The truck is a 1994 Dodge automatic with the diesel. I was driving last week and it just died and I coasted to the side of the road. I was able to restart it and it went a few feet then died again. It restarted and I drove it home. Thinking it had something to do with fuel I changed the filter and refueled it. It ran well since then until today when it cut out again. I was again able to restart it and it's in my driveway idlng.

Anyone have any ideas where to start or what to look for.

Thanks

Mark

 

I suggest you look at the fueling system, Lift pump being the #1 suspect.

 

Thanks....What if any special tools will be needed to check the lift pump.

Thanks

Mark

 

Fuel Shut off selenoid also will present those kind of symptomes when it craps out. Die suddenly then have momentary fire ups. Cummins offers a replacement or an upgrade kit that installs the larger selenoid off of one the big engines, more durable. Go out crank it over like you normally would then leave the key in the run position. open the hood and see what the selenoid is doing if it is up or in the down position, down means its a cooked unit, itll be HOT too.


Id put money on the selenoid over the lift pump in this case.

Ive lost lift pumps on 12 valves and the P7100 will ussually suck enough to run rough but will keep pulling a little, shouldnt just shut off like that not like the 24v when they die the mechanical ussually will keep going just bleeds off pressure and gets bad mileage, runs rough.

Good Luck
Dusty

 

I went out and tried to check the shut off solenoid. Can you tell me if it is supposed to move when just the key is turned on or when you actually start the engine.

Mine doesn't move when you just turn the key. But if I push it up it stays up and I hear a click. Then when I shut the engine off it goes back down.

Otherwise when I try to turn the engine on it seems to move.

Thanks

mark

 

Mark3682, the solenoid should raise when the key is turned to the start position. In the run position it has only enough strength to hold its position.

I think that your problem is probably with the "blue wire" power supply to the relay\solenoid. At the bottom of the bunch of wire on the + battery post there is a little wire, blue I think, that supplies the power. These wires are prone to corrosion, and the possible expanation of your intermittent problem.

Good luck!

 

Correct

you have to crank it over first to get enough juice to pull it up then allow the keey to fall back to the run position. the vibrations will knock these things loose when they become weak.


If your having problems and need to move it or something also try taking a bungee cord and hooking it around the fuel shut off arm and holding the linkage in the open position, Fire it up but remember the engine will not shut off until you release the bungee cord from the linkage even with the key turned off. Manual shut off

 

Thanks......I'll have to check it next time it dies. In theory it should only be in the shut off position if I turn off the key, or it is defective and it shuts the truck off. Right???

Mark

 

What you are doing when you turn off the key is eliminating power to the selenoid. so correct if the selenoid arm is in the down position with the key still in the run position and the thing has died then you have a titted up selenoid

 

Don't purchase a fuel solenoid until you check the fuel solenoid relay!!
They can go bad!!
There are heavy duty ones out there, but I got mine at Radio Shack.

 

Where is the relay? And how do you check the relay.

Mark

 

The relay is on the fire wall. There should be two mounted next to each other.