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Dodge Ram Warning Lights and Trouble Codes

320 messages,  Last post on Mar 31, 2012 at 6:55 PM

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What is this discussion about? Dodge Ram Pickup 1500, Dodge Ram Pickup 3500, Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 SRT-10, Truck

Messages Page 30 of 32

#291 of 320 Re: Ddoge 3500 box van keeps dying! [corkscrew] by jpbledsoe

Jul 09, 2011 (3:40 pm)

Replying to: corkscrew (Jul 09, 2011 8:53 am)
Assuming you mean a code for low battery problems, again, I haven't captured any codes but will the next time it happens.
 
The van engine sometimes idles a little rough; not bad though.
 
I intend to instrument all inputs and outputs to the ASD relay; they're available at the computer. I just received my order of EZ-HOOK XJL insulation-piercing probes and plan to use them to tap into several signals.
 
Jeff

#292 of 320 morepower3 by morepower3

Jul 12, 2011 (5:04 pm)

a few weeks back my girlfriend rolled my 2000 1500 5.9 up on the pass side. we rolled it back on its wheels and it started but needed trans fluid. after filling i drove it home with no problem.after checking it out i found it had cought fire and burnt the o2 sensor wires on pass side.after repairing the wires it wouldn't start. my obd11reader just comes up error turn key off for 10 seconds and retry.when you turn key one by one dash warning lights go out except odometer. it then flashes 4 times then reads Nobuss.also the fuel pump doesent come on and no spark.after the rollover truck isn't worth much but its my transportation.so i don't want to spend alot but need to fix it. thankyou

#294 of 320 dodge ram warning lights and trouble codes by ram36

Jul 23, 2011 (6:18 pm)

The problems that I have are no bus code, fuel,abs, check engine,airbag, all of these stay lite every time I start the truck and they don't go out. Can someone help or tell me how to fix this.

#295 of 320 Re: dodge ram warning lights and trouble codes [ram36] by jpbledsoe

Jul 24, 2011 (12:43 pm)

Replying to: ram36 (Jul 23, 2011 6:18 pm)
You have a warning lamp that's called "no bus code" ?
 
What year is your van?
 
Sounds almost like the lamp-test driver is stuck in the on state. If it's a 94 RAM Van, I can prbably find the answer from my alldatadiy.com schematics.

#296 of 320 Re: dodge ram warning lights and trouble codes [ram36] by kcram HOST

Jul 24, 2011 (5:30 pm)

Replying to: ram36 (Jul 23, 2011 6:18 pm)
NO BUS generally means the dashboard has lost communication with the computers, and that would also explain why all the other lights are on (no feedback to tell them anything other than a fault).
 
Have the computer tested... if it's ok, then your dashboard communication is the culprit.
 
kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host

#297 of 320 Re: dodge ram warning lights and trouble codes [kcram] by ram36

Sep 10, 2011 (6:15 am)

Replying to: kcram (Jul 24, 2011 5:30 pm)
Thank You for responding to my question about my Dodge Ram Kcram. I will apply what advice you have given me. Ram36

#298 of 320 Re: Ddoge 3500 box van keeps dying! [jpbledsoe] by jpbledsoe

Sep 10, 2011 (11:28 am)

Replying to: jpbledsoe (Jul 09, 2011 3:40 pm)
Okay, it's been hot here in Texas so I've had limited chances to test the van, especially since the A/C is not working 100% and I really needed the A/C to cool my oscilloscope as it sits atop the engine cover. As of this posting, it's cooled down a lot here; lows have been in the 60's, highs in low to mid 90's. So, anyway, for several weeks I was doing test runs early Saturday mornings and late some evenings, i.e., when it was cool enough that the A/C could keep up with the heat coming into the van.
 
At first, I configured the wiring and the scope to monitor: Crank Position, Cam Position, 8V sensor power & return, and the automatic shutdown command from the van's computer. I had the scope configured to trigger when the 12 Volt command to the ignition coil and injectors is removed; i.e., falling edge triggering. That 12 Volt signal, which is supplied by a contact on the shutdown relay, was wired into the scope's External Trigger input.
 
On Sept 2nd, after several test drives over a period of 4 weeks or so, the van died, the scope triggered, and I saved the data set. I reviewed the data and couldn't tell much about the sensor pulses; I had the timebase set to only 25 ms/div and I couldn't tell for sure what was happening with Crank and Cam Position signals in the ~ 1/4 second before the scope triggered. I could tell that the 8V sensor power and return were good before the computer removed 12 V was removed.
 
