Well the 02 is in the shop with a dead Injection Pump and Lift Pump. The truck has 35,000 miles on it and in like new condition inside and out.

The Dodge service dept wanted to replace the block mounted LP with the in tank coversion. I said no way!!! We all know of the short comings of this "repair".

The Dealer called the "Zone Rep" today and they are going to replace the VP under warranty. Current in effect warranies are the original 7/70,000-100,000 and the "Factory Extended Warranty".

How ever since I refused to get the in tank conversion they are going to charge me labor to install an OEM Cummins Relacement LP that I am suppling. After reading all the horror stories over the years here and at TDR I thought it would't happen to me.

Well now that it has happened to me all I want is a fuel system reaired as the truck was purchased so I can take the preventative measures to prevent future problems with a Walbro Pump from Glacier Diesel Power. Any thing that happens to the VP once this repair is done will be on me.

I'm sure it's been done before but as soon as I get the truck out of the shop I'm going to file a complaint with the NHTSA. Here is where you can too:

NHTSA Link.

It's pretty bad when you have to take it upon yourself to ensure the lack of problems down the road. It's the same thing I did when the truck only had approx 9,000 miles on it; ATS Triple Lock, Valve Body, and Controller. It was neccasary to do because of Slide in Camper that was going to be used. Even within the vehicles GVW rating the factory TC would not last. A lesson learned by my 1st CTD with slide in Camper.

Sorry for the long post had to vent.

 

Its all good bro. I feel your pain when it comes to spending $$ but what can you do right! Yeah there are alot of safe measures that you can take to ensure that things dont go south but as for the dealer doing anything about PM's you might as well forget about it. Getting the dealer to do anything worth while is like an act of congress!

 

Only 35,000 miles, I bet that's a really nice truck. FWIW my truck got a vp at 44K, 80K and I put one in myself at 87K. Talk about crippling a great motor, what a disappointment. If they would have stuck with the mechanical style 12V lift pump, I bet VP failure wouldn't be as big of an issue.

I'm running a Walbro and fuel coolers now so I hope to get at least 100K out of this vp *knock on wood*.

 

Yea, Drop the stock LP and go aftermarket....do it yourself and save $$. I have never taken a car to the dealer since I was 19....and like gramps I am older than dirt now 52. Dealers = $$ not Integerty!

 

TNfarmboy,did you put the Walbro on your 98? When? And how's it doing?

I guess I'm older than dirt too then.

 

Yea, since the LP was 'in the dirt' see pics. It still didn't run very good. I was just about to convince myself the VP44 was sickly and then found the wastegate diaphram leaking. Fixed that with a spring and it is starting to run like a cummngs again Don't know what boost I have though....no gauge yet.

 

tell them to shove it it is only two blots and two fuel lines to change the lift pump it is not hard at all i have had then tell me it is from shakeing to hard and it damaged it well 30 years of driveing big trucks i never seen that but what do i know i am a dumb trucker

 

Well I should get the truck back from the dealer tomorrow with a new IP and the LP (OEM not Tank Coversion) I supplied to them. Supplying them with the Cummins LP was neccesary to get the IP warrantied.

Coincidently my Walbro 392 should arrive as well... We know what I'll be doing this weekend to protect the new Injection Pump.

 

Did you have a fuel pressure guage to monitor the fuel pressure?

The VP-44 will run fine without a LP......until it burns up & quits. Trouble is it is not getting enough fuel to cool it.

 

Geico266,

I did get a pressure guage from Geno's Garage after experiencing "dead pedal" on a day when the temps were in the mid to upper 90s. After checking the fuel pressure and finding it to be somewhat low it was too late, I'm sure the electronics in the VP had begun to fry.

Dead Dedal had become bothersome to the point of annoyance on hot days, and I didn't to be stranded somewhere.

 

I am sorry to hear that!

 

I recently experienced the dead pedal and 0216 code on an '02 with 50k miles. Happened twice during a short period then ran fine. My fuel pressure has always been good. What I don't understand is the failure mode. If it was mechanical wear in the pump caused by low fuel delivery I would think you would see a gradual degradation. Instead it goes from running fine to no power and back in an instant. Why would downshifting to 5th cure a wear problem? It seems like an electrical problem to me.
I'm sure Dodge or Cummins has done a failure mode analysis but i haven't seen any references to it on the forums. If anybody can shed some light on this please respond.
I'm still under warranty so will get it replaced but I'm affraid I'll end up with the in tank lift pump. Has anybody run one of these in series with a frame mounted lift pump?

 

they are replacing my LP and IP today. (56k miles) they are using the in-tank replacement. i didn't say anything to them. i'll just fix it right when it comes back. i'm going to add a pusher pump along with the in-tank for now. doesn't do any good to pi$$ and moan about it. they are gonna do what they are gonna do. just deal with it and go on. at least i'm gettin a new IP out of it. but, who's to say it won't go out a month from now, even if i take the appropriate measures to keep it from doing so. if you want it done right, do it yourself!! isn't that what they say?

 

Not picking on ya but your NHTSA link takes ya to Glacier Diesel Power's site..

Sorry about the VP man, I think it's something all us 2nd gen owners have either gone through or will go through. I aggre that Cummins droped the ball on this one.


dan

 

We run our Auxillary lift pump kit with the tank mounted kits all the time. They work very well. Tonnes of fuel pressure. WOT you will be hard pressed to get under 10psi. Our low fuel pressure light kit will also help out. It is an inexpensive way to keep an eye on fuel pressure. If the pressure gets to 5psi or lower the LED light comes on. You know pretty much right away that you have a problem.