coupdetat

So I never thought in a million years I was going need to be afraid of buying a 01-02 CTD.

I have been working my 1990 ctd and my 1993 ctd dually like I hate them for the last 4 years. I love my old trucks but 6000 miles a month without air or creature comforts is getting sickening.

Now I am finally to a point where I want to get a newer truck, only to read and find out the VP44 pump is junk.

Am I better off to get a 03 or newer??

Can I just find the 01-02 I want and convert to a better IP??

There should be a sticky for this topic of people wanting to buy so we can make a desicion.

DISTURBED

Get a fass pump and maybe a hot rod injection pump if ya want and you'll be just fine

phox_mulder

Every year has it's quirks and foibles.

VP44 has it's problems, but so do the first years of the Common Rail, not only do you get the early flaky CP3 pumps, but also the flaky injectors.

Me, I'd stick with the devil I know, my 2002 with it's already once replaced VP44.


phox

hillbillymudrun

I have had my 01 for 4 years and have 182000 miles on it. I had to replace the lift pump but never the vp44. I have had a few problems but thats a given when you have alot of miles on any vehicle. i dont know maybe i have been lucky but i do not think that there is anything wrong with the 24 valve trucks. if you take care of your truck you should not have a problem other than regular maintence items.

coupdetat

Thanks for the response guys. Keep the opinions coming.

Chass

I just bought a 98.5 24 valve. It was a one owner truck so I got the whole history on it. Knowing that it had a VP44 at 90k with updates helps. If you don't know that, just assume that you are going to put a $1200 to $1500 fuel pump in it soon. You should probably assume you'll put a lift pump or lift pump helper in it too from what I've read here.

I like the truck. There are some creature comforts new to 98 that I really like. The new dash and the whole quad cab thing are really cool.

Don't forget about the 53 blocks . . . something to consider when buying a 98.5 to 2001. I looked at mine before I bought it. Its not a 53 block.

Chass
ct

johnh

mine went at 181000

coupdetat

How do you tell if it is a 53 block??

Beefster

here is a pretty good site explaining the 53 block...
http://www.stamey.info/Truck/Cummins53BlockFAQ.htm

wcbcruzer

This question comes up at least once a week it seems like. They're both good but 24v's have two problems: vp44 and 53 block. Personally, if I were in the market again, I'd buy 12v again. 24v flows better air, offers plug and play performance, is a little more efficient imo. Overall, if you don't mind replacing the vp44 sometime down the road, get a 24v (minus 53 block).

Doug_TX

Well, I'm not exactly thrilled with the crappy electronics that also support the VP44 engines either. The APPS is also a POJ. It's cheaply constructed and yet they want mondo bucks for it.

qwest

My opinion, Bosch vp44 worse reliability of all diesel injection systems,
Even worse than the standyne with the Electronic control on the GM 6.5.
Once you remote mounted the electronics on the 6.5 The IP system was not going to leave you stranded ( carry a spare ). Can not do same for VP44.
Also , from what I read , there are some mech parts also that could
cause a dead IP.

I read less high milage VP44 posts than , Failed at less than 100k posts...

Please, all you real experienced VP44 experts, correct me....if I'm wrong
I want to believe my 02 ( which is now in for an IP rebuild at 70K )
will be reliable!!!!!

Howy

5 years and 45k miles that Ive put on, Ive never had to sit once. My truck is at 95k miles now and the previous owner towed a 5ver with it for the first 50k miles.

Ive replaced the lift pump and a bunch of steering parts and thats about it. I love my truck and have driven many 12k passes with it. I just hauled two 3000lbs. loads of rock with it last weekend.

Also, its payed off, so thats another great reason I like my truck.

Have a good one.

Southern Pride

i think its all hit or miss. i know several people/buisness partners with my dad back home that have the earlier 24valve cummins, and havent had any bad problems with them. mine was "going" out. probably could have driven it for several more months easily, but i just got tired of the hard starts, hesitation/dead pedal, etc. these problems didnt happen all the time for me, just recently in the last couple of months. i changed mine cause i didnt want to be stranded , and i had the money to do it. if you maintenance a diesel properly, your chances of crap going out are greatly reduced jmo.

PaulDaisy

I think all recent VP failures are due to the ULSD conversion that was forced upon us, and the pumps are pumping fuel now that they were not designed for. I think that adding lubricants to the fuel is the way to ensure longevity of the injection pump. And yes, it is known to fail; so is the main light switch, and u-joints, and front end engagement system, and the dashboard electrical, and whatever else. But it does not happen all that often, and I don;t think you can hope to buy a truck that will be 100% reliable in all respects. Just visit the 3rd gen forums to see if those are problem free.
At least with the 24v it is well established that if it is dead, you are $900 from putting it back on the road. It is the IP, nothing else really fails. And, no KDP worries.
-P