tikiman

Truck is a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500HD with the 24 valve engine. About a year ago I started having trouble starting the truck (long crank times) if I parked facing uphill. If I parked downhill, no problems. I figured fuel was draining back to the tank for some reason and I just started always parking downhill. Now, it's doing it no matter how I park and, if hot, no amount of cranking will start it. I ran it 60 miles with no problems yesterday and parked it for 30 minutes to go into a store. When I came out it would not start. Even after 90 minutes. I got a rental car and came home. This morning I drove into town to see if it would start and it fired right up like nothing was wrong. Am I having hot start issues now?

Which expensive part is failing now and how much trouble is this going to be to get fixed? The truck has 220,000 on it and has always run like a champ. It has a fifth wheel and pulls a large stock trailer full of cows and hogs regularly with no trouble at all. I would really like to keep it running a few more years if I can. Any help you guys can give will be appreciated. I am in the nothern VA area about an hour from DC. Anyone know of any competent shops in my area for diesels?

Lary Ellis (Top)

The rubber hoses they used for fuel return on the 2nd gen trucks are notorious for rotting and allowing fuel to drain back to the tank, causing the hard start when parked uphill.

Mine would leak right at the outlet on the Injection pump causing those problems and when I crawled under the truck I could see fuel all over the trans and almost back to the rear end.

Others develop leaks on top of the tank where the fuel lines enter the the tank.

That's where I would start

rebal

Hard start when hot sounds like a vp 44 issue unless your lift pump is bad or week ? if you have a new lift pump and its still doing it I would pull the codes using the key on-off-on-off -on dont start and watch the odometer and write down any codes and come back here we will help you out.

tikiman

I did the key trick and the odometer said "P done". Whatever that means.

All pumps are original. The only thing I've done to this truck is wheel bearings, ball joints, brakes, and a new starter. Not too bad for 220,000. If I do need a new lift pump (and I don't doubt that I do), what is my best option? Aftermarket? If so, which brand?

The leaking hoses idea may have some really good merit. The last time I hauled hogs down I66 to Front Royal, the entire left side of the truck had a coating of diesel fuel. The driver's side rear wheel well was soaked with it. It only blows fuel like this under a fairly heavy load like a 24 foot gooseneck stock trailer full of hogs. There is no smell of fuel when I drive it with no load. Does this additional information help any?

I really appreciate you guys sharing your expertise.

rebal

If your sucking air that will stop it from starting try checking your fuel pressure , But I have an 01 that did not show codes and had the hot start issue that I made a temp. fix for it . 8 months later the pump went (VP44)