Ram 2500 water in fuel?

[joshuabardwell]

Look -- if a dealer gives you a line like water in the fuel -I'd bee asking how did they confirm it. If you get a diverting answer or something similar, its time to get THEM looked into by going over thier head. Just like you confirmed - you can do your own test for water and its reliable -no reason why they can't show you too. I dont trust dealers like that .

When I talked to the service rep, I said, "Water in the fuel? That's weird. I always use fuel from the station, not, like, sitting around in a 5 gallon can; I changed the filter recently; and the Water In Fuel indicator light never went on." She said, "We can show you the sample, if you like, sir." I just kind of shrugged, because, heck, I can go to the sink with a vial of diesel and show you a contaminated sample as well as anybody. What I mean is, I don't know if she was trying to screw me or not, but if she was trying to screw me, the ability to show me a vial of diesel with water in it is hardly convincing. So, no need for diversion or dissembling. "Yes, sir! Here is the sample that we claim we pulled from your truck! Look at all that water!" I mean, I was kind of hesitant to ask to pull another sample with me watching, because, again, if they are trying to screw me, what's to stop them from just dumping a pint of water into the tank just to make sure every sample pulls dirty? So I just picked up the truck and got the heck out of there.

It seems to be a common thing at dealers and diesel trucks. The problem is always water in the fuel. Bad injectors, its not our fault, you got water in the fuel. Truck won't start, must be water in the fuel.

Exactly!

Small update: put two new batteries in it yesterday. This morning, it started fine. Just one data point, but there you go.

 

[joshuabardwell]

BTW, with regard to the battery test, when I say, "It tested good," here is some more detail. The original mechanic did test the battery and said that it tested good, but only just barely. When I had them test it at AutoZone, it also tested good. But as I think about it, we know that the truck will start consistently when it's warm, so my best guess is that if I had tested the battery first thing in the morning, when it's cold, it would have tested bad. But since I don't have a load tester at my house, I can't verify that.

The issue was definitely not corrosion on the terminals. They're clean. I still haven't verified the ground connection, which maybe I should have done before buying new batteries... but I don't know, and maybe y'all can educate me: will a bad ground cause batteries to appear to go from full charge to flat with only two or three cranks of the starter? I have had corroded terminals before, and my experience has been that you just don't get any oomph at all--maybe a solenoid clicking or something. I've never troubleshot a bad ground before, though.

 

[doxford jim]

Look on the bright side Josh, you have saved yourself probably over $1,000 by putting in the new batteries, Guarantee you would not have got out of the "stealership" after they fixed your "water in the fuel problem", for less than $1,200.
Try checking out the three or four websites that have been suggested as everyone there helps each other out - just like this website does.
No one person knows it all - we all have to learn sometime. Just take your time and do a bit of reading and you will be surprised at what information you will pick up.
Glad to hear that you got it sorted out for a reasonable price (cost of two new batteries) and learnbed something new to boot.
Cheers
Jim

 

[joshuabardwell]

Look on the bright side Josh, you have saved yourself probably over $1,000 by putting in the new batteries, Guarantee you would not have got out of the "stealership" after they fixed your "water in the fuel problem", for less than $1,200.

That's actually exactly what my girlfriend said, although she pegged the mark at the dealership's $4k for new injectors.

 

[JimRB]

Regarding SeaFoam. I put a vent kit my in my 2004 Dodge. I have a few tanks where I pumped 39 gallons and the fuel light was not on. I think the tank is rated at 35 gallons from the factory.

Glad to hear new batteries have apparently helped the starting problem.

 

[sd455dan]

BTW, with regard to the battery test, when I say, "It tested good," here is some more detail. The original mechanic did test the battery and said that it tested good, but only just barely. When I had them test it at AutoZone, it also tested good. But as I think about it, we know that the truck will start consistently when it's warm, so my best guess is that if I had tested the battery first thing in the morning, when it's cold, it would have tested bad. But since I don't have a load tester at my house, I can't verify that.

The issue was definitely not corrosion on the terminals. They're clean. I still haven't verified the ground connection, which maybe I should have done before buying new batteries... but I don't know, and maybe y'all can educate me: will a bad ground cause batteries to appear to go from full charge to flat with only two or three cranks of the starter? I have had corroded terminals before, and my experience has been that you just don't get any oomph at all--maybe a solenoid clicking or something. I've never troubleshot a bad ground before, though.

The ground to the sheet metal will not cause the batteries to go dead after just 2 or 3 cranks, cleaning it was suggested for the trouble code concerning an interruption to the ecm, Also the main reason batteries die after just a few cranks is due to a lack of (reserve capacity) it is a rating in minutes of the batteries ability to supply current at a specified voltage and diesel truck engines are well known for needing lots of current to keep the starter spinning the (high compression) 16+ to 1 engines over. Reserve capacity can drop due to age ,sulfation, open or near open, damaged cells, low level of water/sulfuric acid (exposed plates in a cell) .
One question on the less than 2 year old batteries were they full sized heavy duty batteries specified for the diesel option or were they smaller lower line car batteries, also did they have the type of cell covers that can be opened and refilled should the electrolyte level drop?? over the years I have seen cases where the level had dropped in a cell or two and resulted in the symptoms you described, sometimes refilling the low cells and charging the battery will work, most of the time the cell has gotten hot -lack of cooling by the electrolyte and warped the plates and shorted the cell or caused it to go open.
A shorted cell can cause the battery to still have almost 80 percent of its cranking current but it will not charge above about 11 volts and it will work the alternator to death trying to pull the voltage up above a minimum of about 13.8 volts.
An open or partially open battery will have low or no current capability but will generally show full voltage when not under a load... hope this is helpful

 

[joshuabardwell]

Ten days later and not a peep. Seems like the batteries were the issue.

 

[sd455dan]

Ten days later and not a peep. Seems like the batteries were the issue.

Glad to hear it ,Enjoy the truck:thumbsup:

 

[doxford jim]

Ten days later and not a peep. Seems like the batteries were the issue.

Goes to show that you cannot trust that particular "stealership" where trouble shooting is concerned. I have been burnt by dealers and refuse to use them anymore.
Good to hear that the new batteries fixed your problem.
Jim