Archived Bad Airdog

[CPH]

Installed my new AirDog about 4 weeks ago. Comming back from Atlanta yesterday fuel pressure started to drop (yes I have a mechanical fuel guage.) from 27lbs to 10lbs over a period of 4 hrs. Pulled into hotel befor the DC beltway. Called AirDog. They are over nighting a new pump only @ 86 bucks. I also have to pay for another night at the hotel. They are not giving any leeway. Not happy. At least I can fix it. A ball fell out when I pulled the pump off the assembly. I was on my back and can't see the top. Any body know where the ball goes?

 

[KBurgoyne]

The ball is spring loaded and controls the amount of pressure in the pump. It lets excess fuel flow back through the pump on the airdog 2. On the first gen airdog the extra fuel flows back into the tank and the ball should be in the return valve. Hopefully the spring is still there. I believe you have the setup in the bottom picture and the ball goes where the regulator is labeled.

View attachment 88744View attachment 88745

 

[GAmes]

Another reason to stay with the stock, mechanical pump.

 

[Bob4x4]

I second that.Extremely rare for the mechanical pump to quit working without plenty of warning

 

[KBurgoyne]

The real benefit of these on a 12v is that it simplifies the fuel system. The stock system has several points that are prone to leaks and are a little hard to get at when they need work. One line to the system and one all the way to the pump. 50000 mile fuel filter changes and much easier to do.

 

[cerberusiam]

AD has a bad rep, should have done research on that first. Would not use one of them if I was given it.

 

[GAmes]

The real benefit of these on a 12v is that it simplifies the fuel system. One line to the system and one all the way to the pump. 50000 mile fuel filter changes and much easier to do.

If the system can't be counted on to last more than 4 weeks I would hope it is simple and easy to work on. Kinda like an old VW. Easy to work on and seldom running.

 

[Cosmo]

Apparently the old ones are much better than the new ones. I've had mine on 2 different trucks since 2010 with 50-60k miles of trouble-free operation.

 

[GAmes]

Considering that the stock pump lasts 300+k, 50-60k isn't an endorsement to me.

 

[Cosmo]

Kind of a dick comment, but ok. The stock stuff should be reliable. There aren't many moving parts. Considering how many people have issues with leaks in the stock fuel system, though, they're not without fault.

 

[GAmes]

Kind of a dick comment, but ok. The stock stuff should be reliable. There aren't many moving parts. Considering how many people have issues with leaks in the stock fuel system, though, they're not without fault.

Sorry. I'm pretty sure that the hoses with an Airdog won't last any longer than a mechanical pump. Does anyone have one that is more than 10 years old?

 

[KBurgoyne]

The factory lift pump isn't the problem. Its all the stuff around it that develops leaks. The rubber hoses, the fuel heater, the WIF sensor, the fitting that screws into the lift pump, the short bent hose, the fuel filter housing and filter itself, and the two fittings that screw into the top can all develop leaks. The airdog removes and replaces all of it with one remote system that is much easier to work on.

 

[JR]

I wish they would have stuck with a mechanical pump on the 24 valves. I would love to know the reasoning behind swapping to the junk Carter electric jobs.

 

[GAmes]

The factory lift pump isn't the problem. Its all the stuff around it that develops leaks. The rubber hoses, the fuel heater, the WIF sensor, the fitting that screws into the lift pump, the short bent hose, the fuel filter housing and filter itself, and the two fittings that screw into the top can all develop leaks. The airdog removes and replaces all of it with one remote system that is much easier to work on.

Lets see. My WIF and filter housing are the originals. Filter is a canister, and amazingly a lot of people prefer the spin on. Unless the airdog lines are hard lines they will rot as fast as the stockers. It takes five minutes to remove and discard the fuel heater. If my pump starts to wear out I can count on to get me home. When an electric pump wears out you are stranded. I don't have to worry about chaffing wires or bad connectors or popping fuses. I doubt that Airdog fittings are immune to leaking. I prefer a system that rarely fails to one "that is much easier to work on."

 

[Steve Robinson]

Sorry to hear this news about AirDog pumps. I just put one on my 98.5. I tried 2 FASS DRP pumps, first one failed at about a year, the second one in 10 months. Worse part, FASS will not stand behind their pumps, and they will not honor the warranty. I even spoke to their CEO Spencer Ecstrum, he basically told me, "go pound sand." Another of his comments was the last pump was almost a year old and had been used on my truck so it is my problem. Remember this about FASS, more so, how they treat their customers.
Please pass this information around about FASS, the sooner they are out of business, the better.

 

[JR]

It's a shame how far down the drain customer loyalty has gone lately, it seems as though it's everywhere.

On the other hand, I have had very positive experience with Air Dogs customer service:. I bought a Raptor pump when my Carter failed and it took a dump on me one week after the warranty expired. I called them up anyway and explained the situation, and the guy told me they had been experiencing some seal failures and honored my warranty anyway. I ended up removing the new motor from the Raptor and installed it on an AD100 that I acquired for free with a bad motor. Keeping fingers crossed it holds up.

 

[CPH]

Update,
Got the truck home after installing the new pump. After the new pump was installed in the parking lot of the hotel, Had the same pressure readings (about 10 psi) figured new pump could not be bad. Truck was running good so I drove the 6 hrs home with no problems. Did some trouble shooting. The gauge I bought from Genoe's was a mechanical auto meter. It came with pressure isolator. I disconnected the fuel line and made a fitting to air test it and the gauge. Applied 20psi and gauge only read 10psi. Took the isolator off. Low and behold the diafram was not in the proper position. Used a pencil with eraser and reseated. Now reads 27psi! Called Airdog asked them if they wanted the pump back due to it being shipped under warranty. They told me I could keep it! I now have a spare good pump and operational system. Airdog gets a thumbs up after all! Autometer, not so much.

cph

 

[JR]

I've never been a fan of the isolaters, I run a mechanical gauge with a needle valve just cracked open enough to get a reading and plumb the fuel into the cab with high pressure air brake line. Protect the fuel line where it goes through the firewall and you'll never have any problems.

 

[cerberusiam]

I've never been a fan of the isolaters, Protect the fuel line where it goes through the firewall and you'll never have any problems.

Yeah, not. Gauges leak, tittings leak and\or crack. 2 gauges and several fitting problems later an isolator or electronic sender is a GOOD thing to have. Anti-freeze wips up with water, diesel is not so easy to clean and it eats stuff under the dash.

 

[JR]

remember the days of the true mechanical oil pressure gauges? 40Psi of oil in the cab and everybody was ok with that, but 15psi of fuel is the end of the world? Do it right and there won't be any problems, half *** it and like anything else it will fail. I'll take it over an isolater any day. To each his own.