I take my truck to my local Dodge dealer, explaining that I have poor fuel pressure ( based on my Di Pricol gauge that was installed by a diesel shop ) and that it probably is a bad lift pump. Again, I get 7.5 at idle and it drops to as low as 3.5 psi during W.O.T.. Cruising, I see around 5.5 to 6.5 psi.

He preforms TSB # 14-002-03 where they measure the FLOW coming out after they turn the ignition key. Long story short, they said my lift pump was fine, and that they could not replace it under the warranty. I explained that it should be putting out around 15 psi at idle and 10 psi or so at W.O.T., but they said DC only goes by the flow and not by psi.

Does this sound correct ?? I'm worried about this because I'm going to be taking a 2800 mile round trip soon where I will be towing ( light duty, only 6,000 pounds ) so I dont want it to go out on me during the trip

What do you guys think ? From what I've read, those psi pressures are truely too low.

Thanks in advance.

 

yes they are low! I think they are supposed to check press on the 2nd. gens, they check flow on the 3rd. gens.

 

They check the flow on the 2nd Gen, not pressure. Tell them that you have "no power" that should prompt them to replace the pump. Did they scan the ECM for codes? You may also need the Vp44 replaced.

 

They used to check pressure, but found they were losing too much money replacing lift pumps,
so they switched to the "flow test" and found it saved them some money.

You'll just have to hope that your dying lift pump takes out the VP44 before the warranty runs out.


phox

 

The "Flow" test is only ONE of the tests they should be performing.

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2003/14-002-03.htm

 

I didnt ask them if they scanned the ECM for codes and they didnt say that they had, so I will assume that they didnt ( did that make sense ? ).

The service writer made a BIG deal out of not charging me any money for diagnosis time, so I'm not sure if I go back and now ask him to check the ECM for codes he will do so willingly. . . . with this low of fuel pressure, do you guys think a code will show up ? Maybe I should just go to a different dealer ?

 

To his credit ( the service writer ), he did give me a print out of this TSB. I assume the tech did all of those things / checks.

 

I would find another dealer, one who understands diesels. Most dealers do not.

 

those pressures are low. I hope it does not go out on you during your trip.
When my vp44 went out, dealer told me that unless the flow test was below specs or the fault code came up for the vp44, they could not do anything.
Fortunately, it threw a fault code for them.

 

With pressures that low.... I bet money it will fail the flow test...

I Did the flow test 10 times... Out of the 10 times 2 of the test passed but not by much. The other 8 failed. I was getting 10 PSI at idle, 8-9 PSI at cruise and 4-5 PSI at WOT...

Sad thing is the VP44 failed right after the LP was replaced two weeks later...

So keep an eye on the codes for a bit... Also get a big jug of Power Service and dump a good shot in the tank... It might help...

 

Thats were my pressures were when the dealer called and told me that lift pump was bad and they had the P0216 Ip code as well. They replaced the lift pump, cleared the code, the Tech drove the truck home over night and the code came right back. New Vp time.

 

I just keep tabs on my pressure and purchase and install my own pump when I think it needs to be changed.
Less hassle.

 

I have been scouring the forums to find information for my stock 2004.5 Cummins Ram.
So please excuse me for butting in.
I keep hearing the VP44 name for the fuel control. Is that the same unit for common rail and earlier models too?
Also the pressure is across the board when opinions are given. some say no more than 20 psi and yet I have read 30 is OK.
I am having a run away issue and wonder if my new raptor is the guilty party with excessive pressure. Note: I haven't tested pressure.

 

The VP44 is the injection pump on a certain series of 24valve diesels- yours is a later model that does not have a VP44 but a CP3 and common rail injectors.

In my opinion there is no way that a lift pump (low pressure fuel system) can cause a runaway condition on your truck.
Feed pressure (low pressure system) should be around 15 PS! (1 bar) to 30 psi (2bar) where 1 bar is the pressure of air at sea level.
An injector of an old fashioned truck will open (pop pressure) at more than 100 bar.
A common rail injector works at even higher pressures up to more than 1000 bar and will open on an electrical signal- As far as I know the pressure where a common rail injector starts to inject without an electrical signal is 4-10 times higher than the maximum operation pressure.
Therefore I think I can rule out your FASS as teh cuplrit for a runaway situation, simply because all the low pressure lines and the fuel filter behind the FASS would explode if subjected to pressures of more than 15000 psi

 

i can see that I must have been quite unclear about the high pressure I was questioning.
But I can assure you that there is a high pressure limit on my fuel control.
I set up a test gage downstream from the new raptor fuel system and found the pressure was far to low. It was holding at 12 and dropping to 5 under load.
I adjusted it to around 29 psi and took it for a drive. Made it a mile or so and it just died. Wouldn't restart! I can assure everyone here turning a 3500 4wd without engine powered hydraulic pressure is **** near impossible. I adjusted the pressure down to 23 pounds and it started right up. After getting the truck back home I adjusted it to 20 psi at idle and at WOT it drops to 17. It runs better than it has in a while.
I honestly have no idea if the fuel pressure was associated with the run away, but it can't hurt to set it correctly.