HELP!

I have a very weird problem that I can't figure out with my 2001 Dodge 2500 2x2, 5 speed diesel communes with 158,000 mile.

The problem is this, sometimes when starting my truck it doesn't sound like a diesel, it sputters and white smoke pours out of the exhaust. When driving, specially when decelerating for a curve or a hill then accelerating again it goes flat! I can hold the accelerator peddle to the floor and NOTHING. My speed will drop to 20 MPH and thats it, other than the white smoke that blows out the back end the only good thing that happens when all of this occurs, I lower the mosquito population in that particular area. If I hold the accelerator peddle down for a while it will kick-in and give me or who's ever riding with me whiplash while driving not to mention drowning if you happen to be drinking when this takes place. But sometimes I have to pull over and rev it up until it's reading to go again. I have done the basic replacements such as fuel filter, air filter, oil change, stuff like that. PLEASE help! Diesel is getting to expensive to continue being a mosquito hit-man...

Thanks

Joe

 

When I bought my truck it did the same thing. I was totally ignorant of sites like this so I took it to the dealer. The diagnosis was a bad lift pump. About 3 months later the thing just up and quit on me. Back to the dealer and the injector pump was replaced.
You see the lift pumps on these trucks are notorious for going bad, and in turn the injection pump when starved of fuel will go bad too. The first thing to do is check fuel pressure. If you ever drop below 8psi you have a problem. I bet your lift pump is dead and you will need to replace asap. Also read the codes on the truck, cycle the key 3 times without starting it and the codes will come up in the odometer window. Keep us upated. Oh, and you had better start reading about fuel pressure gauges for your truck, you are insane to drive without one.

 

might wanna check the throttle position sensor, my 01' had the same problem with the fuel pedal going dead & the TPS fixed it, probably pump related though due to the smoke & rough running, just a thought, good luck, Dusty

 

Thanks Dusty.

Joe

 

You might check for codes too... The key on/off/on 3 times and see it in the odometer... If the P0216 shows up it's that death code for the VP44...