04 Cummins WTS light/injector issues

[Fastass350]

Been researching this one for a bit, first time it happened was a month or so back. That time there was no power issues just the light on.
So while driving down the road, the wait to start light (glow plug light, grid heater light) comes on and chimes. Google says it’s an injector issue or an injector return issue.
Since the first time it came on it’s been silent until today. We weren’t very far into our trip back to Wa and it lit up again. Pulled over and dumped some Diesel 911 anti gel/cetane booster in then went another 20 miles and topped the tank off. Noticed after we got down the road that it was lacking in power, like the feeling of pulling a tall cargo trailer into a head wind. After a bit I noticed the life came back and the light was off, truck ran like normal.
Hundred miles or so later light came back on and started to notice a lack of power. Stopped in a Napa and grabbed 2 cycle mix, injector cleaner and marvel mystery oil. One pint of 2 cycle, half pint of marvel and a jug of injector cleaner and down the road. Another hundred miles before the light was off and the power was back.

Question… anyone dealt with this before? Any advice?
Fillter was brand new before we hit the road, is changed on a regular basis.
Has 265k on the odometer with nothing done but an updated fuel pump years ago.
Figuring it may be time for injectors but there’s no miss or sign of running rough so that seems weird, for what little I know. 

[spin05]

Yup sounds like injectors. Is it throwing a code??  Theres a service bulleton out on it as show below. Hope this helps

THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES SERVICE BULLETIN 18-011-11 REV. B., DATED JULY
1, 2011, WHICH SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM YOUR FILES. ALL REVISIONS ARE
HIGHLIGHTED WITH **ASTERISKS** AND INCLUDE ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW AND
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION.
HELP USING THE wiTECH DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION FOR FLASHING AN ECU IS
AVAILABLE BY SELECTING “HELP” THEN “HELP CONTENTS” AT THE TOP OF
THE wiTECH DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION WINDOW.
THE wiTECH SOFTWARE LEVEL MUST BE AT RELEASE 12.02 OR HIGHER TO
PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE.
THE DRBIII® FLASH FILES FOR THIS BULLETIN ARE AVAILABLE ON
DealerCONNECT.
SUBJECT:
Flash: Diagnostic Enhancements For Fuel System
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin provides Engine Control Module (ECM) software enhancements to improve robustness to fuel system issue detection and two new Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's). This bulletin involves selectively erasing and reprogramming the Engine Control Module (ECM) with new software.
Diagnostic procedures for these new DTC's are included in this Service Bulletin on the last 2 pages which may be printed.

The two new injector Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) for excessive injector return flow are:
· P1222 - LEAK DETECTION DURING MOTORING
· P1223 - LEAK DETECTION BASED ON QUANTITY BALANCE
**When the fault(s) occur, a solid Wait to Start lamp will illuminate in the cluster along with chiming 10 times. When the fault goes inactive, it will clear the wait to start lamp with no chimes**.

[Fastass350]

Thanks! I did read that TSB, far as I know mines been updated with that but no it’s not showing any codes and no check engine light. I’ll double check that’s it’s been been updated

[Mudman]

Dunno bout all those codes but if inj is bad it almost always will have a smoke and or a miss.  Have you checked your fuel filters?  Stock filters are total crap/junk.  Also it could be a injector pump?  Check the fuel rail pressures with meter or tuner display.  Make sure pressure is fine.  Low side and high side.  This will tell ya alot to help diagnose.  Hope this helps.  Good luck.

[jmscon]

Could be a stuck closed injector? In my ‘05 I was adding 2-cycle oil and ATF to every tank. Helps with upper cylinder lube and injection lube and cleaning. You could try the water test on the exhaust manifold. When you are lacking power pull over and drop some water on each of the exhaust tubes from the engine to the manifold and see if on boils off slower than the others to pinpoint the cylinder with the issue.
Also, I don’t know where you are traveling but #2 diesel gels at around 15* and could cause an issue.
Dirty diesel could be clogging you filter too if you are filling up at places you don’t usually go to.
Good luck!

[Fastass350]

Could be a stuck closed injector? In my ‘05 I was adding 2-cycle oil and ATF to every tank. Helps with upper cylinder lube and injection lube and cleaning. You could try the water test on the exhaust manifold. When you are lacking power pull over and drop some water on each of the exhaust tubes from the engine to the manifold and see if on boils off slower than the others to pinpoint the cylinder with the issue.
Also, I don’t know where you are traveling but #2 diesel gels at around 15* and could cause an issue.
Dirty diesel could be clogging you filter too if you are filling up at places you don’t usually go to.
Good luck!

