Truck being towed to shop tomorrow, question

Sep 26, 2006 7 Replies

While driving my truck, it just "cut out". It's a 1996 dodge ram 2500



4x w/ 90,000 miles.

I coasted over and tried to start it, no luck. I had it towed home.



From the beginning I thought it was the fuel pump, but I did test the

battery, fuses and relay(s).


Tomorrow it's getting towed to a shop (I trust), my question is; can it be anything other than the fuel pump?


There is fuel, about 10 gallons (I put in some "dry gas" and 2 more gallons just incase it's bad gas). I do not hear the fuel pump "wiz" on when I turn the key.


Can else can it be? I will have the shop check it out, I trust them, but I don't want to go through the "parts replacement" guessing game.


One thing to note, for the past 2 weeks prior the truck wouldn'd start on the first key turn (a sign the pump is going bad?), but always on the second (the truck has new plugs, but not a new distributer). Could something be wrong with the spark/wires/etc?


thanks for your help.

At least a dozen other problems... coil, crank sensor, cam sensor, PCM - just to name a few.

However, the fact that you don't hear the pump running is significant - so is your experience of lack of start on first crank... it may have taken some time for the fuel pump to build up the necessary pressure, an indication of a failing pump.

If you're sure the fuel pump fuse is good (ie. you measured battery voltage on both sides of the fuse with the ignition on - this also means the relay is operating), I would check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail test port (should be in the middle of the driver's side fuel rail). A pressure gauge is best, but if you're careful, you can just depress the valve and see if it blows gas out (have a rag handy to catch it in). No or little pressure indicates a definite fuel delivery problem.

The problem is that they don't all have that test port. Mine doesn't.

See even your truck knows your limitations!

Roy

You woulda been pissed if it wasn't used.

Roy

Nope, I know my limitations.

Roy

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