I'm chugging into work this morning and out of the blue on an off ramp the engine starts luffing and chugging. I take my foot off the pedal and it idles fine maybe a tiny bit rough. I shuter down and then turn key to on I can hear the LP cycle on. I try to start it and it turns over but takes a lot to start. Once started it idles away happily. Oh yeah check engine light is on DUH! so for an hour I idle back to home in rush hour traffic. (gotta luv a 7 mph idle) no matter how lightly I press the accelerator it starts to chug, NO SMOKE at all.
I stole the wife's soccer mom van and went to work. Tonight when I get back step one is pick up a fuel filter and start diag. I had a problem like this before but no where near as severe, I could at least go 40mph. it turned out to be the filter.
I tried opening up the fuel/water drain while the truck was running and got good flow out onto the street .
Funny thing is I just got a gauge but haven't had the chance to install it yet, guess I'll make time now.

 

First thing is check the fuel pressure your getting. Sounds like your engine is getting starved for fuel and that would mean LP going south. If the LP is going south, dont run the truck cuz you will kill the VP.

 

Hate to say it, but most likely the hard starting and dead pedal are the results of the VP44 heading south. What codes do you have? If you haven't checked them, you will need to in order to help diagnose the problem.....if you get the 0216 DTC combined with the dead pedal, you likely have a cooked VP.

 

We ll, I had 8lbs at idle, changed the filter, no change in FP or running problems. Changed the lift pump, cracked the banjo and bumped it 4 or 5 times till my driveway was a mess. then retightened and had 15 lbs FP but no change in condition, tough start slightly rougher idle and NO response to pedal. I hobbled it at the 5 mph idle to a local parts house that said they could test the codes. I got there and they're box wouldn't talk to my truck . Finally I gave up, 400 for filter, LP, and squash washers, $65 for a tow to the dogged dealer and ??? for them to do whatever needs to be done. It's a **** good thing that I like this truck so much or I'd push it off a pier.

 

How about the APPS. If it only idles and has no response to the throttle.

 

could be the cam position sensor. Freind had that happen and it would only idle. Did you know a 5 speed will go 8 mph in second at idle .

 

doggie doo dealer called me.
The out of the box brand new LP was bad and the vp is bad.
They'll credit me for the LP but by the time all is said and done and uncle sam gets his cut I'm looking at 3 GRAND to get my truck on the road.
I could say no, pay to have it towed somewhere else to pay a little less for the pumps and labor, but it would have to be a lot less since I've got sunk costs of towing and diags ,to make any sense so....I'm stuck

It just pisses me off, mileage was going up truck was running great then BAM no warning, no running.

 

Is your TPS plugged in nice and tight? Could have worked loose.

 

First chance I had to read this thread. VADSLRAM's symptoms were identical to when my VP died in my '99 -- running down the highway at 65mph when I lost all power. I pulled off onto the side streets and found I could idle in 4th gear going 30mph, but it took a loooooooong time to get up to 4th gear. I took it to a local repair shop since it was out of warranty -- still cost me $25xx for the LP and VP. Picked it up and it revved great. Pulled out of the driveway and stepped down on the pedal -- felt a short burst of power and then nothing. Limped around the block and back into the shop's driveway so they could replace the MAP sensor...