Ignition Problems in 2007 5.9L Cummins

[christopherkilmer]

I would like to know about one ignition issue in Cummins. Last week I was driving the truck to my home. At a particular point, I felt some acceleration issues, in the next moment the ignition went off. The vehicle was at normal speed and the road was not very crowded. So I could stop the vehicle safely without more troubles. My truck is a 2007 Dodge Cummins 5.9. What could be the reason behind this? I was thinking of consulting some local mechanics to solve this issue. But my friend told me to call the company straight. Which option would be better?

[Moses Ludel]

Christopher...The Cummins engine, like other diesels, only requires fuel and air to run.  The hesitation you experienced sounds like lack of fuel supply, which could be as simple as a clogged fuel filter.  Worse than that would be a defective fuel pump or lack of electronic signals to the fuel injectors.  Your 2007 Cummins 24-valve 5.9L is a common rail diesel (CRD) with electronic fuel injection.

Before spending any more money than this, I would change the fuel filter.  The paper matrix filter can clog from nothing more than one bad (high water content) tank of fuel.  The filter should be changed periodically, anyway.

If the fuel supply system is not operating properly, you will not hear the fuel pump run when you turn on the key.  To check for fuel pump operation, with the transmission in Park (automatic) or neutral (manual transmission with parking brake set), stand alongside the vehicle and turn the Key from the Off to On position.  You will hear the fuel pump run in the fuel tank on your model Dodge Ram.  If not, there could be a pump or pump signal problem.  The pump should cycle long enough to charge the injectors unless the fuel filter (by the firewall, left side of the engine) is clogged.

Let us know what you find.  I'm betting on the fuel filter needing replacement, the first and least expensive place to check...On my '05 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9L Cummins, I've had two fuel filters cause an engine rough idle (first sign of a restricted fuel supply).  The first time was due to too long a service interval, the second time from a single tank of bad fuel because a tanker truck was filling the diesel pumps at Green River, Utah, while I was filling, which stirred up water or particulates at the base of the station's storage tank.  The latter time, I had a fairly new fuel filter, and it only took 55 miles of driving to Moab before the symptom occurred.

Moses