Dodge: Sensor for 95 dodge 2500, dodge 2500, dodge dealership

Question
Hey Ram Man,

I have been having some big time issues with my diesel. For starters, I went out to my Truck one morning and it didn't start at all, completly dead. I had the battery's tested and AutoZone said they were good, then I had my starter tested and it sounded like crap. Sounded like it was on it's last leg, so I bought a new one, and the truck started to crank over more and more, but I'm having to give it a massive amount of gas for it to even start up, and once it is started there is this enourmous amount of white smoke that comes out for about 20 seconds then it's gone.  I've tried reseting the ignition by turning the wait to start light on and off 3 or 4 times, and that doesn't seem to even help. It's not that cold around here in Austin Texas to make that much white smoke appear.  I finally took it to a mechanic and he called me up and said that a Sensor went out and it's a Sensor that only sales at a Dodge Dealership, he said the price of the part is about $600.  Have you heard of anything like this?  I'm still assuming that either my glow pugs are worthless or my injectors are going out. Oh one other thing, when I do try and start up the truck, it has this crankin noise, like somethings tryin to catch but is not catching. I appreciate you takin the time to read this, and any input that you might possibly have to save myself 600 bucks would be of great conveinance.

Thanks so much

Kris B.

Answer
Did the mechanic say what sensor it was?Find out what sensor it is and check an auto parts store for it.Yes they can be expensive.If you've replaced the starter and it sounds like something's not catching,it could be the flywheel or a solenoid.A sensor will make it smoke.