my 98 12v keeps shutting itself off, new lift pump, filters, tune up, spent $ 1000 already, no codes, been to cummins and now back to dodge after a 20km trip today. thinking the fuel cut off isnt working properly or the tube that goes into the tank is cracked somewhere? the dealer has tested fuel pressure etc, found nothing, looking at fuel cut off tm at the dealer. Any ideas? help....... my email is bluearcangel1@hotmail.com

 

Mike,

What do you mean the dealer checked fuel pressure and found nothing??? What specifically was the fuel pressure? Have you ever changed the rubber fuel lines? What specifically was done in the "tune up"? Is the fuel shutdown solenoid pulled all the way up when the key is in the on position?

We need more details here, other than spending $1000.....thats irrelevant.

 

waiting from more info from the local dealer tm, when i turned the key today after it died the selenoid was all the way down. they told me tonight that it was hot when they looked at it. cummins set the valves nd ajdusted the timming to 13.5, and replaced the lift pump.
dodge here in bonnyville replaced the fuel filter because it was clogged, checked the lift pump and lines, ran it and said it was alright. i drove it about 50kms and it shutt off no fuel and woudnt start. so it was back thier today, they were suppose to do a diagnostic and check the fuel pressuers. tech thinks its the fuel shut off selenoid, my dad says its the pipe going into the fuel tank. when i find out more will post it. thanks.. mike / Bonnyville

 

Ok, thats something to work with....

For the shut off solenoid, you can switch it to a cable shutdown. There is a thread somewhere here on that. Ill try to find it. Or you can remove yours clean it up real good (you can replace the boot with an old bicycle innertube and a couple of tye wraps). Theres some good info here:

Diesel Hard Start Diagnosis

Sounds like its airbound to me? Did it fire up right away?? or was it slow to start? It should be either lift pump, fuel lines (but either one of those should cause a hard start) or the fuel shutdown solenoid. How about the overflow valve?? Have you ever changed that?

More info that may help:

Ram Diesel Injector Pump Problems

TSB 14-07-96 Rev. A

It might be a good idea to install a fuel pressure guage so YOU can see whats going on not some dealer "mechanic". A mechanic at a dodge dealer is pretty much useless if he cant hook up a computer to your truck. There are getting less and less 12Vs on the road and its hard to find a mechanic that actually knows how to fix/adjust these animals.

 

The fuel shut off solenoid gets hot when the truck is running. This is normal. There is a steady current of power holding it up. When you shut off the truck it cuts the power to it and the spring pushes the shaft down and closes off the fuel. Sometimes they get weak or the rubber boot breaks and the shaft gets dirty and sticky. Make sure when you turn the key on it goes up. It may not go all the way up. Start the engine and it should then for sure be all the way up. If it shuts off on you while driving, don't touch anything, just coast to the side of the road and check that solenoid. My rubber fuel lines went bad and the truck still ran fine. I only knew because fuel was leaking on the ground. Had to change them in hunting camp

 

hey guys, thanks for the info. i have had an overflow valve replaced a couple of years ago. the lift pump is brand new, and the shut off selenoid seems to be working properly. i agree that the dealer mechanic dont know very much. they told me today that they couldnt find the exact problem but suspect the fuel cut off selenoid. im going to check it myself. Today i filled it full and took took the wife to cold lake and back without any incedent. my dad says hes had the same problem with both of his first and second gen trucks, the moduel in the tank, suction tube is cracked in one place, when the fuel gets to that point it looses prime and cannot pump fuel properly. Last time it died i floored it and it started back up with a little hesitation but ran fine. So thats what myguess would be. Everything else has been looked at so ? im not sure really what to think? It runs perfect and has alot of power , can climb hills now like nothing. loose wire? . wife is getting mad about throwing money away and i agree. hope to fix it or have trade it in ........ ohh ooooo.

 

Might be an idea to drop the tank and have a look (after you determine that the solenoid isnt the problem). You didnt answer my questions about ever replacing all the fuel lines. I would replace the fuel lines (its time anyway if you never have changed them)...and then drop the tank as a last resort. Hope you have a warm shop to do this in instead of a cold, windy driveway like me.

 

If the filter was plugged, the lift pump was bad and you have a cavitation problem in the fuel lines, it all sounds to me like it's time to drop the tank and clean crap out of it. If it's full of sediment it can clog the in tank pickup tube screen and block flow sporadically. If enough of this sediment is getting through this is what clogged up the fuel filter and the restricted flow through the lines would also kill the LP over time.

So I would say start with the simple step that is free to do and use this guide to drop the fuel tank to check it out. Simple to do, will take a few hours from taking it down to putting it back in the first time you do it. After that you will do it in under an hour easy, start to finish the next time. https://www.dieselbombers.com/24-val...-easy-way.html

 

well this is a thought but i put the plastic wrap off a cigarette pack in a guys tank to mess with him ( he was a dick) and what happens is the wrapper clogs the pickup screen and when it shut off the pressure releases and it would start then. then after awhile it would happen again it took a long time for them to figure out what was going on

 

I have a locking fuel cap so i doubt anything like that. one of the lines were replaced awhile ago, i believe it was the return fromt he lift pump, there was a recal and it just happend it crapped out and got it fixed. im checking the selenoid today. like i said we drove it almost all day yesterday and to cold lake without it shutting off. i have a garage to work in but not heated. The problem now is to find a module since cummins has changed the set up in the tank. i have the factory manuals here but they are not quite great on explination. I am not willing to go to the draw straw and the price isnt cheap either. anyone have a pic of an moduel for the second gens i can look at?

I thank everyone for their input and help with my problem. Its very frustarting when your trying to find out whats wrong and when u get something fixed it doesnt work. Never mind the time and money lost in finding the problem . And people who have no idea how to fix these second gens cause eveyones got newer trucks that are easier to work on. How much fuel do you have to siphon from the tank , how many jerry cans will i need? . Id love to goto school and be my own diesel tech.....

thanks : Mike B