Fuel System Lean...

OK, what is the least expensive step by step method to chase this down?
Is my first step to replace the filter?

I have been noticing a gradual loss of power, especially when climbing hills between Colorado Springs and Denver where she can hardly hold 65mph floored!

Thank-you

edit: Oh joy. I find that this puppy has an integrated filter pump assembly, so instead of a $10 filter, it's a $200 assembly and I would get to drop the tank. If there is anything I should go after first, please advise, for I suspect that if it were simply the O2 sensor, I would have a different error code than "51"...

Also, I am almost certain that I have a 22gal tank on this one, but what can I look at to verify? The gas gauge has not worked for the time we have owned it, so we simply have filled it up every 200 miles or so.

 

for the tank size there is a circle near the rear of the tank on the bottom that will say what size it is. have you tried disconnecting the o2 sensor, when disconnected the pcm will fill in the correct codes for the signal. the gas gauge problem is most likely the float. did you try some fuel system cleaner?

 

Dodge part #4864307 is the in tank filter.

 

you can request a build sheet and it'll tell you all the parts used for your truck. thats how i verified what tank I had.

On the bottom of the fuel pump there is a diaphragm that filters junk. I hear there is a way to replace the filter on the fuel pump assembly but have no personal experience w that.

Check this out from the FAQ1 Sticky

Quote:

Where can I request a build sheet for my truck?

I agree that the gauge could be a float issue.

The best thing to do is instead of dropping the tank, take the bed off. it's 8 bolts, 3 screws and a wiring harness plug away from removal.

 

Thank-you everyone!

I will first give fuel system cleaner a shot - but can someone recommend one that has proven to work? There are quite a number out there, and though over the years I have dumped in one or another, I never really know if any particular one did it's money's worth for me...

edit: As to the gauge & float, yeah, but when we bought the truck it wasn't working and I found it was part of that assembly in the tank - I figured for the sake of a couple hundred dollars I could learn to just refill every couple hundred miles! I guess if I do get to replace the assembly (and a GREAT THANK-YOU for the tip on going after the bed instead of dropping the tank!!!), I will be killing two birds with one stone. Eases the sting of the couple hundred bucks that I don't really have available to spend... a little... :-) . Certainly will try discon the O2 sensor - how long should I wait before reconnecting it? Should I put some miles on it while disconnected? As to hitting the filter and keeping the pump, for the difference in parts and personal sweat, I suspect I best attack both if that area is the problem - I live in a Murhpy's Law world, and even if the pump ain't bad, it would go bad within a week of putting it all back together. Anyone able to point me directly to an exploded view of what to undo to yank the bed off this puppy?

Murphy's Law: My wife just called me from her work - truck has fuel but won't start... There are times I think it would be better to have the devil mad at me than my wife.

 

Sea Foam, at parts stores and Wallyworld.

 

The bed is real easy to do. trust me if can do it anyone can. my buddy and i each took a side and pulled the 4 bolts on each side. there are 3 screws at the fill neck that need to be removed. DONT FORGET THEM :-O!

I'll try and get a couple pics for you to look at. I have my bed off right now doing a similar job (fuel pump which probably wasnt bad but w/e) so i'll see if i cant get u a few shots to aid in the visualization area.

The hardest part of the bed i would say is actually picking it up and moving it. Not difficult to do but for obvious reasons it is a bit heavy. I'm doing the shocks in the rear while i have the bed off so check yours out and if they are weak i recommend doing those too if you have the time.

I'll try and get those pix for u l8r.

 

Continued thanks!

I went over to my wife's work (Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson, which made finding an impact wrench easy!) and toyed with it. If you give it a little gas, it will keep running, but if you let off the pedal it dies right away - I suspect another good indicator that I am on the right track. While there I unbolted the bolts under the bed - but I only noticed three on each side - am I missing a couple? I intend to go back in a couple days (when I can afford the darned pump assembly) and continue. I suspect from what issakar has said, I will also rely on the good fortune of where the truck is, for I will need help of one or two guys to help me heave the bed off and then back on...

Besides praying that the strap wrench I have will fit the pump assembly, are there any other specialty tool that a motorcycle dealer might not have that I best bring?

Though a bit of a pain, I wish the problem I am having with my 1994 Chevy CK2500 was as easy to track down - chugging and pinging like there was a vacuum leak but I can't find any...

edit:Yes, I was missing a couple bolts; and so I missed a couple on the truck.

Is there any way to reasonably clear the accumulated junk/debris out of the tank while it is still mounted? As mentioned, I am doing this in the parking lot of my wife's employer and can only push my welcome so far, but it seems to me that if there is a way, I sure should do so as I probably wouldn't be in this fix unless the tank had some serious crud in it!

Also, looking at the NAPA site there are two units - one with a "Carter" module and one with a "Walbro" module. In that there is a $109 difference, do I really care, noting that I doubt the truck will be around too much longer? I love her, but we all gotta go sometime...

 

I just finished my pump install and shocks tonite. trucks running again. I didn't need any fancy tool to remove the pump. It is held on by a screwing ring. We just muscled it off and muscled it back on.

You need to buy the pump w/ the right module. I was attracted to the NAPA pump as well, but it had the carter module and it would NOT work because my truck uses the walbro module. I don't know the specifics of this but according to the associate at NAPA they are not interchangeable. I personally picked up the Air-tek pump from autozone because funds were tight.

Have you checked fuel pressure at the rail? I had absolutely 0 pressure when i checked mine since the pump was completely shot. Also you may want to check for eletricity back to the pump with a multimeter. The pump uses a 6 pin connector. the green wire is your source from the ASD relay and a black wire is ground. there are 2 other wires for the gauge and the remaining 2 are not used. you should get 12v at the plug when you first turn the key over (When the pump would prime) and also if you are cranking it trying to start. Better yet, do you hear the pump whine and prime when you turn the key to the on position (pos 3 i think that is)?

REMEMBER, WHEN YOU PULL THE BED, DO NOT FORGET THE 3 SCREWS THAT HOLD THE FILL NECK TO THE BED AND DO NOT FORGET THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR.

The pump has a pressurized line on it, a non-pressurized line that i assume is some form of a return line, the electrical connector and an overfill line for the neck. The airtek pump i purchased required me to reuse the return line part off the pump, and the clip that holds the pressurized line to the silver module.

Whew, hope this info helps! Like i said just wrapped up mine tonite so it is all pretty fresh in my mind still.
If you have any other questions i'll do what I can to help.

Cheerz!

 

Thank-you! I was at first going to go with the Airtek and then got sidetracked with the two at NAPA - is it obvious as to whether it is a Walbro or a Carter module? If not, or if I have the Walbro and the Airtek is a sure thing (and cheaper), I will go that way.

edit: I was referred to the following ebay item - can you folks have a look and tell me what you think?:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...id=p2759.l1259
The seller seems to have very strong positive feedback. Wondering if there is anything significant that anyone might recognize, for the price certainly is attractive.