Have a question for you. A buddy of mine has an '01 2500...36k miles. We switched out the lift pump thinking that would be the problem for lack of PSI...pressure still low, went and got another one...still low, so we took off mine...still low pressure. Thinking it's the VP44 pump. The only thing modified on his truck is a fueling box w/ spliced fuel pump wire. Will the dealership make the repair under warranty or will they send him on his way. He was going to take the fueling box off his truck...but I reminded him the wire was cut/spliced. Any way around this??? Note: the fueling box has only been on his truck for about 1,000 miles (no crap)...

 

Lack of what PSI? You mean low pressure on the gauge?
As far as the VP44, if you get a dealer that's cool about it, or doesn't know to look for the punctured wire, you might be OK. Most dealers know to examine the wires so you probably won't get it by them.

Chris

 

unfortunately, thats the way it seems to go with some VP's. They either go very soon after the wire is pierced or dont go at all.

1000 miles seems a bit longer though.....Ive read of some going in a few hours after the wire is pierced

 

Yeah...low pressure....around 7 at idle....goes down hill from that point.

The dealer here is pretty bad. I took my truck in for warranty work (only 10k miles), and the two rear left C-clamp bolts (holds the leaf springs to the axle) were real loose, and couldn't be tightened (seized nut...had to be cut off and install new clamps). The only thing they saw was the aftermarket exhaust and they said since the truck was modified, the warranty was voided. Hopefully I never have any problems...[knock on wood]

 

A dealership can not VOID a WARRANTY for Aftermarket parts they have to prove that the aftermarket part is why it failed...So tell them to prove it to you or Replace the pump and SHUT UP..ITS just that simple My uncle is retired form Ford and he was the warranty inspection man so it came straight from the horses mouth...

 

You cannot return a VP-44 pump back to DC with a pierced wire for a warranty claim. They will not accept it and there have been a number of bulletins on this subject. If they do fly it under warranty at the dealer, upon return of the pump DC will deny the claim and charge the dealer. That's why the dealers are more on the lookout for these types of mods. If you want to play.....you better expect to pay......I am my own warranty station....These sayings ring a bell? Of course you can scream about the Moss Magnuson act (or whatever it's called), but unless you have the time and $$ to fight DC on this, it's your baby. On the orginal posters prob, you say "low psi prob", How are you testing this and what kind of reading are you getting? Are there any codes in the ECM? The explanation of the diag going on is a bit sketchy to say the least. Give us more info.

 

It was giving a code, but I don't remember the number at this exact moment...I'll shoot him an email to find out (think it was 4## or something). He has an AutoMeter fuel pressure guage in his truck that we got the readings from. We also hooked up a Briar Hopper's Fuel Pressure Gauge (mine before I put a Westech in my truck). Both guages were posting identical readings. He put a new fuel filter in it last week and said it only gave him about 1psi better. Idle is 7psi (may jump up to 10 to 11psi every minute or so), driving around is 4 psi, WOT is 1psi and truck exhaust is black and starts missing. When you let the truck cycle through (before start up), the guage goes up to about 15 psi. No fuel leaks any where. No air in the system. Used all new banjo washers. Fuel is good (no trash), even put in some of the Diesel Fuel cleaner stuff. He got his oil analysis back last week and everything was good.

 

Sounds like the pierced wire type VP failure...bummer.

I've heard that there is a fuel return valve at the bottom of the VP-maybe it's not holding pressure??

 

Does a VP44 failure cause low fuel pressure? I thought the VP44 failure was truck no run. I thought just low pressure means bad lift pump, clogged fuel filter, or other restriction in fuel system.

Chris

 

Or like roadranger said the return valve is letting too much fuel bypass, If he has 15psi just bumping the starter then something weird is going on.

 

If your dealer voided the warranty on your truck because of the exhaust, I'd tell him to kiss my rear end and fix it. Or prove it. Just mention the Manunson-Moss Act and they're are usually pretty good. I had one dealer try and void my lift pump warranty because of my FP gauge. Once I told them that I was going to save them the money on replacing the injection pump, and that I know that these pumps fail all the time, and that I know he can't void my warranty without proving that the gauge caused the failure, he changed his mind and my pump.

 

IMHO he should try a flow test on his truck- if the pump is able to deliver 15psi in a no flow condition, but the pressure drops fast when fuel is needed there is a good chance that there is some restriction somewhere. I'd remove the line from the fuel filter to the VP44 and connect a longer line to some fuel canister- bump the starter and look whether he's got full fuel flow. (I think the specs like how much fuel in what time can be found here) If the flow is insufficient he should try to determine the cause first. (kinked line, plugged fuel pickup in tank, dirt in one of the banjos etc). By using a transparent line in a vertical loop he can also determine whether the fuel is aerated.(sp?)
Low flow or air in fuel will harm the VP44 over time, but will also lead to timing problems and lots of other bad side effects instantaneously. Even if the VP44 has to be changed the reason for the defect of the first one should be determined and remedied.
I don't suspect the return valve since it's just a spring valve so it's completely independant from all electrical conditions in the VP44.

Just my 2c

AlpineRAM

 

That is a good point Alpine. I would unhook the fuel inlet line down by the lift pump, the conncetion with the blue clip. There you can slide a 3/8 fuel line on and it fits tight enough no to allow air. Put the other end in a fuel jug and see what happens. j28s, was there any drivability issues with this truck? or were you just trying to verify that the lift pump psi was within spec.

 

A) Yes, I thought there was just something wrong with his lift pump and we were trying to just monitor the pressure. Then when the pressure was still low, just trying to trouble shoot to find out what the problem was. Alpine, replacing the lift pump is about the extent of my mechanical knowledge...and that's because I changed the one on my truck.

B) Instead of going to the Dodge dealer, he went to a Cummins Atlantic (Cummins certified repair shop). They said the VP44 was dead and said to take it to Dodge since it was under warranty (they didn't see the spliced wire). took it to Dodge, they checked it out and said the VP44 pump would have to be replaced. then said, "Don't know if you're aware of this but Dodge will not warranty the pump because you or the prior owner had an aftermarket fueling box on the truck and you'll have to pay for the replacement". After he found out the price, he "drove" it down the street to the Chevy place and traded it in on a new 2500 Duramax Silverado. Note: he got screwed by that particular Chevy place when he bought his wife's Tahoe (had some problems with it)...he said it was pay back...

 

I guess that's one way to solve the problem. Not the route I would have chosen.