intermittent dead pedal / how to read DTC codes
 

I have an intermittent dead pedal, and I just lose power all of the sudden. It eventually comes back. Strange issue. Just started happening. Fuel pressure right at the VP44 is 15-17 even WOT. No check engine light. I'm not sure what the issue could be. Does anyone have any ideas? Also, is there a easy way to read DTC codes, maybe using my EDGE CTS to do this (I didn't know if that is accurate). 90 K on the truck. Other that this intermittent issue that just started happening, truck runs great. Hopefully it's not the VP44!

Try the key trick. On, Off, On, Off, On and read the DTC codes in the odometer window.

With the dead pedal, you need to reset the APPS. Unhook both batteries, and turn on the headlight switch. Wait 30 minutes. Reconnect the batteries, turn on the truck(DO NOT START), press the accelerator pedal down and up slowly. Turn off truck. You have now reset the APPS. You may need to purchase an new APPS, however this will buy you some time..

thank you for that. P0216, P1693. The APPS was replaced a long time ago (when it had 40K miles). I knew the previous owner, it was replaced, by the dealer.. he gave me the service records. Ok - I will try that and see what happens, if not, I'll have to look at replacing it.

P1693 is a companion code.
P0216, VP44 injection timing code. Looks like it is time to start looking for a VP 44.

oh my. that's what I thought. ugh. Is that pretty definite way to diagnose, or could it b something else?I'd like to be pretty darn sure before dropping the coin on one of these! didn't know if you or anyone else might know the answer to that. Thanks in advance all.

You might be able to drive your truck for years or it could quit on you today.

You might try putting in 2 stroke oil in the fuel at 128:1 or 1 ounce to 1 gallon of diesel. It might buy you some time in order to get the monies together to get the new VP. I understand about not wanting to drop the money for a new VP 44. You might get a code reader and clear the codes and drive it some and see if the code returns after putting the 2 stroke oil in.

Here is an article about which type of 2 stroke oil to use.

Hey thanks once again for the info. I was able to use the Edge to clear and read the codes. They came back very quickly. ugh. I'll try to diagnose further, maybe look around, do some research. Maybe even start a new thread on that topic if I have to. If I can determine if it's definitely the VP44, I'll change it sooner than later!

so i don't mean to hijack but i've been having a very similar issue... it all started in eastern WY driving up a hill. noticed CEL on and almost instantly after noticing light truck starts to run rough and loses almost all power, coast to rest stop luckily... truck is idling roughly... no power... will not start after shutoff. Normally i would have the tools to dx the situation myself but i'm in the middle of nowhere... middle of the night of course, no cell reception... payphoned the tow truck who comes and brings me to the official cummins repair shop in gillette. after some major bs with my aftermarket warranty company they say "warranty company won't pay but good news its just your DDRP lift pump thats failed please give us $500 to fix it all and that includes 2 hours of labor for diagnosis" i say FU sell me the lift pump and i'll go out in the ice and replace it myself... i relocated to frame rail for a reason. get back on my way east, CEL on again so i stop at autozone.. p0216 :nope:... clear it and drive on. thing seems weaker going up hills doesn't want to make it over big hills and i felt it start to shudder again going up long hills, cel back on, i have no choice but to keep driving home.. make it all the way back to milwaukee and within sight of lake michigan dead pedal. idle it home. now the shop says they can't duplicate the problem, they got some apps code and something else but no p0216. (only reason i brought to shop is because i have stupid aftermarket warranty, who refuses at every turn to cover and i have to threaten lawsuit)
installed at the time of initial failure was quadzilla xzt+ on highest setting, ddrp, 2002 ho 6 speed. any pointers would be great, sorry for the long story. shop says i can take it home and drive it for a while stock to get the problem to come back if i want and they'll keep the work order open? is there any other way to dx the problem without having it completely take a crap or throw a code? i was at the end of the warranty mileage during this trip and the drive down to the shop (with the truck acting surprisingly normal) took me to the end of my 12000 miles.

