Community Forums

andrewjblane · 08-29-2014, 05:32 PM

I am currently on the road and have a cummins 5.9L 275hp diesel pusher. Engine light coming on intermittently. Losing power quite a bit and when the light comes on I'm in some kind of limp mode. Engaging the engine break seems to clear the engine light. Any thoughts? Not sure I can make it home on Monday!! Currently camped at cape may nj. Many thanks in advance for any trouble shooting advise. Btw just had it serviced at freightliner new fuel filter and oil filters. All levels are checking fine coolant and oil etc.

GreaTOne65 · 08-29-2014, 07:13 PM

First thought, is the lift pump. Possibly the turbo, sorry, haven't got something more concrete. Not fun, when you're away from home. Good luck, when you find out what it was, it would/could be useful for some of us running the same engine as you.

You might list what you are running & pulling.

ChrisKW · 09-06-2014, 08:53 AM

Likely you headed home by now, and if so hope the trip went okay though you are experience an engine issue. I can only offer that many Cummins engines use an electronic device called an ECM which constantly watches parameters to ensure that the engine is operating within safe limits. The electronic control system will alert the operator and automatically de-rate the engine speed and/or power if the operation of the engine is deemed "out of range". Parameters typically include engine speed, oil pressure, coolant temperature, coolant level, fuel temperature, and intake manifold temperature for normal operating conditions. If the limits of normal operation are exceeded, the engine will trigger the red (stop), yellow (warning), or blue (maintenance) lamps, perform the appropriate speed or power de-rate, and log the appropriate fault code. The fault codes can be checked by a service tech at an engine or chassis service center using a diagnostic device and identify the cause of the problem. Wish I knew more, but good luck.

andrewjblane · 09-07-2014, 07:55 AM

Thanks a lot for your pointers. I managed to limp my way to a cummins service center. Bad lift pump which killed my vp44. They are saying 5500 to repair. Awfully expensive. But not a lot of options I suppose.

MnTom · 09-07-2014, 08:52 AM

You can buy VP44s all day long for $1100. They normally only take a few hours to change (I have seen them changed in under two hours). How in the world do they get so much for them?