Good advice I hadn’t thought about a cylinder temp test. I usually use a laser temp gun for that. Of course it’s at home, so I’ll try your idea if it happens again on the way home. I’ll keep adding 2 cycle mix for the drive hoping it keeps it in line. Going to have a trailer load when we head home so i don’t need the power loss.

[Mudman]

After re reading this It sure sounds like a dead turbo.  Look into your boost psi when under a load.  265k is turbo time often.  Wastegate function..??

[jackelope]

Yup sounds like injectors. Is it throwing a code??  Theres a service bulleton out on it as show below. Hope this helps

THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES SERVICE BULLETIN 18-011-11 REV. B., DATED JULY
1, 2011, WHICH SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM YOUR FILES. ALL REVISIONS ARE
HIGHLIGHTED WITH **ASTERISKS** AND INCLUDE ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW AND
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION.
HELP USING THE wiTECH DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION FOR FLASHING AN ECU IS
AVAILABLE BY SELECTING “HELP” THEN “HELP CONTENTS” AT THE TOP OF
THE wiTECH DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION WINDOW.
THE wiTECH SOFTWARE LEVEL MUST BE AT RELEASE 12.02 OR HIGHER TO
PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE.
THE DRBIII FLASH FILES FOR THIS BULLETIN ARE AVAILABLE ON
DealerCONNECT.
SUBJECT:
Flash: Diagnostic Enhancements For Fuel System
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin provides Engine Control Module (ECM) software enhancements to improve robustness to fuel system issue detection and two new Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's). This bulletin involves selectively erasing and reprogramming the Engine Control Module (ECM) with new software.
Diagnostic procedures for these new DTC's are included in this Service Bulletin on the last 2 pages which may be printed.

The two new injector Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) for excessive injector return flow are:
· P1222 - LEAK DETECTION DURING MOTORING
· P1223 - LEAK DETECTION BASED ON QUANTITY BALANCE
**When the fault(s) occur, a solid Wait to Start lamp will illuminate in the cluster along with chiming 10 times. When the fault goes inactive, it will clear the wait to start lamp with no chimes**.

(This TSB has nothing to do with bad injectors)

[jackelope]

Are there any codes? Probably. Before throwing parts at it, maybe have someone pull codes.

[Fastass350]

When that light comes on and it has a loss of power, boost is lower, also egt’s are lower than normal. When the lights off and it’s running normal boost is normal(35 pound neighborhood pinned) This makes me think it’s lacking in fuel.

265 is turbo time depends lots on driving habits and cool down times. I’m a warm it up and let it cool off kind of guy, and always watch egt’s. Have since I got it at 18k, so I’m confident ruling out the turbo.

No codes, I can do the three key cycles and there’s nothing showing, also can plug in the smarty jr and no codes showing. 

[Mudman]

When that light comes on and it has a loss of power, boost is lower, also egt’s are lower than normal. When the lights off and it’s running normal boost is normal(35 pound neighborhood pinned) This makes me think it’s lacking in fuel.

265 is turbo time depends lots on driving habits and cool down times. I’m a warm it up and let it cool off kind of guy, and always watch egt’s. Have since I got it at 18k, so I’m confident ruling out the turbo.

No codes, I can do the three key cycles and there’s nothing showing, also can plug in the smarty jr and no codes showing. 

Turbo related...      or smarty program.  same either way.

[buglebuster]

I have an 05 6spd, 285k on her now. Never had a problem but I installed a smarty jr tuner last year and started having this problem when i downshift to slow down coming up to a turn, or coast. It’s more than annoying. Luckily I can just clear it with the tuner and get my power back. Research shows it’s too much fuel return back to the tank. This could happen from any slight disturbance in the fuel system. It also said you’ll notice this when installing a smarty jr tuner because they use the most recent program from chrystler for these trucks. The original didn’t have this code on it so there was never any issue until flashing the ecm with the update that the tuner has. Same thing would happen if you got your ecm flashed at a dealership. My truck has zero signs of injectors going bad so I’m not about to dump any money into that for the time being. I’ve just been running fuel additive/injector cleaner and I also installed a fuel rail pressure plug instead of the factory return valve and it seems to help.

[Fastass350]

Mudman

If it were a turbo issue why would it be good one time and no good when the light is on? Are you thinking waste gate issue?

[Fastass350]

and I also installed a fuel rail pressure plug instead of the factory return valve and it seems to help.

Tell me more about this…

[buglebuster]

Here’s a link

https://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/bd-common-rail-fuel-plug-03-07-cummins