chuxtruk

This is a story about the importance of having at least a low fuel pressure idiot light, tho a fuel gauge would be better still.....
About a month ago now, my dad had Cummins in Spokane install the idiot light for detecting low fuel pressure to the VP on his 99 dually. It's set at about 5 psi from what I understand, any fuel pressure to the VP from the lift pump that goes below 5 psi and the light comes on. The truck has 95k on it and anytime anything goes wrong (which has been rare) he either fixes it himself or he takes it to either the dealer or to Cummins Northwest depending if it's the drivetrain or something else on the truck. Anyways they had traveled from Spokane to Lake Nehwatzel near Shelton WA, a couple of hundred miles for the 4th of July festivities. About 20 miles from their destination, my dad notices the low fuel pressure idiot light on full blaze, tho it blinks a couple of times. They make it to the lake fine, then he calls me on the phone to shoot the breeze and mentions the light being on..... then he asks what that could mean, every scenario, what could be wrong, what's the fix, what happens if... that kind of stuff. Intelligent, thoughtful questions about why that lights on and how do we get it to go off. So I told him there's 3 things it could be starting with the least costly.
1. The fuel filter is plugged (YOU HOPE, YOU WISH but I doubt as he said it was just replaced 2 weeks ago ) NEXT!!
2. The new light that you just had installed is faulty (FAT CHANCE ) NEXT!!
3. The lift pump is dead (YA THINK?? ) BINGO!!
He calls the local small town Dodge dealer there in Shelton and they tell him that the lift pump as it's now configured is NOT repaired or replaced with a like unit. I call Tacoma Dodge and they tell me the same thing. They now do the pump in the tank method for replacing a stock lift pump (like they did to my truck before I got it). The Shelton dealer quotes him a price of $750 (and says this is the "end of your fuel lift pump problems" which I agree with on a stock to mildly built truck) to do the R&R, which I thought to be pretty good for a dealer price. Tacoma Dodge never would tell you a price, instead they just point to the BIG sign on the wall showing the BIG price they charge for labor and say you pay "whatever it takes". Anyway, my dad had AAA tow the truck into the dealers from the lake, about 15 minutes, which was free. They were waiting for him and the truck and got right on it, first thing Tuesday morning. They had to diagnose the problem, of course, but I told my dad that his lift pump was toast and that if I had my Vulcan fuel pressure test gauge, I could tell you FOR SURE then if it was the LP. But after my own experiences and reading ALL ABOUT IT HERE (THANKS YOU GUYS!!! ), I knew what the problem was. I was glad their formal diagnoses said the same thing!! I also mentioned the trick with the key, turning the truck off and on 3 times and see if there's any codes that come up but I seem to remember something about that won't work on his 99. But they called him before noon and told him that it was definitely the LP and there were no codes to indicate anything wrong with his VP (so we can all breath again!! ). That his truck would either be ready late Tuesday or early Thursday before noon.
Anyways he's pretty pleased that the idiot light paid for itself warning him before inadvertently killing the VP. The bill could've been 3 times or better what they quoted him on the pump in the tank mod. So even tho $750 is a lot of cash, IT COULD'VE BEEN MUCH WORSE!!!

Smokeitup

Nice to hear that you guys have pretty decent dealerships down there. Glad to hear the problem was caught early enough before anyhting major happened.

qwest

Moral of the story,
Carry a spare Aftermarket LP, !!!!!
& install a Fuel pressure gage,

Why, Gage tells you when it is getting ready to fail,
Aftermarket LP is WAY cheaper and easier to fix..

Do the LP relocate also... much easier to replace on the road...

D2 Cat

Yes, and if you have the pump mounted on the rail in front of the fuel tank it takes about 15 minutes to change (if you have a spare with you).

I installed a shut-off (ball valve) to turn off the fuel so you don't get a bath during repair.

coachgrowl

Glad you guys caught it in time. I had the same problem with mine. I installed the idiot light and it would come on just at start up more blinking on and off than anything. Anyway I installed the vulcan big line and new carter pump with fuel pressure gauge. 14 pounds at idle 10 pounds at WOT. I left the light but agree the gauge is a must on these trucks so you can see when pressure is dropping. I now carry an extra pump and it should be a 5 min job to replace it now.

CoastalDav

I called a local dealer in Melbourne, Florida and asked what they wanted to install the pump in the tank. $ 1100.00.

Thats crazy.

Dave

chuxtruk

Tacoma Dodge parts department did give me a quote for the pump in the tank setup, in the box, ready for installation was over $500.00 plus WA state sales tax. I don't remember exactly cause I almost dropped the phone from "sticker shock" Everyone I mentioned the price to seems to think that's a fair price (at the Shelton WA dealer) for the complete job and knowing that it's going to entail dropping the tank and all of that. I haven't talked to him yet on how much pressure it's pushing with. Soon as I know more, you guys will too!!

DryCreek

Hold On! Didn't anyone catch the kicker statement? he said the truck had less than 100K miles on it (around 95K). The dealer should have covered the replacement for FREE! The Cummins 100K warranty is suuposed to kick in after the 3yr/36K, or so it was written. That should put him pretty close on the date, but surely under for mileage. I guess that if they read the warranty as the 100K / five (or seven) years from date placed in service, then they could justify charging him.
The price paid does seem pretty reasonable for dealer service though.
Dry Creek

coachgrowl

I really don't want the dealer to ever touch my truck again. Put the lift pump in the tank really a bad idea.