle, it will miss slightly.

Power sucks over 2000 rpm, but isn't bad overall.

Throws PO234 overboost code, but I feel that is due to the fact that I left my Edge boost elbow on the turbo.

Edge juice CTS won't connect to the ECM, Dodge says that the Cummins Insite computer won't connect to the ECM. However, the truck still runs, and not that badly. The truck has had an edge juice w attitude installed previously, and I may have shorted out something in the ECM when I uninstalled the previous Juice. I also get 13-15mpg.

The Dodge mechanic feels that I got some grit in the injector lines when I installed the pump, and fowled a couple injectors, then over the course of a couple days the fuel system is bleeding down. He also says that since his Cummins laptop won't connect to the ECM, I need a new ECM. He did use a scope to confirm the timing marks and the keyway on the pump is correctly installed.

I need to check the fuel pressure coming out of the Air Dog, to ensure that it isn't too high... How high is too high? (I used to use an edge attitude to monitor the pressure)

Any ideas guys? I am skeptical about the injectors theory, since I would expect it to smoke a lot more at 13mpg. Would the injector O rings or fuel bypass at the back of the head cause any of these symptoms? And I really want to make sure the truck is going to run decently before I drop $1,600 on a new ECM...

[Mopar1973Man]

Hi everybody. I am new here, and I have an interesting problem. Thanks in advance.

2000 5.9, 5sp, 4x4. 210,000mi.

New injector pump from Midwest EFI, new Air Dog 100 lift pump. Otherwise stock.

After sitting for a few days, it will take 5-10 sec crank time to start, but once it starts it runs normally. Tech is steady and normal. Not much smoke except at RPM near redline. When the truck is warm, if you let it idle, it will miss slightly.

Sounds like possible air leak...

Power sucks over 2000 rpm, but isn't bad overall.

Throws PO234 overboost code, but I feel that is due to the fact that I left my Edge boost elbow on the turbo.

Boost fooler of the Edge Module is not functional... Do to the fact the Edge can't hook to the ECM.

Edge juice CTS won't connect to the ECM, Dodge says that the Cummins Insite computer won't connect to the ECM. However, the truck still runs, and not that badly. The truck has had an edge juice w attitude installed previously, and I may have shorted out something in the ECM when I uninstalled the previous Juice. I also get 13-15mpg.

The Dodge mechanic feels that I got some grit in the injector lines when I installed the pump, and fowled a couple injectors, then over the course of a couple days the fuel system is bleeding down. He also says that since his Cummins laptop won't connect to the ECM, I need a new ECM. He did use a scope to confirm the timing marks and the keyway on the pump is correctly installed.

I need to check the fuel pressure coming out of the Air Dog, to ensure that it isn't too high... How high is too high? (I used to use an edge attitude to monitor the pressure)

20 PSI is undocumented high pressure lmit being that stock lift pumps out of the box could reach 15-16 PSI a extra 4-5 PSI is not going to hurt. But now exceeding 20 PSI you might run into hard starting issues...

Any ideas guys? I am skeptical about the injectors theory, since I would expect it to smoke a lot more at 13mpg. Would the injector O rings or fuel bypass at the back of the head cause any of these symptoms? And I really want to make sure the truck is going to run decently before I drop $1,600 on a new ECM...

If the injectors are hung up and not sealing you won't see extra smoke but you might actually see a rise in oil levle and smell of diesel fuel in the engine oil. As for the ECM is most likely shot if a tech can't hook to it and it won't do you any good if the Edge can't hook to it.

[CSM]

Sounds like possible air leak...

If the injectors are hung up and not sealing you won't see extra smoke but you might actually see a rise in oil levle and smell of diesel fuel in the engine oil. /QUOTE]

Thanks Michael.

I appreciate your help... And I do think the next course of action is to check for air leaks as well as a new ECM. Although I am confused about the above part. I haven't had the head apart, and mabe I am getting bad info. I thought that any fuel leaking from the o rings (#2 in figure) or anywhere else along the fuel injector the fuel would return to through the fuel return line at the back of the head. If it returns through the fuel return, it shouldn't end up in the oil. Am I looking at this diagram wrong?

--- Update to the previous post...

I think I am going to put a set of the 40hp bosch "rv" injectors in it, along with the ECM...

[dripley]

the injectors themselves might be hunp up causing fuel to leak into the cylinder causing the oil level to rise

[Mopar1973Man]

the injectors themselves might be hunp up causing fuel to leak into the cylinder causing the oil level to rise

Correct... If the fuel is uncontrolled into the cylinder as the cylinder goes into compression stroke it pushes the fuel past the rings and into the oil. Common rail engines are know for this issue if not delt with quickly it will take the rings out and create some serious blowby... @ OP... As for the connector tube if its loose it typically leaks out on the manifold of the head more so than into the return rail typically. Unless there is a damaged connector tube and its not sealing then there would be the leakage into the return rail but typically get a misfire with it as well...