Ok I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 2wd 5.9l here at the shop that we just replaced the fuel pump in but cannot get it to start now.

Here's the story and the details:

Truck is a buddy of mines that he took as a trade in. Had it for a couple months sitting on his lot. Started right up every time for test drives and everything no problem. My buddy got tired of it sitting on his lot and decided to just go auction it off. The auction sends a hired hand to pick it up and deliver it to the auction site which is out of town. 5 miles from the auction it apparently just dies and leaves the guy stranded. The auction company has it towed to a shop to have it looked at and offer to pay to fix it since their hired hand was driving it when it messed up. The shop they take it too do some tests or whatever and tell him the fuel pump needs replaced and tell him it will be about $600.

Long story short, he didn't want to put that much money into it since it was a trade in and just needed to get rid of it so he brought it to our shop to work on it himself. He pulled the bed and put a brand new fuel pump in it thinking that would fix it. Goes to start priming it and what not to start it. The truck fires and everything but will not start. So he looks under the hood and fuel is leaking out of the #1,3,4 injector tubes going into the block. (His best guess is the shop the truck was originally towed too loosened them for some sort of test narrowing the options down of what the problem might be) So he tightens them back up and goes back to priming and trying to get the truck to start....no luck

Today we tried replacing the FUEL SYSTEM RELAY but the truck still won't start. It fires and everything just like normal but will not start. I am out of options and basic knowledge fixes and tests and so is he because neither of us are mechanics so I have come to you guys the professionals for help.


Please tell me any and all advice, tests, tricks to try, things to listen for, things to look for whatever it takes to get this thing running so I can get it out of my shop for this guy. No matter how simple or complicated. Thanks guys

PS: The truck is bone stock

 

First check for codes, key on/off/on/off/on do not start it. if there are any codes they will read in the odometer. if there are no codes you can "bump" the key to get the LP pump to run for 25 seconds to help you prime fuel to the HP pump. From here you will need to loosen injector lines and start to prime the fuel, as it starts to run, start tightening the lines as fuel shows there.

 

The '02 model year had the VP44 injection pump on it. If the lift pump failed while the guy was driving it the electronics in the VP could possibly be toast. The key on/off trick would give you the code if the above was true.

 

Ok starting out today I'm going to pull out the new in tank unit he replaced and find out if he replaced it with just another sending unit or if it now has a built in pump. Also I'm going to plug the computer into the OBDII and check for codes and I will report back to you guys with what I figure out.

If the electronics are out on the VP44 what will have to be replaced/fixed?

 

UPDATE****

Ok the unit he replaced in tank is the new integrated lift pump/sending unit. I have another mechanic looking at it with me this morning and he's made some phone calls and I've relayed ya'lls information. What we've come to find is that you cannot buy the under hood lift pump anymore. Instead you have to do the new intake pump and buy a new wiring harness and stuff that bypasses the old under hood lift pump unit. Ya'll probably already knew all of this.

Where can I get this new wiring harness we need to bypass the under hood unit to make this new pump work?

Will the ECM have to be reprogrammed in order to make this new pump work?

How hard is it to install this new wiring harness and bypass the under hood unit?

 

Bump for some info?

 

When you say the under hood pump, do you mean the VP44? If so, there are a bunch of places that sell them. The last place I'd buy one from is a Dodge dealer.

I would think any Bosch authorized pump shop could sell you a rebuilt pump, but otherwise you could check with these two, just off the top of my head:

Industrial Injection
Blue Chip Diesel

I'm sure there are others much closer to you in Texas though.

Good luck,
Mike

 

If the previous whoever has already put an intank pump and sending unit in the tank then all the electrical shld b dun, as there is very little to do anyway. Now that intank pump is a decent way to go wit that, which i have dun to a few of my 24v trucks. now when u say it fires but wont start do u mean the starter will just turn the engine over with no sucess at all in starting or will it actuly try to start and kinda stumble and die??
My personal therory is like %99 of these vp44 trucks, the vp44 goes out bc the lift pump quit working. this is an bad design by dodge but not much u can do besides put an intake pump in it, instead of stock location. When u pull the codes check at the top of this 2nd gen section for what the codes mean. i am betting ur vp44 is dead but i hope i am wrong for your wallets sake. But if it is dead then ur half way to a better system with the intank pump. you will just need a new vp44. I personaly recomened Blue Chip diesel. and i also suggest goin to his website and reading his articles and learn about the fuel systems of these 24v as it is extremly helpful knowlodge.

