2003 Starting Problem, Intermittent



This has been going on since last winter when My 2003 Dodge Ram Cummins 5.9HO wth 110,000 miles would not start at below zero. Parked in the shipyard with cold ocean wind.



I bought two Brand new batteries and replaced the fuel filter. Truck started right up. Have only run thru maybe 3 or 4 tanks of fuel since last winter as I ride a motorcycle most of the summer.



Have change fuel filters 4 times already ( last filter change a week ago) added a bottle of 911 and about 1/2 gallon of Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement Treatment and had 1/2 tank of fuel since June. Topped off the tank with 11 Gallons of fresh fuel from local Irving truckstop and the truck ran for 2 hours without any problems pulling a small 1 ton trailer.



Truck is hard starting every time and usually requires that I hook up battery charger as it takes 10 mins of cranking before it fires. It started yesterday After about 10 mins with the block heater plugged in 40 degrees F outside and this morning No start again.





lift pump fills fuel canister and filter with fuel and it looks ok when I drain it off.



when it runs it performs great. no lack of power, no smoke.



Its sitting outside with the block heater and battery charger on it right now.



Any ideas as to why it wont start?



Is there any way to bleed off the common rail?

 

I suspect your injectors may be getting bad.

You posted that you have 110,000 miles on the truck and IMHO the stock injectors just don't hold up that well. On my 2006, I had to replace all the injectors at about 94,000 miles! I had the same hard starting issues you did and once I pulled all the injectors and had them rebuilt they found that three of them were bad. Granted, you could have other problems as well, but I would look at the injectors.