I've just replaced the lift pump on my truck and NOW I finally have fuel out of the bleeder on the filter housing. Now I'm still having trouble getting the truck started. I cracked the banjo bolt on top of the filter housing and got fuel to that point too. Then I also went to the inlet of the injection pump and bled it to there. I've tried cracking the return line loose and couldn't get fuel thru it. Am I missing a bleeding point or a step in the proceedure? Or am I possibly looking at a bad VP44? Please give me a hand, this truck is driving me insane! Thanks in advance!!
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Bleeding pump
- Thread starter thendrex
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Todd, if you already tried cranking it for 5-10 seconds ( no more without a short time out), try cracking a few of the injection lines, I would start with number 3 . Loosen the nut to the line and have someone crank while you watch for fuel. Wear protective glasses, high pressure !!! If you do this, and have no fuel seeping from the line, check the relay under the hood for the fuel system as well.
Scott W.
Scott W.
No need to crack the injection lines
Your truck beeing a '99, pump the starter shortly. This will run the lift pump for about 30 seconds. Do this 3-4 times.
After that floor the go pedal and crank the engine for 10 seconds.
If first attempt does not work, try another time. Important is that you FLOOR it!
Has always worked for me.
Marco
Your truck beeing a '99, pump the starter shortly. This will run the lift pump for about 30 seconds. Do this 3-4 times.
After that floor the go pedal and crank the engine for 10 seconds.
If first attempt does not work, try another time. Important is that you FLOOR it!
Has always worked for me.
Marco
If that doesn't work, which it didn't fer me after I replaced the head and had all the injector line off the pump, take a rag, soaked in gas, yea, gas and lay it over the air filter. Don't squeeze the gas out of it, just lay it on the filter and get in and start the truck, then remove the rag, no harm no foul.
Later, Rob
Later, Rob
I just went through this, could not get the new cummins pump to prime to save my life. In fact I took it all the way back to harrisburg and got another! (3 hour RT). Turned out the "test" fuel gauge I use has 3/8" line about 2 foot long.
I guess the air that stays in the gauge line was enough air head to push the fuel back down to the tank after the pump would stop running. I know, I hear you guys saying "naaaaaa"
I took off the gauge, bumped the starter, opened the fitting on the outlett of the Fuel filter until the pump picked up fuel then closed it. bumped it a couple more times and away it want! See you guys, I am leaving to go camping!
TowPro
I guess the air that stays in the gauge line was enough air head to push the fuel back down to the tank after the pump would stop running. I know, I hear you guys saying "naaaaaa"
I took off the gauge, bumped the starter, opened the fitting on the outlett of the Fuel filter until the pump picked up fuel then closed it. bumped it a couple more times and away it want! See you guys, I am leaving to go camping!
TowPro
Ok. I'm still having problems doing this and I don't know if I have a bad pump or what's going on. Let me give you all a run down of what I do... .
First off I opened the bleeder valve on the filter housing, bumped the key and it shot fuel all over the ground. Next, I opened the outlet of the filter housing till all the bubbles were gone and I got a stream of fuel. I even did it at the injection pump inlet (while bumping the key between steps). I tried cracking 3 or 4 lines and cranked for about 10 seconds but I still can't ge fuel to them. I cracked the banjo at the return line and got nothing. I ALSO cracked it open at the outlet of the pump to the injectors and got nada. I switched the fuel relay with another relay just to rule that out as well. Is something keeping the fuel solinoid off or am I missing something? I'm beginning to wonder if I need to have it put on a scanner... Thanks for ANY info you fellas might have.
First off I opened the bleeder valve on the filter housing, bumped the key and it shot fuel all over the ground. Next, I opened the outlet of the filter housing till all the bubbles were gone and I got a stream of fuel. I even did it at the injection pump inlet (while bumping the key between steps). I tried cracking 3 or 4 lines and cranked for about 10 seconds but I still can't ge fuel to them. I cracked the banjo at the return line and got nothing. I ALSO cracked it open at the outlet of the pump to the injectors and got nada. I switched the fuel relay with another relay just to rule that out as well. Is something keeping the fuel solinoid off or am I missing something? I'm beginning to wonder if I need to have it put on a scanner... Thanks for ANY info you fellas might have.
