Hey all, my truck is starting to give me some problems, wanted to see if I could get some advice/ideas as to what may be the problem. Truck is an '03 with 122k miles, auto trans.

I started having these issues about 3-4 weeks ago, and it's only happened about maybe 4 or 5 times in total. What happens is that when the truck is at idle, the engine will kind of get a real quick surge, it only lasts about 1 second, and it's very noticeable. Then it goes back to normal. Once last week, I got that same surge, but it was very violent and the engine sort of... I don't know, stalled and sounded like it wanted to die. Like I said, it was very violent, but it only lasted about 2 seconds, max. Then back to normal. Last night, while at idle, the truck just died on me out of no where. But then it immediately started right back up like normal. I noticed the oil pressure seemed to be on the low side after it died, it was a little under 40, I dunno, it seemed a little bit low. Maybe I was just freaked out.

My truck is running perfectly fine other than these random issues. Other than an Edge EZ Module, the engine is completely stock. Maintenance is all up to date, including fuel and air filter. Never had an engine light come on either.

Any ideas what the problem could be. It kind of feels like it might be a fuel issue, but what do I know

 

Sounds like a fuel pump. Stock pump?

Let me find a recent thread where I answered this...

 

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=302258

 

Yeah everything is stock.

 

I ran that key trick, no codes.

 

IMO, you need fuel pressure gauges to diagnose this.
I've been reading a lot on this generation sence i bought a common rail last December, no start #1 problem and surging is common.

i put in a lift pump and a rail pressure gauge, between them 2 you should be able to just about pinpoint your problem area.

if you want to take a chance, put a FAC in it. sounds like your rail pressure is spiking IF you have fuel pressure to the CP3

 

Pull the fuel filter canister lid and cycle the key to verify you have fuel. If so it almost sounds like an FCA on it's way out. Mine did the same thing several years ago.

 

What do FCA and CP3 stand for?

 

FCA- Fuel Control Actuator

it looks kind of like a mini version of a starter solenoid. It is on the back of the cp3 and has an electrical plug in the back.

The CP3 is the high pressure injection pump (the "3" stands for the three pistons it uses to accomplish this). This pump is located on the front lower left side of the engine. Just follow the fuel lines.

If it is the FCA that is going out, the trickiest part of the replacement is the torx screws (3) that hold it in. They are sticky and more than one person has stripped them trying to remove them.

The canister mounted fuel pump (on the back of the fuel filter housing) is notorious for early death on your truck. At the mileage you list, you are at the average age limit for that pump. This means the cp3 is trying to suck the fuel on its own and that can damage the cp3. This may create the symptoms you describe. So figure out if it is the fuel pump right away and go from there.

 

Is the fuel pump and lift pump the same thing? Sorry if that's a dumb question, I don't have much experience with diesel engines.

How would I go about testing the fuel pump? Just by reading the pressure with a fuel pressure gauge? What is the pressure supposed to be at?

 

the cleanest way to check fuel pressure is get one of there:
http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo....BF-LONG-TAPPED

get a gauge, oil pressure, fuel pressure as long as it reads in the 10 PSI range.

you CP3 is located on the left front of the engine, remove the stock banjo bolt from the inlet port, (top front of CP3) put in the tapped bolt and hook up your gauge and see what it reads idling, driving bla bla bla.

if you have no fuel pressure, you'll have problems, if your fuel pressure is good, 1 or more PSI driving it may be the FAC.

it dont need much fuel pressure, it needs something though.

 

The FCA is like a fuel regulator. It only allows so much fuel at idle, and adds more depending on demand.

If the FCA is dead, it'll surge when your at a stop sign. But with it dying a majority of the time, it sounds like your fuel pump is about done.

 

Mine has only actually died once, then it started right back up. That one time that I described as violent, it sounded like it was gonna die, but it didn't.


My issues started like 3 or 4 weeks ago, and it's only happened a total of like 5 times.

 

Could have just been the fuel filter or bad fuel.

 

your lift pump is on the fuel filter canister , it gets the the fuel from the tank to the the cp3{high pressure pump}, that supplies the the common rail with fuel. the fca is the regulator. Hope this is a help.