Lift Pump
 

How many of you out there have had lift pump failures and have gotten a run around from Chyrsler/Dodge in regards to the repair or replacement of the pump. Seems that Dodge is not being a good neighbor on this issue.

i know one thing if more trucks had a fuel pressure gauges there would be a lot of saved injection pumps. i think a lot of lift pumps were needlessly replaced due to other issues. bad lines or sucking air from the drop tube in the tank. i only have 54,000 miles and am watching mine closely. i replace the fuel filter every 15,000 miles. i have not seen any pressure drop between the changes. i wonder how many severly plugged filters help shorten the lift pumps life. i think a filter should also of been installed before the lift pump. with all the money you pay for the diesel option you would think that it would include a gauge pod to monitor the boost, fuel, egt.,transmission. or at least a stand alone option you could get from the factory. the gauges are instrumental tools to aide in diagnostics and also help alert of changes that would need minor maintenance or repairs before the major problem happens.

54,000 on original and counting,

You forgot "still running the original" on your poll.......I am, 63K and counting.

lift pump
 

I should have put that in the poll. My truck is at 59,000 miles and the lift pump is shot. I am in the process of getting the dealer to replace it. It goes to "0"psi at WOT or less but has 12psi at idle. This is enough to pass all of their test on the lift pump. Seems they do not have a test under load to consider the lift pumps capacity to feed the VP44 the proper amount of fuel. Seems they should have a test that would consider this. I also think that they should have incorperated into their sensor thinking at least one that would send a code when the pressure gets below an acceptable level to support the VP44. Might cost them some money on lift pump replacements but would save them on VP44 replacements. Also might have some happier customers which relates to more sales and more dollars for them.

How do you figure its shot with 12 psi at idle?? A new good pump only puts out 13 to 14 @ idle?

pressure reading at idle mean nothing. WOT is the only test of LP health

You have to remember these pumps were made for stock trucks, with my mods I can pull the psi down to 6 or 7, that doesn't mean the pumps bad, just means that I'm pulling more flow than was meant to be used. Lower flow means lower psi.

yah the dealer figures if they can disconnect fuel line and it will fill a cup its good underload is another story I advise beefing up your fuel system with any performance module towing or competition just safer than not. Dealer doesn't want to see you unless truck don't run. It was funny I had a guy call me the other day and say hey I need your help and this is a local guy who is always calling me and asking about different performance mods anyways he says man my truck just died while driving down the road as if it ran out of fuel but the tank is full can you bring your trailer pick it up and fix it I asked him hey what year and how many miles he said 2000 and 99.300k I said how about I save you 2500.00 and you call the dealer because your truck is still under warranty. Yup another happy customer [laugh] I still wen't and picked up his truck and towed it for him down to his house. I said you have the dealer call a tow truck and pick this thing up. I wasn't going to tow it to the dealer with my truck all stickered up with my business name and logo that wouldn't look good right.[laugh] His mood wen't from:( to :D when the dealership said we'll take care of it

lift pump pressure
 

Seems to me that when I throttle up and the fuel pressure goes to "0" is a good indicator that the lift pump is not getting any or enough fuel to the VP44. This is with an empty truck. When my trailer is hooked up and under pull the truck starts to cut out and buck so that is another good indicator that the lift pump is not flowing a volumn enough feed the VP44 to cool, lubricate, and run the engine. You just accelerate up a little when empty the fuel pressure goes to 1psi and when you ask for more it goes to nothing. I know if there is no fuel pressure then there is no flow as the pump is not moving anything at that point. I suppose that they would rather replace the VP44 and the lift pump together.

o psi don't sound good Rain Man, I.m on my 3rd fuel pump now with only 65 k miles. I was lucky and have a good dealer to work with, but my truck is over 5 years old now so the next one is on me.:(

I hope you all have FP gauges. You cannot tell your lift pump is going bad or weak without one. The IP will suck fuel, but not enough to cool and lube the pump and it will wear out faster and you won't even know it.

I went through 2 LP and 2 IP in 58000 miles. I just recently replaced another LP myself (93000) since my truck is over 5 years old. I love 24 V motors but the fuel systems suck! I talk about how strong and dependable the Cummins is but it really doesn't mean squat if it doesn't have any fuel to it. If 12v's weren't so sluggish I would trade mine tommorow. My Dad gives me grief everytime he hears about me working on the LP or something else electrical. He always says" that thing'll fly to Napa won't it" Needless to say he has a 1998 12v.

lift pump
 

If I can't get the dealer or Chyrsler to do the right thing then I will. I have purchased a new lift pump from Summit Racing. It is identical to the one that is on the truck. I am going to get the fuel kit from Wildcat Deisel and have found a good spot on the frame just at the rear of the cross member at the transfer case. I will relocate the pump there and run new lines to the existing fuel filter and replace the fuel lines to the VP44 also as the kit describes. I am going to install some ball valves so I can service the fuel pump if need be with out too much problems. The fuel pumps from Summit are more reasonably priced at $88.00 each and are Carter brand as installed on truck. At least with a new location and valves I will not have too much of a problem with service to it. My neighbor is a good deisel mechanic and we talked about this. He said that we could come up with the filters and pump and make a better set up. I still have almost two years on my extended wannanty to go so I do not want to do anything that would compromise it. The Banks set up that I have been running since 1999 required me to pierce the wire to the VP44 when installed so there is an issue there also. Banks says that they guarentee that their system will not violate the warrantee but what I have read from Chyrsler says different tho.

I did mine, at 105K, can't blame Dodge for this one!!

Lift Pump fact
 

If you think about it, if you do not have a fuel pressure gauge and are not aware of the issue with the lift pump, then you could be driving around with a failed lift pump and unless you are towing something to stress the demand you would never know you were doing your VP44 in. I think of myself as I have been using this truck since 1999 and towing pretty heavy. I took four trips this summer and had some problems with a miss occur. Not knowing and being owner dumb I never thought about the potential of the possible damage or that it was a problem as it is. Thank God for this web site. There are probably quiet a few other people out there that just don't know and Chyrsler and Cummins are not going to let them know. I really am niave in thinking that they would be the first ones to come up and identify the problem and the first ones to come up with a fix. Am I wrong in thinking that this is the right thing that they should have done instead of sticking their heads in the sand and playing dumb?