I finally got around to installing a fuel pressure isolator on my '01 truck so I can get a fuel pressure gauge installed. I got one of the special banjo bolts that is threaded for an 1/8NPT fitting. Since I didn't want to replace the banjo bolt with the Schrader valve on the injection pump end of the the fuel line, I installed it on the opposite end - at the bottom of the fuel filter cannister.

After that was all done I started the bleed process - loosen the banjo bolt at the injection pump, momentarily engage the starter and wait for fuel to appear at the banjo bolt. Even though I could hear the lift pump running (erratic though it was) I never got any fuel at the injection pump even after 5 attempts.

So I decided to pull the fuel filter and see if there was fuel coming into the cannister from the LP. After several more times starting the LP, there was still no evidence of fuel flow into the filter cannister.

Questions:
1) Should there should be fuel flow into the filter cannister when the lift pump is running?
2) Should the lift pump run at the same speed during the process described above or is it OK for it to run faster, slower, faster, etc.
3) If the LP needs to be replaced might it be less expensive to purchase from the Cummins dealer instead of the Dodge dealer?

Thanks.

 

Answers:
1) yes, bump the starter and the fuel filter bowl should fill up and overflow.
2) Pretty sure it runs at one speed, the speeding up and slowing down doesn't sound good.
3) Yes, much cheaper to get it from Cummins. Dealership makes a hefty profit on them.

Hopefully the lift pump hasn't been bad for very long.

How many miles do you have on the truck? Lift pump and Injection Pump are covered for 100,000 miles.


phox

 

I suspected as much.

It only has about 42K miles on it. If the pump is replaced under warranty is labor covered as well?

 

Yup, all the way up to 100K DC takes it in the shorts!!!

 

There is a $50 deductable.

 

The local Dodge dealer says that the warranty is 100,000 miles or 5 years from the in-service date. According to them, the in-service date for my truck is July 25, 2000. If this is true (can anyone authoritatively confirm this) then I need to have them work on it in the next two weeks. Then, of course, there is the potential problem of the injection pump being toast as well. I suspect that it if runs at all they're going to drag their feet at replacing the IP.

Just so I can be armed with the facts, what tests can the diesel mechanic perform to determine the condition of the IP?

By the way, it seemed to be running fine before I opened up the fuel system. It started well and had good power and throttle response.


According to the same dealer, the deductible only applies if you have (or have had) a maintenance contract which I don't. It seems odd that you'd have to pay more if you originally shelled out the dough for the extended service contract but not so if you didn't. I mentioned this to the service writer and she said that although that seems odd it is the case.

 

I found a website that can provide an in-service date given the VIN:
Determine Your In-Service Date

I got an email back from them saying that my in-service date was 7/25/00, same as the dealer's service rep told me several hours ago.

Anyway, I had the truck towed to the dealership and told them of my diagnosis of a dead lift pump. Minutes ago, the service guy called and said that they had diagnosed the problem as a failed lift pump (imagine that!). He advised me that the lift pump is $600 and, unfortunately, the vehicle was just out of warranty, the in-service date being 6/25/00. That right. June 25 not July 25.

I challenged him on the date indicating that their service person had told me July 25, 2000 and the same date was confirmed by an independent source (the web page above). He called back later and said that even though the vehicle is out of warranty they would replace the lift pump as if it were still under warranty. He called it a "good will warranty".

I suspect that it is still under warranty until later this month, they know it, and the "good will warranty" is a good way to save face.

 

Atleast you got them to admit that your pump was dead. When I installed my gauge, it was clear that my LP was on it's way out. Checking FP at the schrader on the IP, at idle the best I'd get with a tester gauge was 6 or 7 pounds. And the minute I stepped on the gas, it would drop to essentially 0, figures that my installed FP gauge bore out. Once in a while, I would see 8 or 9 at idle and around 5 under acceleration. It was clear however, that my LP was not functioning properly. When I took the truck to my local DC dealer for an oil service, I mentioned my FP findings. The tech said that 7-8 is normal at idle. I said that my gauge showed 0 under acceleration to which he then mumbled something about a defective gauge. I said that that value was confirmed by a FP test gauge at the schrader valve on the IP. The LP would have been covered under warranty but it was blatantly clear that they would do nothing about it until it went completely poof! At 82k miles and 6 mo's left on my warranty, I decided not to wait and risk a VP failure. For $135 I bought a Cummins LP from Hoesli Diesel and installed it myself. It was a no brainer.
Now, I get 14-15lbs at idle, 8 at WOT. Good consistent values.