 

First off, no reprogramming is needed for the devils harness in tank conversion. All the harnesses come with the kit. That being said, there isn't a chance in heck I would do it, because when that in tank pump dies, it is a job to replace the stupid thing. Midwest fuel Injection ( and many others, I just like MWFI service ) sells stock replacement lift pumps, or there are several aftermarket solutions that do not involve dropping the stupid tank. The Dealership loves to tell you the pump isn't available because THEY don't sell it anymore.

It is your call, but the kit from Dodge is expensive, much more than the $ 135.21 that the OEM pump costs.....

http://www.mwfi.com/VP44_Accesories.htm

 

That's not true, Napa has exact repkacement pump still.

Try to bump starter once, pump should come on and run for 45 seconds. (Listen at fuel tank fill you should hear pump running) If not check fuse at the added wiring harness (drivers side battery). It should go to a relay near the firewall. Usually plastic tie holds it to wiring harness. Make sure fuse is good and pushed into fuse connector all the way. Also check the connector at fuel tank hasn't come loose if it wasn't locked into position properly, or if the lock was broken off when replacing the fuel pump module.

 

Thank ya'll for all the advice. We now have many options to look into.

By firing I mean it sounds and fires just it would normally....it just cranks and cranks and cranks but never starts.

He replaced the in tank sending unit with the integrated fuel pump/sending unit from O'reillys but their kit did not come with a new wiring harness...just the pump itself.

If we replace the under the hood lift pump (not the VP44) will we still need to get the new wiring harness for the in tank unit or should everything work like it used too?

 

The wiring will hook right up and it should just pull through the in tank pump. That might actually be good for a new buyer. Hook up the intank pump in addition to the original on a relay triggered by the original and you should never have a fuel supply issue.

Rick

 

What it should be doing and what it is doing are completely different things. We are pretty sure the wiring and everything is correct to the new pump in the tank and it should be pumping through and making the truck run but it is not. We get no noise from the in tank pump running ever whether we bump it or anything.

If the VP44 is bad and sending codes to the ECM will it prevent the pump from turning on? Like a safety feature or something?

From you guys' stand point does it sound like the VP44 is out too?
I really do appreciate all the info you guys have provided us. We just can't seem to find the exact fix for the exact problem were having. Problem is there's too many damm variables in this truck between the crappy VP44, under hood lift pump, in tank sending unit, wiring harness, ECM, and replacement in tank pump/sending unit. I've heard about 20 different options from about 20 different people but so far nothing sounds like a set plan that'll actually fix the truck, more like experiments kind of.

What other information do you guys need from me to help determine the exact problem with this truck so we can work towards a fix for its particular problem? From the sounds of things I hear from everyone this is not the first truck that has had this problem so I know there's got to be a good fix out there too. I'm really starting to hate this truck haha

 

What are the codes??????????

 

OK, Set plan, check codes. Check fuel pressure, if any. If no pressure then there is no fuel at the injection pump and it will not run. There is no safety in the injection pump that will prevent the fuel pump from running. The wiring should just be an extension from the original location to the new location therefore the new pump should run exactly the same as the old pump. Turn key on and it should run for a couple of seconds, then bump the starter and it should run for about 20 seconds. If none of this is happening I would suggest unplugging the wire at the stock location and check for voltage there when you turn it on and when you bump the starter. If no voltage check fuses. You can run a hot bypass to the fuel pump hot wire to see if the pump will run. If it runs then you can bleed the system and try starting the truck with the bypass hooked up just to see if it will run. Then go looking for the reason why you have no power.
There you go, A plan.
Also check the ground from the pump if the bypass does not make it run.
Rick