My turn, stall, stall, no start

[G. Gearloose]

Let me precede the long story with my main question... should I see the tach bounce during cranking? mine is flatline. I forget if thats normal.

Regarding my '96 1500 xcab 4x. 142 k mi. 12k mi on warantee IP....

Friday was the coldest morning of our lackluster winter, about 2 degrees F. Typically no big deal.

I start it up and let it warm for 5 minutes, I hear it sputter and stumble while idling but just chalk it up for the cold and an old truck.

1/4 mile later the throttle has no effect and then it dies. First few cranks gets a restart for just a few seconds. Every attempt seams harder to light off.

I chalk it up to gelled or frozen fuel or water, walk back to get my propane torch and warm up the filter housing. After a few tries it fires once and dies. then I'm out of battery.

My friend pulls me back home where I plug in the block heater, charge it up for a few hours.

3 tries, doesn't even fart. I confirm I have fuel pressurized from the filter top vent, and the water bleed, so the lift pump is good, and gelled/frozen fuel is eliminated (I suppose). I confirmed power to the glow plugs, and their continuity ( on 5, anyway)

8 tries nets one start, yeah spaghetti its idling, I go in to warm up, then I hear nothing.

Now I I don't even get a fuel vapor smell out the exhaust while cranking.


SO, to sum up,

the lift pump is audible and pumping - confirmed.

I did put in a DSG set in November.

There are no codes nor SES light.

I have a spare ecm to try tomorrow.

Do you suppose its the PMD, or maybe crank sensor?

Do you find it unlikely for a PMD to fail when cold?

[Doorslammer]

sounds like PMD

my 95 3500 6.5td just did the same thing

I'm on my second replacement 30k between changes LOL.
every ten oil changes gets a new pmd DAMN

[simon]

I had the same thing for the last couple of day's.In the mornings. today it did only hickup a bit and than nothing at all. checked all wiring and fuel issues. found all in order.
I had read in an other post someone talk about [I think it was Robyn} warming up the pmd with a small torch. I had nothing to lose and tried it, just heated it up so it was warm to the touch, turned the key and vroom it just fired up. Try it ,JUST DON"T BURN THE DAMN THING TO THE GROUND DOING IT.
Just an other way of diagnosing a bad pmd

My two cents worth

[j_k_auto]

Are you getting any codes?
Also it does sound like a pmd.

Here is what mine does.
Usually after my first run of the day but not always. I go start it up to warm it up and it dies. After I finally get going it will run but it will shut off about 10 times during that day. After about another week it will do the same thing.
These pmd's are usually a random thing and go in spurts.:(

[G. Gearloose]

,JUST DON"T BURN THE DAMN THING TO THE GROUND DOING IT.


well, Tempting!

Nope, still no codes.

Thank you all for your input. I will carry my torch with me to try that...on the pmd. Sounds like those loose screws on the power Darlingtons, contracting metal in the cold.

Sunday night my buddy and I got it to the stealer with his flatbed. We tried it again before leaving, and it still wouldn't even fart. It was 35 degrees all that day.

Wouldn't you predict IT STARTED FOR THEM IN THE MORNING! <Charlie Brown Voice> ARGHGHGH!!! </Charlie Brown Voice>

Most did was hiccup for them on a turn and they're blaming that on my 1/4 tank of fuel! I'm going to take it in the face on this one and its still going to leave me stranded again. They did set the timing for me, but my bill will be over 500

Thank you all for suggesting the PMD, it will be the first , er, next thing I try, and will get a spare asap. Are they really over 300 dollars?

[chickenhunterbob]

Let me precede the long story with my main question... should I see the tach bounce during cranking? mine is flatline. I forget if thats normal.

The first line on my tach is 500 RPM, so unless I was cranking at some RPM higher than that the tach needle lies dormant until the engine fires.

Not sure what engine RPM the starter generates when cranking, but 180 is the minimum cranking speed according to my manual, so I expect the actual speed with good starter, batteries and associated connections is well below 500 RPM.