2003 HO Cummins wont start

[felix2464]

This truck ran perfect yesterday and will not start at all. It cranks fine and I replaced the lift pump and fuel filter. There is no smoke at all and it just acts like it is not getting any fuel. It ran like a dream when it was parked and the next day it wont fire at all. I tightened all grounds and cleaned both sets of battery cable ends. i am at my wits end with this truck, i have owned it for less than a month and am not having a very good first experience with the great cummins engine. it is giving 4 codes.p2509p0462p0463p0516

[guesswho512]

this is what i found: P0462 Fuel Level Sending Unit Volts Too Low(Low Input) Fuel level sensor input below acceptable voltage. P0462 (M) Fuel Level Sending Unit Volts Too Low(Low Input) Open circuit between PCM and fuel gauge sending unit. P0463 Fuel Level Sending Unit Volts Too High(High Input) Fuel level sensor input above acceptable voltage. P0463 (M) Fuel Level Sending Unit Volts Too High(High Input) Circuit shorted to voltage between PCM and fuel gauge sending unit. i found this http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/technical-service-bulletins-recall-support/104133-code-p2509.html and ramtech says :TSB 18-001-07 Flash: Check Gauges Lamp Illuminates For Alternator Charging With DTC P2502, P2503, or P2509 OVERVIEW: This bulletin involves selectively erasing and reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (Cummins PCM) with new software. P0516....Battery Temperature Sensor Circuit Low sounds like a battery crapped? it may not be getting fuel...if the pump can't run

[Mopar1973Man]

Hmmm... What the fuel pressure like? http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/cummins/3rdgen/fuel-system/fuel-system.htm I would check the batteries charge state and have the charging system checked...

[felix2464]

The batteries are both brand new and i found some corroded wires under truck which i repaired when they were probed when the auxillary tank was installed in the bed. Just talked to a cummins mechanic and he is directing me towards a fuel pressure relief valve which is on the top of the fuel rail. He told me that if i loosen the bot and take off the banjo fitting there should be no fuel present, if so the fuel is bypassing and going directly back to the tank. This seems to be the case. He is sending me a replacement which should be here on thursday that is machined to the correct clearances with no internal moving parts to forever solve that problem as he said a stock engine would never generate the pressure needed to trigger the relief valve in the first place. I hope this helps and might save someone else some headaches.... i iwll post my findings when i get the new part installed.

[Mopar1973Man]

There is another common problem is the debris in the fuel... Common problem is that debris will wear the injectors out to the point that they don't close. It very difficult to explain the design of the CR electronic injector but basically there is a check ball that seats to hold the needle closed when the seat is erroded by debris then the fuel leak past this seat causing the needle leak out the nozzle. I had this shown to me at a injection shop in Lewiston, Idaho and was shock at how little damage needs to occur before the injector fails... This is a common issues for CR engine and its suggested to upgrade to 2-3 micron filters to prevent this problem...

[felix2464]

i just cant understand how the truck came back from a 3hr trip and was shut down after idling for 15mins to cool off and will not start. seems pretty finicky to me, this is my first experience with the cummins or frankly any diesel engine and it hasn't been a good one thus far. I am almost to the point of re-licensing my 95 chevy 3500 with a 454 and paying the extra fuel cost just to have peace of mind. That truck has 315k miles on it and has never been apart, i cought it new and the most extensive thing i have done to it has been spark plugs and 2 fuel pumps.

[Mopar1973Man]

Well to make you feel better talk to Cajflynn he's driving a 2001 Dodge with over 770K miles on it he's heading for the 1 million mark. Then there is Taz with over 620K miles on his 92 Dodge 12V. It's possible to do...

Now as for your problem you could pull the grid heater lead on the battery. There should be 2 heavy gauge lead going from the driver side positive terminal down to the grid heater relays on the fender. Make sure you disconnect the grid heaters and they are non-functional.

Now with a small burst of starting fluid in the air intake try starting the truck. If the truck starts to fire or starts then it for sure a fuel issue on the rail. Over pressure valve leaking, injector(s) leaking, etc. But basically there is a loss of rail pressure and the injectors can fire properly under 4,000 PSI...

[dorkweed]

How many miles on that '03???? There have been a lot of threads on the various Cummins forums about '03 no start conditions recently. More often than not, it winds up being the injectors. Need new ones or remans. You're gonna spend $$$$$ if that's the case.You can disconnect the grid heater, and give her a little shot of ether to get her running. But please disconnect the grid heater before spraying the ether!!!!!!

[Mopar1973Man]

also be very aware that if you keep driving on wore out injectors it could lead to it just dieing or the engine going into full runaway mode... Don't drive it if you really don't have to be your going to needing to pull the injectors and have the pop tested at least to replace the ones that failed.