2006 Durastar, no power going uphill, no faster than 55 on Hwy.

I have a 2006 4300 series Durastar with a DT466 engine. It has almost 300k on it, but still looks clean and drives great. Well, it used to. A couple days ago it took FOREVER to accelerate, and couldn't get past 55 on the highway. And going up a hill was not really an option. I noticed the check engine light was coming on and off intermittently so there should be some codes for me to retrieve. Unfortunately no one around here (with the exception of professional truck servicing shops) has an HD OBD reader that will pull codes for this truck. I ordered one, it arrives Saturday. I'm going to wait until I pull the codes before I do anything to it, I don't want to keep throwing money at it grasping at straws.

Anyone experience this before? Will low pressure in the fuel line trigger the CEL to come on and off? Will a clogged fuel filter? Anything inexpensive and easy I can do that may fix the issue before I pull the codes(fuel injector cleaner, etc...)? We use this truck for deliveries a few times a week and I'm hoping it's a repair I can perform myself.

Thanks for reading!

 

Thanks for the quick response! Do you know if that would cause an intermittent CEL?

 

It's been a few years since I worked on a diesel engine. Now I remember doing maintenance on our old Freightliner and replacing the fuel filter and the fuel water separator. I took a five year hiatus, and during that time the acting maintenance manager either did not maintain the truck unless it broke, or he did not keep records. Either way I picked up the separator element and the fuel filter, I will install them tomorrow.

I'm still going to keep the code reader, better to have one and not need it than need one and not have it. Will post tomorrow. If it doesn't fix the problem I will post the codes. Thanks!

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I appreciate it! Inderjit, I will see about removing the restrictor and replacing it. Im going to replace the fuel water separator and fuel filter first and see what DTCs populate. The ones that I pulled earlier this week (that have bbeen stored in there for who knows how long) are:

PID110 FMI14

Coolant temp special instructions


PID168 FM14

Battery potential voltage, voltage lower than normal or shorted


PID110 FMI0

Coolant temperature above normal


SID254 FMI8

Controller #1 abnormal frequency, pulse width or period


SID155 FMI7

System diagnostic code #5, mechanical system not responding properly


SID27 FMI6

Variable geometry turbocharger, activator #1 current above normal or grounded circuit


SID27 FMI5

Current below normal or open circuit (I’m assuming this also relates to the variable geometry turbocharger activator #1)


SID1 FMI5

Injector #1 current below normal or open circuit


SID2 FMI5

Injector #2 current below normal or open circuit


SID3 FMI5

Injector #3 current below normal or open circuit


SID4 FMI5

Injector #4 current below normal or open circuit


SID5 FMI5

Injector #5 current below normal or open circuit


SID6 FMI5

Injector #6 current below normal or open circuit


SID146 FMI7

EGR valve mechanical system not working properly


So I cleared the codes and once I replace the separator and filter I'm going to take it on a test drive and see what codes re-populate.


Thanks again!

 

UPDATE:

I Installed the fuel filter/separator (it appears they are the same thing?) and in the process drained the housing that holds the fuel water separator cartridge. When I went to start it the batteries went dead after a few cranks. Charged the batteries to 50 percent and it fired right up...but only ran good for about 30 seconds. Then it sounded strange for about 10 seconds before the engine quit.

So I pulled the codes:

SID1,2,3,4,and 6, FMI5, Injector cyl (X) current below normal or open circuit

SID254 FMI8 Abnormal frequency pulse width or period

PID168 FMI4 Battery low voltage or short to lower voltage

I took out the batteries and alternator to have them tested. The batteries failed, but the alternator checked out. I replaced them and when I tried to start the truck it cranked over great but would not start. Sounded like it may have been trying on one cylinder.

I'm going to google this. These codes were present when the truck fired up for 40 seconds before dying, so I'm wondering if I may just need to prime the fuel system?

Any advice is most certainly very much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

-Monte

 

Oh, one more thing...the fuel pump doesnt turn off. I tried to pick up a fuel pressure gauge but it didn't have the right fitting so Im going to have to keep looking.