Alright guys, I am at a loss here. My truck has 55,000 on it. 02 4wd Cummins 5 speed. He has been treated like my own child. Never stays dirty, gets a fuel filter BEFORE every 10,000 is up, oil changed every 4 or so, only the best diesel, I buy at one place I trust and nowhere else, I always used Siloo or power service diesel cleaner and lubrication to make sure his pump is well lubed.....

He has died 3 times in the last week, and we had to bleed to injector lines to get him cranked again, what came out of the lines was PURE foam, a lot of air is in the mix. My starter has taken a BEATING. I can not believe it is still starting. We are having to crank in access of 2-4 minutes each time to get this thing bled out, and even worse scolding hot diesel was pouring all over it. All round not a good thing for him.

We slapped a fuel pressure gauge on it, and i was horrified. It is suckindown to 3 and 4 psi. I have NO clue how long it has been running with this kind of fuel pressure, and that bothers me.

LOOKS like Dodge will replace both lift and injector pump, so that is a relief. BUT my whole point in all of this is, the day you got your Cummins is the day you should have had a fuel pressure gauge installed. If you guys dont have one, get one ASAP, even if you are bone stock.

I have done everything you can do to keep this baby alive, and it did not help me. If i had had a gauge, i could have seen the drop in fuel pressure and had the lift pump replaced before it took the injector pump out with it. The next one will prolly be on me, so you bet I will have a gauge this go round and if I have to replace that lift pump twice a year, I will.

I know this is a huge prob for everyone, and I am nowhere near the first, but really guys, take the guessing out of it and

GET A GAUGE!!!!!

-Amanda-

 

First thing I did on both mine was to r+r the lift pump, after my 93s self destructed.

 

Just FWIW,I mey a fella who religiously puts Marvel mystery oil in every tank of fuel,he claims he is running the same injector pump and is on the second lift pump with 290000 miles on it,I did use it a few times when I got my 2000 but switched to Power service soon after,but that is pretty remarkable if it is true.

 

Dave 65,
how much can you trust this fella? I am all for things that have worked for other people. If you think he is trustworthy and would take his advice yourself, then I would not mind tryin it. Do you mind me asking why you stopped using it yourself and went to Power Service? just curious

-Amanda-

thanks for the input guys

 

What you use for a fuel additive would only apply if it was determined that the VP failure was due to lack of lubrication in the fuel. It sounds like your VP failure is due to low pressure out of the lift pump which starves the VP for lubrication and cooling. No additive would help in that situation IMO. Your suggestion for a fuel pressure gauge is a very good idea. It seems that lift pump failures, and then the associated damage or failure of the VP, is much too common.

 

amartinson


I can assure you next time my pump goes out, it will NOT be because of fuel pressure. IT will be closely monitered from here on out. I do believe even with enough fuel pressure the pumps are somewhat low on lubricant, I just dont think diesel is as lubricated as it used to be. But without enough fuel pressure, no amount of additive will help you I am sure.

All this has made me want to go back to my first gen as a daily driver...i dont have to worry about him starting. Leave the big beautiful expensive beast at home, and drive the real truck

-Amanda-

 

Any quantifiable data to back this up?

 

Low sulphur = less lubrication

 

But dont they put in other additives to lubricate in place of the sulphur now?

 

Amanda,

Most of the problems associated with the lift pumps are directly related to cavitation within the lift pump itself. If you get a FASS unit you're fuel related problems will virtually be eliminated. They are not cheap but are well worth the investment. You'll still need the Fuel Pressure guage but the FASS unit not only provides LOTS of fuel pressure, it heats the fuel, and purges the air out of the fuel system. The FASS will keep your VP cool and happy. My 2 cents.

 

I got 221,000 out of my vp44 using no additive.

 

I'm kinda with Haulin on this one. I've changed a VP in a truck this spring with around 320,000 on it and from the condition of the truck I'm quite no one ever bothered putting any additives in it. You just never know when they are going to go, but we can do a few things to maybe make them live. On a side note I broke a new record yesterday for a VP failure.....less than 20 miles. Pump seized and broke the timing key. Nothing like a quality reman.

 

I really dont know CMNSPWR my brother who works in the oil field says they now take sulphur out of the diesel fuel because of polution, less sulphur, means less lubrication. This has been a farely recent thing to my understanding. So yes, someone who does it for a living is enough evidence for me

-Amanda-

 

Mine died this Sunday after being parked on a very steep hill for 2 days. It is still 6 hours away from home at the Dealer out of warranty by 14000 miles.

 

Just to quantify, Sulphur isn't a lubricant.
It is very much an anti lubricant.
Unless you think coarse talcum powder is lubricating.

It's the process of removing the sulphur that also removes some of the lubricity of Diesel fuel.

Refineries know this, and should be adding lubricaction additives to bring it back to where it was before.


phox