Mike Holmen

It all in what they call a rebuild. Some shops cut corners and not replace all the parts as required so we can get a cheap VP. Most shops that do the complete rebuild as per bosch guidelines, will be as good as new. Its what you payed for...Not saying good or bad against anybody, but your not comparing apple to apples.

pquevill

Mine crapped out while pulling a trailer from MI to Chicago NW side. I didn't make it to the IN border (20 miles) on a Sunday no less. I weighed my options and had it narrowed down to MW Fuel Injection and Blue Chip. The price was better at MWFI as opposed to Blue Chip and they could overnight. For what it's worth, I asked all of the same questions that have been posted on the forums and MWFI says they replace all of them. My issue was the first a 1687 and 1693 code and then when she quit, the 1688 & 1689 codes. The diesel shop that did the install specualtes it was the electronics and MWFI said they will give me a follow up report. I guess I got luck as the original lasted 425,000 miles. IF I can get another 100K, I'll make my goal and be happy and as long as the rest of the truck holds up.
Q

RowJ

Installed Blue Chip VP-44!
I can now confirm my previous rebuilt VP-44 was not 100% from the get-go. All symptoms have disappeared and my 02 runs smoother, quieter and better than I can ever remember!
Because it only has 7500 miles and I can now claim problems from day one, the rebuilder is willing to inspect and re-rebuild it.... even though the wire was tapped! I'm a lot happier than I was.
For those interested, my problems were .....
- "Chugging" on cold morning starts, if not plugged in. (anything around 40*F)
-Intermitant rough idle; especially after long hwy trip. progressively got more frequent.
-Missing, or studder at light throttle.... when maintaining cruise speed
-Occasional excessive white smoke on startup
-Over 100 hp low readout on Dyno done recently (final contributor to realizing VP-44 was a problem)

RJ

dieselfan

I glad you got it fixed. i hate that you got a bad vp from II. their rep is getting worst by the day.

i hope people realize this and steer clear, their too expensive to get bad parts.

CORed

RowJ - so how are things with the BlueChip pump 6+ months later?

My dads VP44 looks to be going out - has the 0216 code and some surging. I'm trying to help him decide where to go... BlueChip or Midwest are on the short list I think.

RowJ

Could not be happier. Still very smooth and no problems.... 16,000 miles later!
Ask me in 3 years, when it's over 100,000 miles!

I need to apologize for taking so long.... and need to set the record straight. My VP-44 problems were caused by an unscrupulous I.I. dealer..... not by Ind Injection. In fact Brett, at I.I., was a big help... took my pump back (after 4 months use), and replaced it free.

This Dealer tried hard to sell me a HRVP-44, he had in stock, but I was not interested. He was having my new head O-Ringed and called to tell me the SO pump had come in... so I had him install it also. Turns out he installed his Hot Rod pump to avoid having to buy another pump...I guess??

Ind Inj called, after receiving my pump back, to tell me I had a HRVP... not an SO pump. Never did look at the S.N.??
I guess all the irratic behavior was just standard HRPV stuff.
I had already sold the new SO and bgt the Blue Chip...so! But I want to be clear that Brett and I.I. were outstanding!

duster75

I installed a blue chip X 1,000 miles ago. Mpg has not increased but that could be winter fuel.... power is back And truck runs the way it should. Or the way I would expect it after spending$$$$$$$ for the blue chip. They may have a sexier selling pitch but there record is why I went with them. Only want to go through installing a vp once.... time will tell. Nate

J BODY

I give my customer the choice of the incredibly expensive Mopar pump (since I am at a dealer), and also give them an estimate using an outside supplier that has offered us a 3yr warranty on parts. Needless to say it's been years since I've sold a Mopar pump. Only catch with the aftermarket one is that labor is not covered and would be up to the customer if a prob arose. Been using them for nearly 4 years now and have only had one issue. Sure has been key in bringing in alot of business.

cumalong

It seems with all the technology available a company could make a bullet proof VP44 pump. 4 years of cummins diesel trucks is alot of trucks on the road. I think there is a huge profit to be made if a bullet proof vp pump marketed.It TOTALLY UNDERMINES this cummins engine imho.

