WhiteMule

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and daughter were using my truck to pull the son's race car home from the track. My daughter said it just started slowing down and at first she thought it was that she was getting tired and had eased up on the pedal and she tried mashing it even harder and the truck continued to slow until as she was pulling off the road, IT Died. They were on a back country road in the middle of nowhere. My brother in law was way out in front of them pulling a 40' racecar trailer himself and had to travel a ways to get it turned around once they contacted him. He came back to them and the truck at first wouldn't start.He plugged in my Smarty Jr. and read a code for rail pressure hi/lo. He could not remember the code number. He told me that he unplugged the electrical connection on the CP3 (I assume FCA), the truck then started but sounded real bad, they quickly shut it down, plugged it back in and fired it back up. The truck has ran for the last two weeks without a hiccup. No problems whatsoever.

I said all of that to ask this. What happened and why? Will it happen again? In addition to my wife and daughter using my truck I am about to pull a trailer 3000+ miles and would like to do what I need to before I leave if this is something to worry about.
Sorry this is so long and Thank you for your thoughts.

NickBeek

I haven't heard of this before. From your description, it sounds like the FCA is screwy or the rail pressure sensor / wiring is screwy.

Let us know what you find.

cdennyb

don't foget to check out the fuel pressure from the lift pump too. It sounds related.

WhiteMule

That's something that I haven't checked and probably should. I need to order a tee to put between the Cat filter and CP3 just haven't done it yet. I fill the tanks from the same station that sells lots of diesel. The only time that I do not fill from there is when I leave Texas, so I wouldn't think bad fuel as it has been months since I filled up somewhere else.

Is it possible that the FCA just stuck momentarily and the unplugging and plugging it back in, freed it up? Any other suggestions on what to check?

1985cucv

id look for codes and then if you dont get any for a while just run it. these trucks get expensive enough without trying to put new parts on that dont need to be there

WhiteMule

It has thrown 0 codes since that night. Agreed on the expensive part to a certain extent. I do not want these next statements to sound bad but the flip side of this is that it is a whole lot more expensive to have my truck AND trailer towed off of some mountain pass, and I could care less what the expense is if it means not having my wife and daughter broke down on some back country road in the middle of the night. I also have access to all the parts and tools that I might need at home which I would not have on the road. Hence, I am trying to get some ideas on possible causes and/or solutions.

jballou

Sounds like your FCA stuck, or lift pump is going out. Try and get a pressure reading on the inlet line, in the mean time put in some fuel lube of your liking in the tank. That should help it out.

BLACKBEAR

Sounds like your mule jest bulk on you!!

WhiteMule

The FCA getting stuck was my first thought, I just haven't heard too much about people having this problem.Is the FCA sticking a common problem?

Good idea on the fuel lube! I'll get some of that in there in the morning.

WhiteMule

He better not balk too many times or he will find himself at a new home LOL!!!

Raspy

Wouldn't it be funny if it was just a clogged fuel filter. Seems most likely to be the lift pump. That's also relatively easy to fix.

WhiteMule

Yeah it would be great if I found out it was either of the two. Both are easy to deal with. I promised no performance mods on this truck, but a new AirDog lift pump would be nice and I think easy enough to pass off as a needed maintenance and reliabilty item. I'll check them both as soon as I can get off from work long enough to do it.