OK, this has me completely baffled.

Truck out of the blue just started bucking like crazy with bouts of dead pedal. CEL comes on.

Codes are for APPS voltage low, among others.

Installed new APPS (thanks Mopar for that $375 price tag and there was NO IMPROVEMENT-- IT'S STILL BUCKING!

There's no P0216, and my VP is just over year old and has 15K on it. I don't suspect the VP-- yet.

I'm only 50 miles into this tank of fuel-- could I have gotten bad fuel?? Would it take 50 miles to feel the effects of bad fuel?

I immediately suspected the APPS, but a new one hasn't helped.


The oddest part is that this came on so fast and so severely. It's like one minute the truck runs normally, then it goes downhill fast.

When it first set in, it started sputtering like I was running out of fuel, just like a subtle miss. Then it got worse and started to go from dead pedal to lots of throttle and back.

The idea that it's ANOTHER VP44 in with only 54K on the truck makes me want to vomit. I really don't want to believe my new VP lasted only 14K!!!!!!

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS.

Thanks.

Justin

 

I had that same problem, Had a buddy with a snap-on machine that would do everthing but wipe your butt, we traced it down to the wires going from the apps to the ecm, or the ecm. I did a test on the wires and they were good, so I had to change the ecm. AND that fixed the problem. I don't know if it's a software or hardware problem if it's a software problem the smarty might reflash it. I am going to take my old ecm and put it back on some day and see if it will reprogram it. BTW mine and your truck are the same thing if I can reflash my old one and that's your problem we might work out a deal. It has to be an 02 ho 6 speed or it will not work. I took the ecm off dads 02 so and no go, and the one off buddys 01.5 ho 6 speed and no go. It has to be the same truck

 

It bucks whether I flash it to SW #9 or flash it to stock...

I suppose it COULD be the ECM, but that would be weird. I don't have a multimeter, so I can't test the voltage that the ECM is sending to the APPS.

jh

 

A tank of bad fuel should be felt in the first about 5 - 10 miles. Like when I add 2 cycle oil to my firetruck the diesel knock is reduced in about that time frame.

Sounds like a electrical problem... I would check all connection under the hood for corrosion and weak connections. Maybe even find a shorted wire some where.

With the sudden problem and back to normal tells me there is a weak connection or a short somewhere...

 

Then theres a brake in the singal from your apps and your ecm . you've already checked the conection from the apps to the harness so check it at the ecm (the wires go directly to it) no other conections between them, if it's not that then it's a hardware problem in the ecm, sense reflashing it didn't fix it

 

i know everybody says that ecm's dont go bad, but they do.

message sent = good apps
message recieved = good wires and connections
message not read = bad ecm

 

Turns out I still have some warranty left on the truck, and I may be getting all this covered (*cue hallelujah chorus*)

I'm more and more suspicious of the ECM. The fact the it did it with both old and new APPSs seems to say bad ecm or wiring at some point.

But if the wiring was bad, it's pretty unlikely for the APPS to be the only affected part.

I'm thinking ECM. Rare, yes, but not unheard of.

Dealer gets it tomorrow AM, so hopefully they can get it fixed in a day.

Updates coming as I get them....

jh

 

my ecm went out, your ecm went out, dosnt sound rare to me. lol thats 100% failure rate between the two of us.

Admins - if i know how to fix HOHN's truck, does that qualify me for a admin spot........... or something?? Like a smartalac 16 year old?

oh and we'll keep it on the down low that a teenager knew how to fix your truck

Shoulda asked before you shelled out the $$ on the apps sensor. Been there, done that. (altho i didnt waste the 375 bucks) i just borrowed one off of dads truck to make sure that wasnt it.

OH and i hope you get this fixed under warranty, them are a pain to find! i had to get mine out of SC.

 

did you hear anything from them friday?

 

Happy Ending!!

1) Local dealer took back the APPS that I installed and didn't fix, even though their policy says specifically, "no return on electrical components". Got my $375 back.

2) ECM was replaced under warranty. Truck is fixed at ZERO cost to me..


Hate to sound like an Old Milwaukee commercial, but " you know guys, it doesn't get any better than this!"
jh

 

glad you got your 375 bucks back and your truck fixed! cant beat that!