I own a 2001 24v with 113,000 I have not had any fuel probelems at all. or at least till now. I was driving along I was short on fuel less than an 1/8 tank, but not out. It sputtered a little, the dead as a hammer. I put fuel in the tank and attemped to start it. i pressed the bleeder valve and fuel trickled out, I pressed the bleeder on the back of the filter and got air. I then loosened the line comming out of the VP and got some fuel. I took off the filter cap and fuel would not come out when engine was cranked, but would flood in when the key was returned back to the on postion. I am assuming the LP, what are the chances I have killed the VP as well, Is there a sending unit in the tank? I realize the after market fuel pump/ filter is the way to go, but I use this truck to haul my horses and family to rodeos and need it to be dependable????? Any help whould be apriciated!

 

There are two preventive things one should always do with a 24 valve Cummins equipped with the VP44. The first is to add an aftermarket fuel pressure gauge, so you know when the lift pump is failing. Any air at all, or fuel starvation in any form, damages the VP44. There are no ifs, ands, or buts - fuel starvation and/or air always damages the VP! The second is to pick up either the FASS pump and dual filter system, or the similar product from Air Dog. Do the complete replacement of the junk OEM lift pump, and figure you will never have another problem if your VP44 is still good.

The other single booster type pumps cobbed from the gasoline racing world, except for the commercial type units where you have to modify the fuel system and install the pump back by the tank or in the tank are, bluntly, a complete waste of time and money. I know, as I have been there and done that and they always fail and take something expensive along with them.

Now for your problem. Without a fuel pressure gauge you are spinning your wheels looking at fuel flows from any bleeders. You need to do a key on, system prime fuel pressure test, nothing else will tell you with certainty if the lift pump is failing or not (not even the codes from the ODBII port). From the year of your truck, you are on the edge as to if you have the improved VP44 or the old style. So, even if you find a failed lift pump is the problem, you may have damage to your VP44.

If you VP44 injection pump died, you really need to pull the ODBII codes and look for fuel system related or their companion codes. Even at that, the fuel pressure test on the input side of the pump still has to be completed to know where the problem resides.

Lastly, what you did by removing the filter cap will damage the injection pump. Do not ever crank the engine with a filter cap removed or loose, it allows air infiltration.

If you are reasonably good around mechanical things, pick up the Haynes Repair Manual #30041, and do the full fuel system prime described therein, after you change your fuel filters, and have read the ODBII error codes.

 

I spoke to a local service shop over the weekend. He said to loosen the banjo going into the VP and bump the starter to get the LP to kick in (I did and it sent fuel to the VP) He said then to loosen the banjo for the return, (I did and got fuel), he said then to unhook an injector hose from the VP and crank the motor ( I did and got sperts of fuel) I am going to go ahead and order an after market fuel system W/ a pressure guage. Even if my troubles are not in the fuel delevery it is clear to me it is a good idea. (I am still alittle unclear how to wire the after market pump, will it come with instruction, and how dose the fuel get heated under one of these systems?) Back to origonal questions... If I am getting sperts of fuel from the VP can it be bad????? I also took my valve cover off to make certin I had not broke a cam I had not. Any thoughts?????? I need to get my codes read, but I do not have a reader, any thoughts on hoe to get my hands on one with out haulling the truck to a dealer...

 

You can pull the codes by turning the key on/off, on/off, then on and watch for the codes to appear in the odometer display (note: sometimes you may need to try this a couple of times to get the codes to show). If it shows P DONE you haven't set a code. If there are more than one code they will show in sequence. Jot them down, post them and someone will be able to tell you what they mean.

HTH
Max

 

I checked the codes PDONE I set no codes off????????