01 dodge cummins surging problem
 

Howdy, Very new to this but I hope you guys can help me out. I have a 01 dodge with a cummins that surges at about 60-70mph. Seems to go away if I floor it most of the time. Happens more so on damp days,both summer and winter. It has the Banks power pack on it. I have disconnected this and the problem is still there. Has a new TPS sensor and FASS fuel pump. That did nothing. Transmission is a built up Goerends tranny ,no problems shifting or holding gears. Batteries are new,cables are tight,Ive checked the grounds that I know of. It isnt throwing any codes, and the problem is driving me crazy!:argh: Any Ideas?

Mine did that also and it was a dirty fuel filter and weak lift pump.

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Welcome to Diesel Bombers!! :tu:

:howdy::hi:
Could well be an injector issue, or worse yet a VP44 issue. Hard to tell without hooking it up to a DRBIII though...
Have you cleaned the MAP and IAT sensors? They can do some funky stuff when they start to go bad; a bit of a shot in the dark though...
What is your fuel pressure?

The fuel pressure is at 10-15 psi idling or under a load. The lift pump is brand new and the fuel filter is new as well. The truck has been doing this for 5 years intermittently. The Banks system makes the problem more noticeable,but the problem is there hooked up or not.:humm:

Do you know if the VP44 is the original, or has it been replaced?? Also, how many miles on the truck.

Any fueling box will aggravate any current issues. Many have laid blame on the box, but it's rarely the problem, it just makes things more pronounced. It could be any number of issues, and most are difficult and time consuming to troubleshoot unfortunately. Hope for your sake it's not the VP44... :scare2:

More times than not, if the VP44 went or is going bad, it'll set codes. Have it scanned and let us know if any codes are present.

The truck has 210,000 on it. The turbo has worked just fine,spools up good and hits about 35 psi boost. I just checked the codes and there are none. It seems almost like someone is shutting the truck off and back on when it happens. Its pretty randomn, but happens more when its damp out. Electrical maybe? I am an ASE certed mechanic for cars and light trucks,but dont know a lot about diesels. I have 4 Dodges with Cummins thou,and they have been great! This problem is stumping me big time! 2 repair shops said it was the tps,so I finally put one in even thou mine swept tested good,and 500$ later its as good as it was before. Ground issue maybe? I cleaned the battery ground to the chassis and block,is there something Im missing?

Have you tried reading TPS voltage @ the PCM? If the ECM is on its way out, the PCM Voltage reading for the TPS could fluctuate or differ from ECM TPS voltage.

TPS voltage is at 4.5 volts at the PCM. Ive heard of cutting the black wire at the tps and adding a new ground. What do you think? The Injection pump was replaced about 2 years ago due to a bad lift pump. The problem was there before and after the new pump.

Can you describe the surging problem a little more. Like does it act like it's running out of fuel??

Yes,it acts like it is running out of fuel,or like the ignition is being shut off and back on. In the world of gas engines,it would be a bad plug wire.

I'm thinking the VP44 is going out again, the connection is dirty, PCM or ECM problem, bad battery, or dirty batt terminals and ground points.

The injection pump was rebuilt when the truck had a lean run problem from the lift pump going bad. This problem was there before that work was done and still there after it. Ive only got about 20k on that new pump. New batteries, new wires even(had a bad terminal lug) The truck is used for commercial plowing,so corrosion is always an issue. I dont think an injection pump would act like this for 5 years,but I would think an electrical problem would actally just go bad all together. Same with the PCM???? Im stumped:argh:

It's probably something small and simple. Go back 5 years when it started. Remember what you did with the truck that day??

Nothing thats the problem..it was a hot,humid day,and it started acting funny,.than it went away for about 6 months,and it comes and goes. It didnt act up for the last 3 weeks(its been really cold here) today it warmed and the snow started melting,and now its back. It used to be when I had the bad battery cable if I twisted it when it was acting up the problem would go away even...but maybe it was the jolt from slamming the hood! Im gonna pull it in the shop tomorrow, cut that black wire with the yellow stripe and add a ground to it,and where the banks taps the yellow injection pump wire,Im going to get rid of the scotch lok connector that they give ya and solder the darn thing. After that,if it dont work,I think Ill just go crazy!!!:scare2:

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Sound like a good idea?????:tu:

What Banks and what tapped wire?? I don't remember you mentioning that earlier. How long have you had it on there??

Please update.

I have the Banks power pack on there. It uses the yellow wire to the inj pump to adjust fuel(uses a wire tap) The Banks system has been on since 2001. I did send out the system for an upgrade not to long ago,it wasnt nothing in the banks. I just got home today from moving snow all day and night yesterday..ill be around. Thanks again

mine did that sat at the dealer for a month they finally put it on a dyno and found out the waste gate on the turbo was broke so new turbo under warranty and every thing was good.

it took so long to figure out because it didn't through a code

Nothing explains the fact it does it when the weather is humid out. Every one has the idea it is something major! If it was a major part...the turbo,the OMG vp44 or the tps,why has it been doing it for 5 years and Ive put nearly 200k on the truck since it started doing it? It sounds like the shops that work on trucks around here,throw the biggest and most expensive stuff at it and keep guessing if that doesnt fix it. :argh::argh::argh:

my brother has an 01 and it seems to be doing the exact same thing...mostly on cold days damp days like you mentioned...he seems to notice it when he is at a steady speed like 50-55, and you can see the rpm's jump on the tach... he's been trying to figure it out for a while now as he has put quite a few miles on the truck with it happening too. If he tach's the truck out(his is a 5 speed) then it will quit??? I'd love to figure it out

I have my truck in my shop today...tired of shops guessing at it,with expensive stuff,so Im gonna do some educated guessing of my own. Suncoast transmission has repair Ive heard of to re ground the tps ground becasue of interferrence. You cut the black wire with the yeloow strip and run 2 new grounds. It seems like a ground issue so chop chop here I come. Ill post again later. Its damp,and of course another huge storm on the way!:scare2::tttt:

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Yesterday I did the suncoast re wire on my tps. So far surging problem is gone. I drove it about 80 miles last night. Nice and damp out and never had a problem one bit. Kinda pissed i put my trust in a shop cause i was too busy and they kept throwing expensive parts at my truck. Oh well, it cost about 2$. I also ran a battery ground direct to my computer. Good for now. Thanks everyone!:jump:

Good deal. :tu: