Hey all, I'm NEW to your site......And require a little help.....I' ve owned a few Dodge Diesels.....Made a big mistake when I sold my last one.....but that's another story......Here's my question, a friend of mine has had about 4 or New Dodge's over the last 5-6 years, the latest was a new 2002 a couple years ago, now from time to time I drive his trucks, and this one is by far the worst for power and response......I am a mechanic and play around with race cars on the side so I have a bit of knowledge.......I have serviced this truck since new , it gets new fuel filter,oil and oil filter every 4000 miles........it has 55,000 miles on it, but man is this thing ever a dog.....I have been driving it for about 2 weeks now and I have noticed that the turbo lag is SEVER......and when your on the highway at about 50 mph and you stand on it, it will drop a gear and then it just creeps up in RPM, I mean if it was at 2400 it would take about 30 seconds or more to get to 3000 RPM, and that seems to be where it wants to shift but in the mean time it seems like it is making NO power ???? I have checked all the hoses around turbo and intake...I see NO leaks or worn spots....It NEVER smokes.....I have NOT put a gauge on it yet to check boost pressure, and I have NO idea where the timing is....??? Everything is STOCK.......I was going to try and check the timing and run the lash on it....should be about do now......Any tips on where stock timing is and how far can we advance this, would maybe help me or any other suggestions you might have about this........Put it this way this thing is so bad that we have a company pickup, 1995 GMC, with a 6.5 litre NON turbo, with 357,000 miles on it, and it will give it to the Dodge to about 90 MPH, then it runs out of steam.......I know I need to put a gauge on it but I also know the turbo is working to some degree, as you can hear it start to whistle.......hope you guys can help......

 

Timing is not as easy as you make it sound for an electronic diesel.
I would be checking the intercooler hoses again for clamps that are loose and or backing out from under a clamp.
The valve adjustment might help. However, I do believe its not required or suggested until 150,000 miles on the 24 valve engine.
Also get a leak down test done on the intercooler.
Check the fuel pressure, boost and exhaust gas temps with gauges to get an idea where everything is at.
It sounds like it could be a combination of a few issues.
The factory lift pump could be toast and therefore the VP-44 injector pump is working harder to supply fuel...it could fail next if this is the case.
The truck could have a leaky hose or intercooler too. A visual inspection of the clamps/hoses does not always assure they are ok. These things can appear only under load.

Cycle the key to 'On' until you see codes that come up in the odometer area [if there are any] and record what they are and some of us on here can tell you what they are.

A dealer can attend to a lot of this as well since the mileage on the truck is under what some of the truck is still covered under.

Others can add to this on what to troubleshoot as well.

Scotty

 

Sounds like a stuck wastegate, or a bad MAP sensor.

Basicly, from what you describe, is the ECM is not "seeing" any boost and never lets the injection pump fuel to it's potential.

The ECM needs to see 3-5PSI before it will start adding extra fuel, and 8-9PSI before full fueling will begin.

Get an OBDII scanner on it, and check the MAP sensor pressure, and voltage.
You should see 14.5-14.7 (atmosphere), and at 2,500-2,700RPM you should pick up 5-8PSI from idle.
I am not sure of the actual voltage. Something like 5v at full boost.

You cannot change the timing on the '98.5-'02 mechanicly. You have to chagneg the timing by adding a "box" or "chip", like an Edge EZ, or Edge COMP.
www.edgeproductsinc.com

Also, be sure to check your fuel pressure. On the '02's there is a schraeder valve on the fuel inlet of the VP44. You NEED to have 8PSI at all times. You should have 14-16PSI at idle and prime (bump key, and the lift pump should run 30 seconds), and you should have no less than 8PSI at WOT, and full boost.

Hope this helps,
Merrick

 

Ditto the above.

More specifics on the code reading with out the OBD II is ignition from off to on three times (off - on, off - on, off - on...) and leave on.

Your fuel pressure must be done under load, and even then you can still have problems. I religiously checked mine with a shop gauge every fuel up, and always got 13 - 15 psi at idle. The hose was too short to check it while driving. The LP was replaced still showing 15 psi at idle by the dealer because it failed the new flow test. Pressure was OK, flow was not. It also ate my VP44 because of that. If your pressure is low, change out your fuel filter and check it again.

