First of all thanks for any help that you guys give me! This seems like a great site full of information. I've done a lot of searching and can't find what I need to know.
I noticed my water in fuel light on, drained the filter 2X, the truck was getting harder to start so I changed my fuel filters. When I pulled them there was a little fuel with the water, apparently I got mostly water in my last fill up, of course the company denies it. Drove the truck home and drained twentyfive gallons of water with a little fuel, pulled my tank to completely get the water out and while my truck was on blocks no one around, my cluster went crazy. The speedo and tach were jumping around and everything else in the cluster was flashing. Truck won't crank now. Installed a used cluster, truck will crank, but won't start. Tried to read codes and get failure to communicate.
My first thoughts are security system will not let the ecu fire the lift pump or injectors. I know my injectors are shot, not building enough rail pressure to fire the injectors, but the lift pump won't prime the system. Would the security system cause the failure to communicate or should I look real close at the TIPM. Does the dodge dealer have to program the security system to the cluster or what. I've got a headache just trying to figure it out!

 

I would be consulting my lawyer first. The cost to replace fuel injectors, CP3 pump, transfer pump, flushing the fuel system could be 5 or 6 thousand dollars or more. Usually the red light in cluster will flash if you have security issue. 2006 is CAN C bus so would be easy to find out which module is not comunicating on the bus. You would need dealer to check that part for you. I would get estimate to repair first then talk to my lawyer. Most likely more people are having the same issue as you if they filled up at that station.

 

With the amount of time that went by, I don't think a lawyer would do much good. All I have is a gallon of the stuff I drained out of my tank and receipts that show where I filled up. I really don't drive my truck much, so almost a month went by before I started having problems. I use Optilube fuel additive and I think that fooled my water in fuel sensor. If I would have drained the fuel in a open pan and not a covered pan that you take to get recycled I would have caught the problem before I ruined the injectors. I called the station that sold me fuel and of course they said there fuel was good, but I called all the dealerships and diesel repair shops in all the areas that I filled up at and they also said they haven't done any repairs for water in fuel. So I must have got most of it. I just want to get my truck running again and move on.
After doing a lot of research I think the problem is with the TIPM. After I get the truck back from the dealer I will start ohming wires to confirm that. Of course the dealer said I might have a bad ECU

 

Just thought I would post a picture of the fuel to show how bad it was. If you happen to suspect bad fuel, call your states department of agriculture and they will check it out. I didn't know this, but I called them yesterday and the guy called me back today with the results of the test he did. He said that that station that I filled at gets a load of fuel every three days and sells 18,000 gallons of Diesel a month. I would have never guessed that. It is a rather small station owned by Maverik.

 

That is some bad looking fuel! Im in southern Idaho too, hopefully this isn't a station I fill up at! I got some fuel at a truck stop down here a few years back, and my truck gelled up that day. my dad fueled his semi there, along with the 2 other guys that work with him, and they all gelled up too. Dang gas stations.

 

Your dash cluster needs to be programmed to the truck BCM or the security system will prevent startup.

 

Thanks for your reply. Thats what I thought with my limited information. The cluster I got out of the salvage yard worked almost normal, but was missing some info. (transmission gear selector) This has been giving me some warnings that the cluster was going south for a while. I haven't been able to reset some of the setting on my upper consul for a while, I really didn't think anything of it. The dealership still has it because of the programming issue. The problem that they told me about now is they can't communicate with the ECU. I think the problem will be found with the TIPM.

 

Yah these newer vehicles are pretty picky. I swapped out my overhead trip computer on my 2006 to one with built in garage door remotes. Truck wouldn't start afterwards had to swap back.

 

I've been reading all I can about electrical issues on 06 dodge 2500s almost every problem has been traced back to the TIPM, some have had a bad ECU, but that's very rare. The bus that connects all the electronic modules, I think also has to go to the TIPM, which in turn controls all those really neat things that the car makers think we need. Depending on which module goes out, it will either set a code or not let the truck run at all. Wish I had a wiring schematic and some ohm values, it would make it a lot easier.

 

I did the same thing with my overhead. I thought it would be a simple replacement, but no.

Scared me for a minute. Glad putting the original back in was all I needed to do.

 

You might want to check your fuel tank vents, I have seen water get into fuel tank if hoses are not installed on these vents. Read notification F19

 

Yup, when I took my fuel tank out to finish cleaning it, the rear vent line was off and stuck between the tank and the heat shield, leaving the vent in a one inch depression. I have a 45 gallon tank in the truck that was a factory option and I don't know if that is comparable to a standard tank or not. The day before the problem we took the trailer out for one last camping trip. We drove home fifteen miles in downpour. The water in fuel light came on the next day. I called a few diesel repair shops around all the areas that I fueled up at on our last vacation and there were no repairs made that involved water in fuel. Went to the local dealer where my truck is and asked if there had been any updates done to my truck. The service manager said just the one to the tank vents. I am the third owner of this truck and it was originally from Arizona, so another dealer flagged the repair without doing it. I wonder if they would pay for my injector repair?

 

I have seen this happen several times. Usually the customer was able to get it covered under his insurance policy. The price of injectors have gone up in price, also injector tubes. CP3 pump and flushing out fuel rail and lines to make sure all water contamination is out of the fuel system. Here is procedure I followed after fuel tank is removed and cleaned out.

 

I'm getting the truck back from the dealer tomorrow. They found a loose connection under the tipm that was in line with the can bus system. They confirmed the cluster was bad and installed a new one, it comes with a 12 month warranty, all for around $700. The injectors are bad enough that it won't build enough rail pressure to fire the injectors. Now on to the injectors. Has anyone dealt with T&C Diesel? From what I've seen they have some of the best prices on new injectors, or could someone point me in a better direction. I really can't afford to do the injectors once, not alone twice. One other thing, should I start the truck on either and run it for a while to flush the rest of the water out of the rail and fuel system before I change injectors. Before the cluster and communications problem I could get it started with a small shot of either and it ran ok, no real smoke or knocking. The dealership has been real good to keep it inside since the cold came. I didn't wan't a froze cp3 or anything else. Ill probably have to replace that if the injectors don't get it to start.

 

Just cranking engine over with clean diesel in tank would help flush injectors and fuel return. I would remove return line behind fuel filter housing and run hose to a bucket. Since you do not want the contaminated fuel back in your tank. Cranking engine no longer then 15 seconds then let starter cool for a minute or so. Do that until you see clean diesel fuel coming out return line. Plastic bottle would work. Water will settle to bottom, fuel should be clear and not cloudy.