While driving my truck, it just "cut out". It's a 1996 dodge ram 2500
4x w/ 90,000 miles.

I coasted over and tried to start it, no luck. I had it towed home.

battery, fuses and relay(s).

Tomorrow it's getting towed to a shop (I trust), my question is; can it
be anything other than the fuel pump?

There is fuel, about 10 gallons (I put in some "dry gas" and 2 more
gallons just incase it's bad gas). I do not hear the fuel pump "wiz" on
when I turn the key.

Can else can it be? I will have the shop check it out, I trust them,
but I don't want to go through the "parts replacement" guessing game.

One thing to note, for the past 2 weeks prior the truck wouldn'd start
on the first key turn (a sign the pump is going bad?), but always on
the second (the truck has new plugs, but not a new distributer). Could
something be wrong with the spark/wires/etc?


thanks for your help.

tom lawrence

At least a dozen other problems... coil, crank sensor, cam sensor, PCM -
just to name a few.

However, the fact that you don't hear the pump running is significant - so
is your experience of lack of start on first crank... it may have taken
some time for the fuel pump to build up the necessary pressure, an
indication of a failing pump.

If you're sure the fuel pump fuse is good (ie. you measured battery voltage
on both sides of the fuse with the ignition on - this also means the relay
is operating), I would check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail test port
(should be in the middle of the driver's side fuel rail). A pressure gauge
is best, but if you're careful, you can just depress the valve and see if it
blows gas out (have a rag handy to catch it in). No or little pressure
indicates a definite fuel delivery problem.

tbone

The problem is that they don't all have that test port. Mine doesn't.

--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving

roy

See even your truck knows your limitations!<BFG> Roy

tbone

LOL, Bite me

--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving

roy

You woulda been pissed if it wasn't used.<G> Roy

tbone

Did you build that PC yet?

--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving