I'm sure that this topic has been discussed up one side and down the other, but...

Here I go, anyway... LOL

My 2004 Dodge3500 (2WD, Cummins, no-mods) has been exhibiting symptoms that were diagnosed (at the dealership) as a bad APPS.
Now... I'm only about 99% convinced that they're right... and I KNOW that I don't want to put it in the shop (at the tune of about a grand) to get it fixed... not if it's something that I can do, myself.

I've got some experience turning wrenches... just not that much (at all?) with diesels. I have replaced the water pump on this truck a couple of times... and once on my previous Cummins... and the oil pressure sending unit on that previous Cummins.

Let me start off with my symptoms.
Last fall I was driving to work... and the accelerator just went 'dead' (driving down the road at about 50mph). The truck was still running, but... the accelerator wasn't responding. I took it to the dealership (luckily I wasn't far) where they diagnosed it as a bad APPS (and quoted a big chunk-o-change to replace it).
Obviously (since I'm here asking y'all about it... LOL) I didn't accept their offer to sign over my paycheck... and it pretty much cleared up, all on it's own, and ran just fine... up until about 2 weeks ago. Pretty frequently now... I "lose" my accelerator... or it surges (during acceleration... almost like a clogged fuel filter or line... if it were a gas engine, anyway)... and a few times it's just up and died on me (driving down the road)... and a couple of times... it's all but refused to start.

I've read a couple of threads on here, already, about replacing the APPS... enough threads to have learned that 2004 seems to have been the "transition year" from the APPS being located under the drivers' side battery box, to being on the engine.
Is there an easy way (i.e. a VIN identifier) to determine where my APPS? I mean easier than pulling the battery box and looking for it there.
How hard is it to replace (and calibrate) the APPS? The threads that I've found... don't seem to be too bad of a job.
Am I even barking up the right tree here, or... is there something else that I need to be looking at?

Thanks...

 

From Glacier Diesel Power...

 

Well...

THAT was easy enough...

Thanks!!

 

...and it appears that I DO have the engine mounted APPS.

 

I got mine from TST products.com. $169 and it came with great instructions. It's the same as the 98.5-02 tps. You could try reprogramming it. I think you disconnect the neg batt cables for a few minutes. Hook them back up, turn on the key and run the throttle 3 full strokes slowly before starting it. I've heard that can help in a pinch. Craig

 

I got mine here:
http://www.dodgecumminsapps.com/about.html

$160ish with detailed instructions on how to calibrate...very easy.

 

X2 what Vault said about the Timbo. It is a high quality product with explicit instructions on installation and calibration. HTH

Jim