I bought a DiProcol for about $50, mechanical. Small copper gauge line kit from Napa, $10.
You can find an Oil presuuer gauge for less, should do the job. Shop the advertisers on the site. I got mine from DPP, I think.
You will need a T fitting to tap off the line below the Fuel Filter to get an accurate reading, post filter. Lots of pics on this site with a search of installations, advice.
Can be done easily in a day.
The Vulcan kit is another G2 plus. relocates LP off block, bak to near tank. Huge fuel lines, eliminates banjo bolts, allows quick FP change out, if needed, About $130. A day or 2 to install.
The trucks should have come from the factory this way, my opinion.

 

Bart T,
your explanation is exactly what I want to hear.....As in, "tell him what he wants to hear, he'll shut up". Anyway, your lengthy explanation and the detais of it are encouraging because it sounds like you know the workings of the pump and how it is built. Maybe you are a rebuilder.
I have to ask though...What is your feeling about the lack of cooling and the lack of lubrication when the LP isn't doing its job? There is so much chatter about those two causes of failure. I have a logic problem with the lack of lubrication statement because it seems like the engine would quit with the lack of the lubricating diesel. How long do you think the engine would continue to run if the fuel line was severed at the inlet to the VP?

Can the diaphram and "O" rings be replaced by a mechanicly inclined person or are there special tools and testing aparatus necessary to perform this task?

Thats all my questions...Thanks

 

The VP44 injection pumps have been known to pull fuel from the fuel tank by itself without a lift pump to supply it. But this is what causes the damage. There is no surplus fuel to cool and lube the VP44 pump if the lift pump is dead.

Me.. I consider the LP to be dead when the pressure drops below 10 PSI. I've seen a pump with my own eyes fail the Dodge dealer volume test randomly at 10 PSI.

You got to remember that internal a majority of the fuel is being injected into the engine at WOT that leave very little surplus fuel to cool and lube at WOT at low pressures (less than 10 PSI)

 

All you've got to do is look at VP failures from a statistical point of view, taking in consideration the physicology and general mind set of these forums, to see that it's not the lack of fuel pressure which is killing these pumps. There's simply to many failures reported in situations of good fuel pressure, and to few failures when fuel pressure has been poor. But the hysteria about it continues on and misinfrmation builds on itself until it becomes "fact" that low fuel pressure is the culprit.

Lubrication is a good place to look at, to prove the point.

Reports of failures from lack of lubrication and the VP44 actually started over in Europe before the pump was ever used on the Cummins, and carried on into the early Cummins engines. The VP44 is used on several V6s over there, without use of lift pumps, by the way. Back in '99, the vast majority of failures on Cummins were reported to be head and rotor siezures, where the tolerances are tight, and it's easy to see how lack of lubrication would cause the problem. Bosch later found out it had some machining problems, where some parts weren't properly deburred, that was actually the cause of the siezures, but by that time the myth had been started, and continued to build. Today, head and rotor siezures aren't very common.

A stuck timing piston could also be interpeted as a lubrication issue. Bosch has helped resolve this by changing the cylinder bore materal. More than likely, though, its more of a fuel contamination issue.

I agree with your logic on lack of lubrication.

If you starve the engine of fuel, hard and long enough, a 0216 code will immediately be thrown, but in every instance I've personally seen this happen, no permanent damage was done. Just the same, it's probably best to avoid doing this.

The bottom line for me is lubrication is important, but not enough to really worry about. Use an additive to the fuel, if you're worried about it.

The rash of VP failures when the weather starts warming is what is driving cooling concerns. I think most of these failures are actually in the PCM electronics. Bosch rates the PCM by number of engine starts. The newer PCMs have a much higher start rating. Nothing is mentioned about heat. Heat is never good for curcuit boards and ICs, but voltage spikes are worse. Maybe there's a sensor which sends a voltage spike down the line when the weather gets warmer. And again, why are some VPs failing when temperatures warm up, but the vast majority have no problems.

The problem with rebuilding the pump yourself is it needs to be calibrated on a bench, so it really isn't back yard type of job.

There was a thread, not to long ago, from someone who did a rebuild himself. His o-rings were in good shape and he reported no other mechanical problems other than a sticking timing piston. He honed out the timing cylinder, to free the piston, and was back on the road again after purchasing only gaskets and seals.