P0087 fuel rail pressure low limp under high loads

[Mark Rinker]

How many miles on your injectors? What other filtration are you using? Lift pump?

Potentially anything that could cause the system to not deliver actual fuel rail pressures as commanded by the ECM can be to blame. I have personally never seen unloaded/high acceleration set this code.

In my cases its always towing heavy in the hills with heat as an exaggerating factor - i.e. HOT fuel.

[Mark Rinker]

Update: Interesting observation today while running same route from Grasonville, MD through mountains of MD, WV, PA...the route that tripped the P00087 countless times in July with a SeaRay 310 (12000#) in tow at 85F outside temps.

Today was a Chaparral 350l, tipping the scales closer to 15K#, but the outside temps ranged from 14f to an icy 9f.

You guessed it...no matter how hard I drove the truck (extended 4th gear, 3000rpm charges up 8% grades to maintain 55mph, passing semis with their flashers on one after another) I never set the code all day.

So...it may be a worn injector situation that causes the high return rates, that heats up fuel, that contributes to low rail pressures...BUT...the biggest cause is

HOT FUEL. (period)

Somebody make a bigger undercarriage mounted fuel cooler with fan assist and I think you'd narrow the window considerably, if not eliminate it entirely, throughout the lifespan of the injectors. I have 155K on my originals and they are running as strong as day one. Not touching a thing, certainly not for a pesky code where I can push a button and 'fix' the programming error. Its certainly not worth installing new injectors to fix, at least not in my case which is towing heavy on hot days in the hills.

I know...how about we programmatically correct this bug in the ECM?

[Kennedy]

I still have guys calling me with this issue in the winter months here. Odd, but some are still having issues. I've sent out some revised tuning and made sure that they understood that things may change when it warms up so we'd readjust then. Only time (and hot weather) will tell.

The big fan fuel cooler idea may help, but you can't get below ambient in the tank and I think on a hot summer day she'll just heat right back up again as the temps are coming from the journey across teh valley to the CP3, the pressurization within the CP3 and probably to an even greater extent from the release/backflow at the injector.

[Maxdout1]

Im having the same problem on a 06. I put 8 new gm injectors in and still having the same problem. It only does it at wot and when its warm. Pump at idle you can ramp it up to 24000 psi and hold it all day. when it warms up it will command 26000 and drop to 12000

[Fiber Cowboy]

I will start with saying this is the best forum I have found in two years dealing with the same problems everyone else is.. Let me start with letting everyone know I purchased my 06, 4x4 crew 3500 new. I hauled 4000 to 10000 lbs coast to coast on random trips up to 75k miles. My normal travel was under 25 miles a day. In 2011 I started a new business in underground and started hauling 14K trailers 2 to 4 hour trips weekly, leaving my truck idle for 10 hours a day ect. Things were great until the August of 2012 while driving in 100+ temps on fresh blacktop... Engine code came on truck went into limp... After spending 2 months and 2000 dollars at 5 dealers getting 4 fuel filters on my 105K millage (out of warranty) truck I was pissed 4-5k to fix, no forums supported this as a solution that worked. I complained about the 250 degree fuel temps and was told by GM that it would have no bearing and was normal. I then discovered the fuel heater was stuck on and boiling my fuel for two months. Changed the entire fuel primer assembly and drove 65K last year no problem leaving the heater unplugged. (as mentioned here). The entire time the code comes on but only failed again this year. I have had my truck drop into limp mode as many as 15 times in 400 Midwest miles using only a 5 min restart on the highway.. Code does not clear but truck wants to run at 80 with a load... No rime, no reason...
My problems:
Heat outside 75 to 100+ Yes
Load causing failure Yes
Large hills with headwind Yes
Quick slow downs under load YES
tired of dealing with YES

I'm not clearing codes but once every few months but never have a performance issue until above conditions exist. I'm 100% stock, the Black Pearl works hard and gets stretched maintenance.. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned but I need a real solution to a heat/load related issue that does not require a engine rebuild.

