Never ran into this.

[jafo]

I have a 2002 dodge ram 1500. It's a 4 door 4x4. Almost 200k miles.

It was -4 Saturday night. Got up to warm the truck up and it would crank but not fire. So since it wasn't cranking too fast I put the battery charger on it, raised the hood to let the sun hit the engine and dumped in 2 bottles of heet on a half a tank of gas. About 2 hrs later fired right up. Problem solved. I thought.

This morning it had hit around 0 degrees last night and same thing this morning. Cranks but won't fire. With that much heet in the fuel system, I'm ruling that part out now.

What else on the truck that could be affected by extreme cold could be defective? Coil? Battery? It seemed to crank over ok. Is there a sensor on it that may be affected by thw cold? I'm kind of at a loss right now.

 

[HackFabrication]

When you turn the key to the 'ON' position, do you hear the fuel pump running?

 

[jafo]

I think I can. I have a heat gun. I plugged it in and laid it down in the engine compartment where it wouldn't melt anything. I just left it there for about 15 minutes and the truck started right up. So it's something under the hood that doesn't like the extreme cold. I just wonder if it's not the battery. It's taking everything the battery has to crank the engine and nothing left the the rest of the system. Does that make sense? The key on bell in this thing is so loud it's hard tobmake out the fuel pump but I think I heard it. It only comes on for about s or 3 seconds.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

When is the last time you changed the fuel filter(s)?
How old is the battery?
LG

 

[HackFabrication]

Are you throwing any engine codes? Check to see.

Have you had the battery load tested? Get that done.

There should be a coolant temperature sensor and an intake air temp sensor. If they are bad, you should be getting a code. But maybe they aren't bad enough to throw a code yet.

My EFI vehicles run the fuel pump for longer than 3 seconds when the key is first turned to 'ON'.

My guess is your battery is toast.

 

[jafo]

When is the last time you changed the fuel filter(s)?
How old is the battery?
LG

Age of battery is unknown. I've never changed the fuel filter. I'm 3rd owner also.

 

[jafo]

Are you throwing any engine codes? Check to see.

Have you had the battery load tested? Get that done.

There should be a coolant temperature sensor and an intake air temp sensor. If they are bad, you should be getting a code. But maybe they aren't bad enough to throw a code yet.

My EFI vehicles run the fuel pump for longer than 3 seconds when the key is first turned to 'ON'.

My guess is your battery is toast.

I've been jockeying time between the jeep and the truck. I have the.next 2 weeks off so I will try and see if there are any codes.

Haven't had the chance at getting the battery tested either. On the list.

I need to get on it asap.

 

[jafo]

Well, 24 degrees this morning and it started right up. Go figure. I think I'll just get the battery replaced here pretty soon. I have no idea how old it is. I just got done outing new cables and connectors on last month to avoid this, but I think the battery's life is ending, better to get it replaced no than waiting until it just dies in the middle on nowhere. It's the only thing I can think of that would be affected by the cold that's under the hood.

I'll look at replacing the fuel filter also.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Age of battery is unknown. I've never changed the fuel filter. I'm 3rd owner also.

Then change them BOTH-ASAP.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

what kind of oil are you running. Thick oil and cold don't mix very well. When I was a kid we would put a regular light either under the hood or as near the oil pan as was possible. An old fashioned 60 watt bulb will do wonders for a cold engine.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

If there is any water at all in the fuel filter. It freezes and blocks fuel flow.
LG

 

[Torxhead]

I would suggest for that battery is to get the largest one you can stuff into your truck. Living in snow country, you can use it.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Look for the highest CCA rating(cold cranking AMPS)you can find.
LG