MustangHauler

I have a friend that recently replaced his VP44 to the tune of $2000 and change. The cause: water in fuel. The gas station denied it, even when he pumped fuel from the same pump then and there and proved it to be water laden. Anyway, back to my question.
Everything I have read says to put a fuel pressure gauge with a low pressure warning light or buzzer to ensure enough pressure on the VPs inlet to keep it alive and happy. I'm having a little trouble convincing him though. Are there any articles on why this is needed that I could show him? I figured someone that sells the gauge and banjo for the install would have a little article on why I should but but am having no such luck.
So why should he get a fuel pressure gauge with low pressure warning for his 2001 Cummins and its VP44.
Any help appreciated.

Homestead

Do a search and you will get months worth of reading.

That subject has been beat to death on this board.

Jeff

coyote204

The VP44 can be damaged if fuel pressure drops below 5psi. A fuel pressure guage allows you to monitor the fuel pressure and watch for drops in pressure. The lift pump is often the cause of low fuel pressure and a fuel pressure guage could save a VP if a lift pump fault occurs. I am sure you know this. I haven't seen any articles to the fact myself. It just makes sense to use preventive measures such as guages.

Dr. Evil

Well there are probably 3-4 thousand guys here running fp guages....

He could very well have avoided replacing his VP-44. If thats not a good enough reason I dont know what is.

Hmm, do I want to spend $50 on a guage or $1200+ on a Vp-44???? - I just cant decide..... I say let him learn from his mistakes and keep replacing VP-44's until he wises up !

dsl kicks gas

tell him to call the cummins tech line and ol russ'll straight up tell em how it is. he's purty on top of the 5.9s, and commin from cummins it convence ya'r buddie even if he wasnt

dsl kicks gas

my truck had a fuel press. gauge when i got it and has had 4 LP's the last bein yesterday. i couldnt imgain bein so cheap not to spend 70 bucks on a gauge or at least a warnin light, but it'll cost em in the long run so let him learn lol


id say get a mech fuel gauge w/out a iss. with a valve incse of leaks, my sendin unit for my wetch that came in the truck burnt up and i replaced it with a stewert warner mech gauge.

J BODY

Either back that statement up with facts, or put "in my opinion....".

A fuel psi guage is NOT the end all fix for saving a VP. It can aid in making sure you have some fuel being delivered, but don't act shocked when your VP goes "dead pedal" and you have a lift pump that is working just fine. It does happen. I see it on a regular basis including my personal truck. Original lift pump, 13-14 psi at idle, never drops below 6......and my VP died last summer.

Dr. Evil

True enough. VP-44's die without throwing codes, Vp-44's die with adequate fuel pressure as well - BUT 9 times out of ten, they die because of lack of adequate fuel supply to lube and cool itself. Its just not a good idea to run without one.

displacedtexan

Exactly. It could die out of the blue, for no appearent reason. But we know heat kills them. And they are cooled by fuel. Why not monitor what we can, and hopefully reduce the chance of a failure.

HOHN

My VP died @ 40K miles with perfect FP the whole time....

h

Timmay2

How do we know that?

elandon1201

Its not an opinion its a fact, we all know there are various reasons for a VP failure, please dont ask someone to put "in my opinion" when we all know it is a fact. Yes there are other reasons for failure but 0 PSI will kill your VP. People around here need to realize that common courtesy is the least you can do for your fellow members.

Timmay2

0psi will stall the engine before it kills the vp44 (had to, sorry)

Is there really anything consistant? Theres an excuse for their failure for just about every variable.

Mentioning heat, theres probably people up north in cold climates that have Vp44 failures that never let their tank get below half.. still chalkin it up to heat in that scenario?

The only thing they have in common is they WILL fail, they will do it at complete random, and no matter what you do to try to stop it, its gonna happen.

FASS is a good attempt to prevent it, but whos ran a FASS for 100,000 miles? Some stock vp44's have gone well over 100k.. so even if it makes it 100k on FASS, big whoop, theres millions that have done it on a factory lift pump.. Surely not enough people running fass for that many miles to even call it a fix let alone a statistic.

Especially since most VP44s are rebuilds.. so many variables.

Ill buy a fass eventually, mainly because of the upgraded fuel flow.. stock parts werent designed to run as much fuel through them as we ask.

Even after FASS, I expect the Vp44 to die, again, and oh well thats life.

johnh

when my first lp went bad,it quit pumping for about 15000 miles. my vp was sucking fuel thru the lp.... how i found the problem was when i changed the filter i had to manually fill the canister (3 changes) and the engine developed a stumble during acceleration... so i ckd the pressure, had none ,had the dealer change the lp, all is ok for 40000 miles . changed 2nd pump under warranty, added pusher pump on frame,(per advice from dealer).. end of pump problems except for a broken ground wire a couple of times my current mileage 164,000 miles on original VP 44

jriggs_18

Maybe you could buy one for him, then when his Lp dies and the gauge saved his VP tell him he owes you a $1000