220K with 7200 hrs and still breaks the tires loaded with 4 men, tools and trailer...

BTW: 50+ professional drivers with no CC and tuners. No problem from 100 to 400K on trucks....

[a5150nut]

My problems:
Heat outside 75 to 100+ Yes
Load causing failure Yes
Large hills with headwind Yes
Quick slow downs under load YES
tired of dealing with YES

I'm not clearing codes but once every few months but never have a performance issue until above conditions exist. I'm 100% stock, the Black Pearl works hard and gets stretched maintenance.. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned but I need a real solution to a heat/load related issue that does not require a engine rebuild.

220K with 7200 hrs and still breaks the tires loaded with 4 men, tools and trailer...

BTW: 50+ professional drivers with no CC and tuners. No problem from 100 to 400K on trucks....

Cowboy,

I don't have a DMax just a 6.5. But one thing comes to mind reading your problems. Are you having any heating issues? And have you ever broke apart your cooling stack and cleaned out between the cores?

[Fiber Cowboy]

I have not done anything to the cooling system other than have it flushed at 100K and at 200k. Just recently a friend recommended changing the thermostats because that worked for them.. I did do this and got about 20HP back but the truck runs at 200 to 210 with or without a load and has all along. It still breaks down though. I've be considering trying the fuel line. I also wonder if the Catilitic Converter is clogged. After idling for long periods my exhaust is blue and stinks like something rotten.

[Fiber Cowboy]

I forgot to mention that the 100K flush included a new radiator due to an accident. They replaced the radiator, Tran cooler and AC with GM parts.

[IGO1320]

I will start with saying this is the best forum I have found in two years dealing with the same problems everyone else is.. Let me start with letting everyone know I purchased my 06, 4x4 crew 3500 new. I hauled 4000 to 10000 lbs coast to coast on random trips up to 75k miles. My normal travel was under 25 miles a day. In 2011 I started a new business in underground and started hauling 14K trailers 2 to 4 hour trips weekly, leaving my truck idle for 10 hours a day ect. Things were great until the August of 2012 while driving in 100+ temps on fresh blacktop... Engine code came on truck went into limp... After spending 2 months and 2000 dollars at 5 dealers getting 4 fuel filters on my 105K millage (out of warranty) truck I was pissed 4-5k to fix, no forums supported this as a solution that worked. I complained about the 250 degree fuel temps and was told by GM that it would have no bearing and was normal. I then discovered the fuel heater was stuck on and boiling my fuel for two months. Changed the entire fuel primer assembly and drove 65K last year no problem leaving the heater unplugged. (as mentioned here). The entire time the code comes on but only failed again this year. I have had my truck drop into limp mode as many as 15 times in 400 Midwest miles using only a 5 min restart on the highway.. Code does not clear but truck wants to run at 80 with a load... No rime, no reason...
My problems:
Heat outside 75 to 100+ Yes
Load causing failure Yes
Large hills with headwind Yes
Quick slow downs under load YES
tired of dealing with YES

I'm not clearing codes but once every few months but never have a performance issue until above conditions exist. I'm 100% stock, the Black Pearl works hard and gets stretched maintenance.. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned but I need a real solution to a heat/load related issue that does not require a engine rebuild.

220K with 7200 hrs and still breaks the tires loaded with 4 men, tools and trailer...

BTW: 50+ professional drivers with no CC and tuners. No problem from 100 to 400K on trucks....

Talk to Kennedy. You first need to make sure that actual keeps up with commanded fuel pressure. Your symptoms seem to mirror what mine were, if that is the case my injectors are worn and Kennedy sold me a program that has temporarily fixed the problem. I have about 60K on it since the fix, and I also get slightly better mileage towing which is a plus. Call Kennedy diesel and do as he recommends, John is a very straight up individual.

[TreeFarmMech]

First of all, let me say thank you to the forum and its members for providing such great information that anyone with Google can find. My hat is off to you!

