Scottie64

I have an '03 and it has started just fine until a month ago when it will only start if i have it warmed up with the block heater.
The heat plate is working and shows it to heat to about 110 deg.
It cranks just fine (new batteries)
It will not even start in the afternoon at 60 degrees.
When the engine block cools down it will not start.
I have had it to 2 mechanics and one is a certified dodge tech.
I have 230,000 miles on it.
Help!!!!

Lary Ellis (Top)

Common issue with the common rail engines the FCA (Fuel Control Actuator) gets weak it will not let the rail pressure build high enough to fire the injectors. I would look there first

Scottie64

Thanks Lary

I'm not a mechanic in any way. Why does heating the engine with the block heater make it start?

Lary Ellis (Top)

I really don't know Scottie.....I see that a lot though with weak FCA's or injectors issues for some reason it seems that way. If you do a search here you will see tons of threads with the same symptoms and they often claim the block heater seems to help.

Scottie64

Well ok at this point I'm going to look into that I appreciate your thoughts and wisdom. No one else that i have taken it to has had the answer so it is worth looking into. thanks

Justwannabeme

second on the FCA, check contact for the injector plugs, warm/cold start problems may need a contact cleaner spray. worth the effort.

here in the mountains, some guys put the insulator engine foam pad on the hood over the common rail/injector pump side. some say yes/ some say it keeps it colder. enh.......

just two simple fixes that I have experienced.

rubencumm3

Last year, once the temps started to drop, my truck was having a hard time starting. At first, my first thought was the lift pump, because it seemed to be starving for fuel. I had to press the pedal a little to get it started. Then I started to read and everything pointed me to a heater on the fuel canister. There was a thread I read online that showed me how to check to see if its bad. I checked it and it was bad. Ordered a new one and put it one, and issue went away. No more issues to report. I was reading somewhere that it heats the fuel in the canister if not it gels up and does not let it flow smoothly. Check that also, just a suggestion.

made2crawl

injectors one or more are bad

Jeff in TD

As injectors wear, the amount of return fuel flow tends to increase. From what a friend experienced and what I've seen on threads, the first symptom is often long crank times or fail to start when the engine is cold.

Apparently with high return flow, the injection pump has difficulty achieving the rail pressure needed to fire the injectors, especially when cranking a cold engine.

Alternately, failed FCA will increase return flow from the pump, with the same result.

A couple of fittings are needed to seperate injector return flow from pump return flow, so the rate of flow can be measured. There is also a cap to block off one injector at a time, so if injector return flow is high, a person can take an injector out and retest to determine which injectors are bad.

Here's a video that might be helpful.

pmtg

At 230,000 miles my bet is injectors. I got 150,000 out of mine before it wouldn't start without the block heater, but it had to be considerably colder than 60 degrees. New injectors (don't buy reman'ed) are expensive so check the FCA first.

gasjr4wd

injectors... one or more are bad. very, very common issue.
heated things expand...