This just started all of a sudden. Sounded and ran normal. Then its started missing and died in about 2 seconds. I thought that I had gelled up, but the engine was warm and was just driven about 10-15 miles. I had just left the grocery store when this happened. I cranked it over and it started rough and ran rough. I had to keep the rpms around 1500 to keep it from stalling. So I stopped and eased it into an idle where it wouldn't stall. I popped the hood and it sounded like the ticking/knocking was coming from the injection pump. I figured I'd just drive it home and see how far it made it. And it made it the 10 miles home. Ran rough and missed heavily the whole time. Had power though if I got on the throttle but still missed the whole time. Also the throttle response was delayed about 1 second getting on the throttle and letting off. Outside air temp was about 15-20 degrees and the IP was cool to the touch.

Please tell me I don't need an new ip.

Questions/Thoughts?

 

Okay, I do have an update. Started it up last night after sitting for about 4 hours or so. Ran normal, no missing, no ticking. So I'm thinking stuck rack/plunger type of issue?

 

Sure looks like it, get her warm and if she pulls the same stunt, pour icewater over the barrels to see if it goes away.

 

I am not convinced that you did not have a filter full of partially gelled fuel.....at least I hope it is that simple for you.

 

I wish it was...but the thing is, the day before it started and drove home from work just fine while sitting in negative temps all day. I didn't drive it today but I will tomorrow and I'll see how she does.

 

if it acts up again, go get fuel. The fuel stored underground will be warmer and will help it come out of it, IF that's the actual problem. add some winter additive too.

 

I'd add some anti-gel to the tank and if it does it again assume you have a warped barrel or plunger.

 

I actually had additive in it in preparation for the cold weather earlier this week. It was stuff I haven't tried before. They said on the box "If you gell up we pay the tow fee" haha. So I figured it should work. I drove it to work this morning, 24 miles, no issues.

So, lets say its a barrel/plunger issue. How long would I be able to drive it until I start having serious drivablility issues?

 

Did it again this morning. I was about 18 miles into my drive. Outside air temp was 40+ degrees.

Looking through some old threads there seems to be a wide range of estimated cost/benefits of rebuilding vs replacing. As well as shops to buy from/do the work.

I can remove the pump myself, so that being said, anyone have any recommendations given my options rebuild vs replace and benefits for either?

 

Rebuild or replace are basically the same thing and cost the same.
Faster turnaround if you just buy a rebuilt one.
These guys have been rebuilding pumps for 75 years, have an excellent warranty and are competitively priced.
http://www.usdieselparts.com/index.c...-dodge-59l.cfm

 

Are you sure this miss is related to the pump? theres a lot of other things to consider such as sticky injectors, fuel solenoid or air leaks.
You might be able to find a diesel shop to help narrow it down cheaply if you dont have a garage to work in (I know I sure dont and its f-f-f-f-freezin).
If its possible to replicate it, you can narrow it down to a specific cylinder / barrel by loosening the injector line nuts one at a time and see where the miss remains the same.
If its an intermittent air leak (they can happen), you can install something like a boiler sight glass right before the lift pump. mcmaster-carr has those I think.
A new pump aint cheap.. Id hate to see you waste money if thats not the issue.

 

Well, a couple days after I last posted it acted up again. I used the "dump cold water on the pump" trick and it cleared up. It seemed pretty obvious to me that it was a pump issue.

So I bit the bullet and order a pump, based on Infidel's advise, from US Diesel Parts. Got the pump, replaced it, timed it at 14.5 degrees. Now here is where the fun starts.

Once I get the truck up and running, it as a slight vibration at idle, like running rough, not a miss though. Just not running smooth. It never did that before with my other pump. Second thing I notice, when I rev it up under no load, it misses and puffs out white smoke. I double check the timing and it hadn't slipped. This was late January this all occurred. Other than those two issues, it seemed to run great.

Now fast forward about 1500 miles to yesterday. It still does the same two things it did when I first installed it, but otherwise ran normal. Then on my way home from work yesterday something change, I noticed it was acting funny. So I pushed the clutch in, it started loping from 800 to 1300 ish, back and forth, lowering by about 50 RPMs in each cycle, until it stalled. So I started it back up, did the same thing. I could still give it throttle and it would react, but it still loped and the throttle was stiff and sticking a little. So I limped it home. Started it up a couple hours later and did the same thing. ugh.

I called up US Diesel Parts, told them the whole story. They took my info and told me someone who would have a better idea what was going on would call me back today. So I talk to the guy today and now I have to pull the pump and send it back. Now my truck is going to be down for at least a couple of weeks after I spend hours and hours pulling the pump.

So I pulled the AFC cover and the lever arm isn't even hitting the fuel plate. BUT....It was hitting it originally when I pulled it to fill the governor housing with oil before I first started it. So what did it work itself loose? And what else would have come loose in the governor area that would be causing this loping and stalling issue?

Any ideas on how I can fix this permanently without an ending that involves me pulling the pump?

My faith in American made products is diminishing pretty quickly.

 

So I changed the overflow valve and prefilter today. No change. I can ease it into loping without stalling, but if I rev it up, it will lope then stall. Also, a correction from my earlier post, the lever arm is hitting the fuel plate when running, it just goes underneath the fuel plate when the engine is off.

I made a quick video with my crappy phone, you can see what it is doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jer5...ature=youtu.be

Is there any hope? I don't want to pull this pump.

 

That stinks, even if it's under warranty I hate doing things twice.

I'm not a pump expert by any means but that is some serious "lope". Could you maybe check that both governer springs are in tact and the keepers are both adjusted the same?

How about the injectors, any chance of them being out of whack?

 

I could check the governor spring adjustment I suppose, I didn't want to dig too much into the pump too much and then get blamed for how bad its running because I "tampered" with it. Injectors are relatively new (35,000 miles or so). And to clarify what is in the video. I started it out with it being at a loping idle without it stalling on its own. At around 10 seconds I rev'd it up to 1900 ish then let off to show what it does when it lopes, then stalls.

Another thing I noticed is that the throttle is very stiff, until its rev'd to roughly 1800 rpms, then it loosens up and feels normal, but once the engine slows down the throttle gets stiff again, like its binding up. I checked the linkage mounted to the side of the pump to see if that was the cause, it is not.