I've been battling a p0087 in an 06 GMC 3500 used to haul containerized trees around South-Central Texas. Tall and heavy loads, heat, head winds, and hills are all a part of 95% of the miles on this truck.

When the p0087 first showed up at 120k miles (18+ months ago), I immediately Googled it and after reading through numerous forums, I decided that ultimately the injectors are to blame, I skipped the rigamarole of debate and went ahead and had it done. A big chunk of change sure, but delivering is the most important aspect of our business and without our sole delivery truck, we weren't making any profits.

Fast-Forward to mile 155,237. A hot day in early June, heading from Columbus to Austin, a load no heavier and taller than any before. 30 minutes after leaving the farm and bam, code. Going up a hill, truck downshifted to 4th, (no cruise, tow/haul on) and hiccuped. A long miserable day of sitting on the side of the road, waiting for the code to auto clear. Anyway, by the time I got home, the code had thrown a grand total of 8 times (5 loaded, 3 empty). I hadn't seen this code in over 25k miles, and now 8 times in one day? What gives?

I read through this forum last week and have compiled a laundry list of things to do first. And was ready to get to work when...

My Schaeffer's rep called. This gentlemen truly has been there, wrenched on it, and lived to tell about it. So I ask him what is your take on a low fuel rail pressure code in a common rail diesel? With out a hesitation, "Your return lines are clogged."

Say what?!?!?!

"Well its simple sonny, your not flowing what is needed to keep the diesel fuel and associated parts cool. Your diesel is getting hot and your pump can't pump it. Its too thin."

My eyebrows are raised as I've read multiple people complaining about high diesel fuel temps. "Go on..."

"American diesel is junk these days. It grows algae and no one ever cleans their stock tanks. Everyone of those companies are selling junk diesel. He**, they're buying it as junk right off the tanker at the Gulf! There is algae growing in every stock tank in America, I don't care how cold it is."

So what is my fix?

"Shock your tank, Schaeffer's Fuel Shock #285. It'll kill that algae living in the plastic tank and in the aluminum lines. It'll clog your filter to hell but it'll work."

OK, how much?

$72 per gallon. One Gallon treats 4,000 Gallons of fuel.

Really? Give me a bottle.

Got me a turkey baster and shot 1 ounce of this stuff into each 20 gallon tank yesterday afternoon. Made a delivery this morning, no code, but the 3500 didn't quite have the gusto I was expecting. Maybe we need some more miles I thought. Got home, unhooked the truck and was authorized to joy ride the remaining 25 gallons of diesel in the tank away.

On the very first punch to get on to the highway, she heaved bad, AND THEN ROCKETED AWAY! This truck hasn't accelerated like that in a loooong time. That wasn't a down shift heave either, she was already winding up in a lower gear. This hesitation came right in the middle of two gears. When I lurched forward in my seat, I thought for sure I was going to get chewed out for destroying the truck...

Called my Schaeffer's rep. He explained to me that algae actually grows into the pores in the plastic and aluminum. You can't pressure wash that stuff out. Petroleum cleaners aren't terribly effective. I can't pronounce what is in this bottle but it definitely is some sort of organism killing stuff.

I'm off to finish burning those remaining 20 gallons and change my fuel filter. Next tank is getting Schaeffers #137. I'll post back after the next delivery. Until then...

[rapidoxidationman]

Begs the question: How many truck owners who have experienced the P0087 code use (or more specifically DON'T use) fuel additive/lubricant/conditioner/algaecide?

I use Power Service gray bottle religiously and (knock on wood) haven't had a problem. 190K miles on my '05.

[Kennedy]

A quality additive run consistently will prevent occurrence of microorganisms and keep the system clean and healthy. I'm an anti Power Service guy. FPPF Total power or in a pinch Stanadyne performance formula.

I seriously doubt that a chemical treatment of the fuel was necessary nor that it made any long term improvement, but I could be wrong.