On Sept 3rd, I tried again, setting the scope timebase to 250 ms/div. This time, I really got lucky; the van died in the parking lot at idle, then wouldn't restart, and then a few minutes later it did start. So, with my scope, I was able to capture data for 3 cases: (1) the van died, (2) the van wouldn't start, and (3) the van did successfully start.
 
Looking at all the data, I concluded that the Cam and Crank Position waveforms were present when they should be. There was no remarkable difference in the 3 sets of data as far as presence of those pusletrains. I also found that the computer was energizing the shutdown relay during a no-start situation; thus, 12 Volts was indeed available to the injectors and the ignition coil primary.
 
So, I reconfigured scope channels #3 and #4 to monitor the computer's low-side driver to the ignition coil's primary winding and the low-side driver to fuel injector #1 (i.e., cylinder #1). I continued to monitor Crank and Cam Position signals just for reference. I also continued to have the scope trigger on the falling edge of the 12 Volt source, same as before. I captured data for when the van was running fine as a reference for later.
 
Today (Sept 10th), I made a major breakthrough in this investigation. I captured new data sets for cases when the van died and when it wouldn't restart.
 
I haven't anlayzed and graphed the data sets yet. However, during no-start, it looked like the computer wasn't switching the coil primary. The coil driver voltage was steady at 12 V, i.e., via the 12 V source on the high side of the coil's primary winding. Normally, the flyback voltage on the coil primary goes as high as 60 Volts when it's switched. Most telling, I could also see that the computer was continuing to energize the fuel injector for cylinder #1.
 
There are only 3 reasons I can think of that would cause this scenario to happen:
 
1. Intermittent problem inside the computer (most likely cause, in my opinion)
2. Bad connection at the large 60-pin connector on the computer (a close second in probability)
3. An unknown (unknown to me at this time) input is causing the computer to withhold coil swithing while continuing to operate the fuel injectors (that would also have to be a computer logic design glitch. Otherwise, why would the designers want the computer to inject fuel while providing no spark?)
 
I'll keep you posted on my findings.
 
Jeff
 
BTW, this project is a lost cause because the church plans to sell this van asap. If I fix it, we can feel better about selling it to someone. I'm an electrical engineer and I just wanted to do this to help me hone my troubleshooting skills for my job. Plus, I got a chance to utilize my new scope.

#299 of 320 Troubleshooting 94 Dodge Ram Van (link to photos) by jpbledsoe

Sep 22, 2011 (6:04 pm)

Recap:
 
Our church's 94 Dodge Ram B350 Van has had an intermittent problem for a few years. It dies, then won't restart for awhile. It usually restarts within 10 or 15 minutes but has stranded people a time or two.
 
The church has spent at least $1,200 to repair shops but the problem persists. It runs fine when it's taken in for repair; shops just shotgun things as diverse as cam sensors, crank sensors, and fuel pumps. After a few days or weeks out of the shop, the van will fail again.
 
The effort to find the intermittent failure:
 
I subscribed to alldatadiy.com and got some good information. Also, a friend loaned me his official Dodge shop manual for his 94 Dakota. I believe the PCM and most of the other systems are common between the Dakota and the Ram Van. Especally interesting is the shop manual's list of signals/components in which the PCM can't detect failures and thus doesn't store a failure code.
 
Since early July, I've been trying to acquire data concerning the van's failures. You can see pictures of the wiring, instrumentation, and signal waveforms from this effort at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150315770052192.360626.675762191&l=85- d45119cc&type=1
 
I believe the problem with our van is either within the PCM's coil driver or it's in the wire or connections between the PCM's coil driver and the coil. You can see in the applicable FB pictures of engine shutdown and no-start cases how the coil drive disappears right before the engine dies while injector #1 continues to be operated by the PCM.
 
I continue to try and induce the failure by smacking the PCM with a wooden tool handle while the van is running; so far, no luck. The van seems to have a mind of its own and it wants to dies whenever and wherever it pleases. So, while I feel like it's most likely a loose connection inside the PCM or the wire connected to the PCM, I won't be 100 % certain until I can figure out how to induce the failure and record the corresponding data on my scope.
 
Please look at the pictures on FB and let me know what you think of this project. Either reply here to this message or leave a comment on FB.
 
Thanks,
 
Jeffrey Bledsoe

#300 of 320 Re: Troubleshooting 94 Dodge Ram Van (link to photos) [jpbledsoe] by jpbledsoe

Sep 22, 2011 (6:11 pm)

Replying to: jpbledsoe (Sep 22, 2011 6:04 pm)
By all means, if you have any insights into how to induce the failure or any other troubleshooting advice you can pass along, I welcome all the help I can get.
 
Thanks,
 
Jeffrey Bledsoe

Messages Page 30 of 32

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