An Important Message from the IRS (A CP4 Fuel Pump Analogy)

[TDRComm]

If that letter from the IRS arrived in your mailbox, it would signal that a time-consuming boondoggle is headed your way. Government boondoggles come in many shapes and sizes.

Consider this governmental situation that involves Ram and Cummins, “Investigation: PE21-021,” from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that was issued on October 14, 2021, that went public on October 18, 2021.

Download the PDF File > View attachment INOA-PE21021-2820.PDF

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You could say that the NHTSA investigation is like the IRS looking at your taxes. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, let’s not contribute to the hysteria. Rather, let’s look at the numbers involved in the PE21-021. You read that correctly, there have been twenty-two cases. Did you notice the “Population 604,651 (estimated)” line from the NHTSA bulletin? Geez, is this is like the $22 receipt you can’t find for your IRS audit? Again, time will tell.

In the meantime, if you own a 2019/2020 truck that has the CP4-style fuel pump, is there something proactive you can do while this investigation pans out? You bet. Here is a link to the article, “CP4 Preventive Maintenance” that we published six months ago in Issue 112 of the Turbo Diesel Register.

As we have further updates on the PE21-021 investigation, we will share them with you.

Thank you for your support of the Turbo Diesel Register.

 

[DonFitzwater]

In the meantime, let’s not contribute to the hysteria. Rather, let’s look at the numbers involved in the PE21-021. You read that correctly, there have been twenty-two cases. Did you notice the “Population 604,651 (estimated)” line from the NHTSA bulletin?

Is that number of cases you claim ALL Cp4 failures or just the ones that got reported to the NHTSA??? 22 cases total wouldn't be a blip on the radar. I suspect there are some missing numbers somewhere (actual failure numbers which we may never really know).

 

[Tuesdak]

Please Don't! We can find this information elsewhere that isn't insulting your members. Members who have to make appointments for a simple oil change because of the CP4 failures clogging up our local RAM dealerships. It's a positive thing Cummins changed away from the unreliable CP4 instead of ignoring it's problems and still pushing it on their customers.

The TDR article from the fellow who can't order a Lemonade because he is prohibited from using the word "Lemon" while fighting people who just want a reliable vehicle rather than a shop queen was a real insulting article. Esp. to those who have gone through the Lemon Law process on shop queens that the dealers couldn't fix. It's worse now as loaners and rentals (neither options are 3/4 or 1 ton pickups) are sometimes not available for your broken vehicle in the dealership waiting on pandemic delayed parts.

If the Cummins Diesel is a warranty problem for the OEM there is zero reason it can't get the axe for an in-house Diesel. If reliability didn't matter RAM could take the same value-engineered Diesel that GM, Ford and other OEM's have taken: you will be lucky if it lasts as long as the gas engine option.

Cummins FCA made a mistake with the CP4. They corrected the mistake in just 2 model years. I admit I am impressed Cummins corrected the mistake. Wish they hadn't made it in the first place, but, because they corrected it my next diesel pickup will not have to be a GM Diesel.

The only remaining question of what will be done for the 19-20 RAM Cummins owners.

 

[surfbeetle]

In the 2000's I purchased a Chevy Suburban with the 6.5 Turbo Diesel. GM had changed to an electronic fuel injection pump from a manual pump. Sound familiar ie P7100 to VP44? It had issues to the point where my truck had 7 or 8 replaced ( I can't remember). The symptoms were that it would cause the truck to die randomly while driving. We were on the highway at speed when it died one time. All GM did was extend the warranty by 20k miles and lengthened the warranty time for owners. Several people contacted the NHTSA and got no where. This was very similar to the Cummins VP44 injection pump failures on the 98.5-2003 Rams. No factory backed permanent solution ever came for any of these. Now the NHTSA wants to make an issue of 22 complaints on a widely popular diesel engine? You have to look at the political climate. California has banned internal combustion engines in the future and most recently lawn mowers, generators, blowers, etc. You have to ask yourself why is the government causing this negative publicity?

 

[SnoKing]

To me Bosch skated on the VW diesel, and the GM and Ford diesels, all with versions of the crappy CP4 injection pump. Maybe this time something will be really done about it. Edelbrock holds a patent of technology to keep a roller lifter from turning in the lifter bore, and Bosch refused to pay to play. They deserve everything they get. There are aftermarket kits for a bypass that keeps the failure crap from going through the injectors. Has Bosch came out with a version for that? I do not think so.

 

[Jim W]

My wife's VW, TDI went 80,000 trouble free miles with this INFANOUS CP4 pump. My older son's Golf went 99,500 miles also with this INFAMOUS pump. His Golf was a daily driver back and forth to his job site which at that time was Chicago about 70 miles one way. He would have kept his Golf, but this was during the buy back program that the EPA mandated. He received almost the same amount of money that he paid for the car when new. So, he could not pass up the offer from VW.

Two things we both did with our cars was never let the fuel gage below 1/4 tank full and we would add Power Service Diesel Fuel treatment to the tank. From my limited engineering experience with pumps was they always needed to be lubricated and were susceptible to dieseling from entrain air in the oil. I could always tell when a pump was run semi-dry and entrain air was introduce into the pump.

 

[TDRadmin]

Jim W, TDR writer Stan Gozzi and the editor all agree. In an over simplified assessment of the situation, do not run this truck out of fuel/too low on fuel.

The 1998.5-2002, VP44 fuel pump needed fuel pressure to keep it cool and lubricated.
Ditto the CP4.

RP

 

[Roger Nolter]

Is that number of cases you claim ALL Cp4 failures or just the ones that got reported to the NHTSA??? 22 cases total wouldn't be a blip on the radar. I suspect there are some missing numbers somewhere (actual failure numbers which we may never really know).

The NHTSA report stated 22 cases of fuel pump failure. It’s not a claim of the author. Just a restatement of the report which is included for verification.