It just seems pathetic after rebuilds and mods bosch still have not really fixed it to last the life of the engine like most of the older pumps and I suppose the new one. A 200k pump with consistency would terrific

My first one failed at 66k and now at a little over 90, I have gotten spuratic peddle action on occassion. As I said, this TOTOALLY UNDERMINES the cummins engine. Reliability is why I thought going with cummins was right.

nickg

replaced my VP with Midwest's in Mar 08 and I've logged 130,000kms since then, no issues todate. I've got way more hours than miles on it, as its driven 8-10hrs a day 5days aweek every week of the yr, that being said I do have an AD as well, maybe I got a good one

cumalong

You bring my fears to reality. You are a high mileage guy who puts alot of miles between heat cycles. Most of us do not drive like that. Every time I drive to town or go to the dump etc I am using a heat cycle up. You are putting alot more between. Its not that your doing better, your just in a situation to get more out it. I put about 15k a year. imho

HOHN

My VP died at 40K back in 2005. It was covered under warranty.

I think mine may have died due to the ECM dying-- seems possible that the ECM could spike the FPCM and take it out.

Mine would do this weird thing where (in addition to the 0216 code) it would radically change engine tone-- all the clatter would disappear and it would just hum. An archive search would find all my whining about that event (and the lame dealer troubleshooting-- tried to blame a wastegate hose).

It seems the 02s do have a pump reliable problem on par with the early 98s and 99s.

The VP44's reputation is the reason I decided primarily to use injector flow for more fuel, not pump stretch.


Anyway, I think the VP reliability is NOT just heat cycles, but vibration as well. Heat cycles can cause a cycle a couple times in a day of running. Vibration cycles can number in the millions over a day of running.

Soldering can fail due to vibration just as easily as it can from thermal cycles.



An interesting variable that a person would never think about in relation to vibration is gear lash. In some work we've been doing on the 2010 ISX, I've data showing that fuel pump vibration can change *dramatically* if your gear lash is on the high end of the range. For example, lash in the .007 to .010 range can have vibration levels less than half (sometimes a third) of what backlash in the .025 range would have.

So if you want to make your VP last as long as it can, check the backlash in your gears and minimize it.

JMO

rebal

Interesting post ,I landed a contract to remove and repave the parking lot at valley injection pump and turbo ,He had me come into the shop and showed me the high dollar equipment he uses to repair pumps.He has 3 units in 1 room that when he puts a vp44 on it will run a whole series of test for 3 hours on every pump.
He said that he rebuilds 200 + vp44 a month and VP44 are his bread & butter .I saw barrels of used parts ,and he showed me what is going on with the pumps.He showed and said he can tell what causes failures, from wire taps to low fuel pressure to electronics failures ,very very enlightening.
he never reuses the electronics because he said " the electronics fail because its a key stroke life cycle" (Fed/Ex and Ups have proved that by the number of times there delivery trucks start/stop/start) more then heat, and that he is using the 5th updated designs by Bosch and that all the new pumps have gone back to steel bushings in the advance piston instead of brass then showed the tricks of the trade as far as HR VP44 or using SO 8mm plungers in a HO pump to gain more fuel very neat thing to walk around in. He also said his pumps are shipped all over the world and some of the performance shops we buy from. SOOOO he did ask me a question, He knows Blue Chips web sight, and his right ups, but asked if I knew..(.because I bought pumps from Blue Chip ) if blue chip buys there pumps or builds in house ??I DONO> because he said that there is only a hand full of shops setup like his in the country.He knows most of them but is not sure about blue chip, I saw boxes and boxes with Mopar-Cummins/ John Deere.ETC,ETC,ETC,I had know idea that a pump shop like this was in my area .MY .02

duster75

"SOOOO he did ask me a question, He knows Blue Chips web sight, and his right ups, but asked if I knew..(.because I bought pumps from Blue Chip ) if blue chip buys there pumps or builds in house ??I DONO> because he said that there is only a hand full of shops setup like his in the country.He knows most of them but is not sure about blue chip"
I know that my B/C shipped from 1 location and the core was returned to another/not same.That had me wondering the same thing.Nate

JasonblkZ06

Interesting stuff. I wonder if a Fluiddamper would help any? So, vibrations, low fuel pressure, starts and stops, fuel lubricity. It sounds like they fail from all types of things?
It would be nice if we could get a list of the most common reasons. Of course that would interfere with these businesses bread and butter as the guy at the rebuild shop said.