We need to know what codes were stored in the computers on the truck. There are several codes that indicate VP 44 Failure. The p0216 means that the VP can no longer adjust the timing inside the pump. It will run, but not sure for how long, years or hours.

i almost feel like i should try to get it to break at this point... i'll ask about all the codes they found when i go tomorrow, but the shop its at has been really honest and worked with me about the warranty even removing the chip for me in case the warranty inspector comes so when they said they couldn't find anything suggesting the pump was failing i gotta believe them at this point, but i will check and get back here with it. seems like the only way to tell is to remove it and put it on a the bosch bench which the warranty co will not allow yet....

Edit: when you say run for years or hours... at normal performance levels or are we talking about reduced performance. seems like anything much less than original performance means its broken and should be replaced.

What I meant by hours or years is that every truck is different and different performance levels. Your truck may run at a reduced power level for the next few minutes or few years. Codes will be stored in the computers until there have been 40 cold starts to operating temps, or they are cleared by a code reader.

so i probly shouldn't have cleared them in wyoming i suppose. will just have to drive it and see. from the reading i'm doing there isn't much more certainty than this is there. sucks. thanks for your advice. is there anything else you suggest i do?

You can try the 2 stroke oil as suggested above.

When you do have the VP replaced, make sure to use 2 stroke oil to lube the VP.

planned on at least the 2 stroke oil... like i said at this point if its going to fail anyway it would be best to fail now when there is a chance of it being covered by warranty. i suppose i'll begin by removing everything aftermarket on the truck. thanks again for the advice everybody.

Wait why would we use Walmart oil? What if I use amsoil?

As far as the injection pump is concerned, in my opinion its time to start shopping for a new one. I have a 2002 with the same issue and plus a few more with a p0216 code. In your case just like mine, i think your pump's computer is failed. the solder connections in the computer are bad, therefore it cannot properly interpret the electrical signals coming from the ECU and at random intervals will perform poorly. I.E. my truck will lose power and get mad dead pedal around average 44 MPH (only when the tranny gets over the hump between 4th gear and into 5thOD--i should mention its a 47RE automatic tranny) and it bogs down. do you have any more symptoms that coould help us narrow it down? :humm: PS if your VP computer is the problem, the odds are much in your favor that the pump wont leave you stranded somewhere, but if its like mine it will only get worse and worse until you lose your patience:argh:

so here i am... about a year later. got rid of the quadzilla xzt chip a while back and have been running and edge jwa on the middle/low setting for about 7 or 8 months with no issues. towed really heavy to move up north this past november with no issues. had a dead pedal again last night on the way back from my wedding. coasted to stop and turned truck off and on pumped pedal and it worked fine again. code 1693 and 0121 this time. i mentioned in an earlier post in this thread that i had seen the dreaded 0216 initially... which may or may not have been related to no fuel pressure when my lift pump died on that trip. when i took it to the diesel shop in milwaukee he drove it around for a week or so and they tested voltages on the pump itself and never found anything wrong. is this likely just apps then?

after mine threw codes for a while, i tried a new apps, but since the issue was intermittent, i didn't know if I really fixed it. 2 weeks later, the dead pedal started again. I then bit teh bullet...n changed the vp44 and that fixed it for good

runs fine since the incident and based on my experience so far and what i've read i'm gonna leave it alone till it breaks. i think i'll spend money on things i want instead. like slightly bigger injectors and checking my valve clearance. building a custom adjustable track bar. doesn't really seem like anyone has a better answer.

How long uave you had your truck have you ever put a new vp in or changed the apps ?

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Also when is the last time you updated the tuner

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From what i can tell is 98% chance of a vp issue but as that is most likly i have a feeling it might have something to do with you ecm grounding and vp grounding as the issuse you state to have would indeed be related to power /grounding issues wether in the computer of the pump or on the truck its self 1st thing i would do is to make sure that a DODGE dealership has flashed your truck with the latest software after tuning truck back to stock of course and then i would check and clean all your grounds then i would remove the connections on the ecm and clean them.with air and then make sure all connections are nice and tight and reinstall then i would do the same on the vp connection then i would also do the same with the apps also with battery terminals and then....if that doesnt fix it your last resort is a new vp but your truck being a H.O i would highly suggest useing a S.O pump and if you use bluechip diesel they wont give you a hard time with the core being from a H.O ...hope this helps

yup....leave it for a bit and keep an eye on it...that is what i would do too. I did the same, except mine - well, it needed a vp44. ugh! Hope yours works out better. Good luck to you with ur truck and for its future mods.