Pull and clean your IAT and MAP sensors.

Look for tears in your lower inter cooler boots. The fenders have an edge that curves in and has been known to cut the boots (they expand under boost)

Are your brakes sticking?

Air Filter?

 

Well thanks guys for all the help and suggestions, I will try them if he wants me to play with it a bit, it's just a real drag to drive such a nice truck....that is so slow and well........anyway....ah I 'm pretty sure the brakes are fine I just done rotors and pads on the front and serviced the calipars ( Pulled them apart and buffed everything with wire wheel, greased and cleaned sliders ) None of the wheels are hanging up....Like I said air filter is brand new, checked all the hose's on the intercooler Nothing loose or rubbing, in fact I removed the clamps and pilled on the hoses and they were still tight like a rad hose gets, you know kinda stuck. I broke them all loose and buffed the area they make contact with and then reinstalled them........need to wait tilllater this week and I will put a boost gauge on it and try to plumb something up for a fuel pressure check....."ONE QUESTION" Where is the best spot to check the FUEL pressure from .??? I mean where should I "T" into or is there a fitting already there ??? I will also check for those codes....But just from turning the key on and off 3 times....so far NO codes......I'll keep you informed.....thanks ...Shawn

 

On the VP44 there is a test port that you can use a screw on pressure gauge. It looks like a valve stem on a tire (and does the same thing) only bigger and metal. It points towards your drivers front tire. If you don't have a fuel pressure test gauge, most auto parts places carry them. Try to get one with at least a 3 foot hose so you can hook it up and tape it to your winshield and take a short drive.

 

Well thanks to all of you and especially Merrick in Texas.....I must admit that I serviced this thing again, and I have drove the **** out of it for a few days and it feels like it is starting to get a little bit better.........Is it possible that this thing is plugged up or carboned up ??? It only gets drove around the city lots of stop and go, and the owner does'nt drive it very aggressively.......but I noticed last night on the way home after it was up to temp, that when it was up high in the rpm's, and pulling for all she was worth I could see sparks comming from the exhaust pipe...??? NOT steady but almost everytime I would get off and then on the throttle hard...??? Also in spurts around 2800 RPM and up..????? I will get some gauges on it this comming week.....but it feels to me like the engine is NOT as slow in the throttle response now, anyway just wanted to pass this along.

 

canucktrucks...i here you may be on the prowl for a nice 1st gen..pm me if interested.

 

Nobody going to comment on the sparks ????

 

Too scared to. Sparks could mean your cat, resonator, and or muffler are plugged up, that or your turbo just grenaded itself, and the sparks are little pieces of the exhaust turbine flying down stream, both of which would also account for the low power....BAD.

If this is the case with your turbo, it has been overheated one too many times, or not cooled down prior to shutdown, or both.

 

From what I have been reading, it sounds to me more like a plugged exhaust. When mine plugged the truck was a real dog, sluggish, no power, and then the egt's started going though the roof. Found out that the cat was plugged on mine. I didn't think there was a cat on the 24v engine. The sparks are probably soot that is getting hot and flaking off when the rpm comes up. Mine was plugged so bad that in my driveway in park if I put my foot to the floor and counted 1,2,3 the pyrometer was up to 1000*. That is why I think the sparks are soot chunks coming out and not a grenaded turbo. If it was a turbo the smoke should be quite noticible.
Tom

 

I kinda thought it was carbon too.....Going to see if we can loose the muffler and resonator.....I just CANT beleave it is plugged up with only 63,000 miles......

 

I can, wait till you take it out & see how restrictive it is you'll wonder how it lasted 63,000, I took mine off it was totally full of soot, the truck ran way better after I took it off now I have a 4" system & it's sweet.

DRecu!

 

Well we pulled the exhaust ( Muffler ) off and it had quite a bit off soot and crap in it, infact I was supprised at how heavy it was........I have a nice piece of pipe to put in its place, I'll get around to that next week and let you know if its any better......