Tod, Sounds like you've done all the right things BUT, when you crank the engine, hold the accelerator pedal to the floor. When it starts, back off to 1500 to 1700 RPM for a few seconds or until the engine smooths out. If you don't hold the pedal to the floor, you won't have any fuel flow to the injectors.
This used to happen to me all the time. 
Here is an old diesel machanic's trick to get it started and running.
Get ya a can of WD40 and spray it in the air intake while someone cranks on the truck. spray the WD till she starts to run. Once you get it started it will run a little ruff for a few seconds but will clear out and run just fine in a little bit.
You can't use eather in a turbo diesel but WD40 is not as combustable and wont hurt a thing. what ever you do don't use eather, very very bad for the turbo diesels.
Try it, she will fire right up.
Darrell
Here is an old diesel machanic's trick to get it started and running.
Get ya a can of WD40 and spray it in the air intake while someone cranks on the truck. spray the WD till she starts to run. Once you get it started it will run a little ruff for a few seconds but will clear out and run just fine in a little bit.
You can't use eather in a turbo diesel but WD40 is not as combustable and wont hurt a thing. what ever you do don't use eather, very very bad for the turbo diesels.
Try it, she will fire right up.
Darrell
Last edited:
Sorry bout that
Should have read the hole thing instead of just part of it.
Your right if the VP44 is konked out then the WD40 trick wont help. But it does help when changing fuel filters. If you can't get the truck to fire right away just giver a little squirt will cranking it over and the truck will fire right up. The truck will run a little ruff for a bit then once all the air is out of the system she will purr like a kittin, or maybe I should say a Bull Frog.
Good Luck, hope it's not the injection pump. :{
Darrell
Should have read the hole thing instead of just part of it.
Your right if the VP44 is konked out then the WD40 trick wont help.
But it does help when changing fuel filters. If you can't get the truck to fire right away just giver a little squirt will cranking it over and the truck will fire right up. The truck will run a little ruff for a bit then once all the air is out of the system she will purr like a kittin, or maybe I should say a Bull Frog. Good Luck, hope it's not the injection pump. :{
Darrell
T Hendrix, try unpugging the lift pump and cranking it, if it starts plug the lift pump back in.
If this works it is a bad VP44, more specifically the vane pump inside the VP44 is bad and not providing enough cranking fuel pressure to over come the lift pump pressure and the lift pump pressure is holding the shoes and rollers off the high pressure pumps internal ring camshaft ( this is how I understand it to work ).
I have had these where I could get them to start everytime on ether and then run fine until they are shut off.
If you do use ether be sure and unhook the grid heaters or any other source of spark / heat.
Good Luck AJJ
If this works it is a bad VP44, more specifically the vane pump inside the VP44 is bad and not providing enough cranking fuel pressure to over come the lift pump pressure and the lift pump pressure is holding the shoes and rollers off the high pressure pumps internal ring camshaft ( this is how I understand it to work ).
I have had these where I could get them to start everytime on ether and then run fine until they are shut off.
If you do use ether be sure and unhook the grid heaters or any other source of spark / heat.
Good Luck AJJ
I had the chance to use a Snap On OBD 2 today and see if there were any codes. There was one that said- TPS/ Pedal Position Sensor A Circuit Low Imput-. The TPS was changed on this truck afew months back. Do you think this is anything that could cause this no start? /what does this code mean exactly? Thanks for all the input you all have given me the past few days. I really appreciate it!
hard start
had the same thing happen to me (also a 99, see signature). try disconnecting the lift pump as a johnson suggested, if it starts then it may not be the vp44 but a computer problem, in fact there is a TSB for "over fuel on engine start" or something like that, took mine to the local dodge dealer, (with great trepidation) but reflashed ecm per the tsb and not a problem since!!!!!
had the same thing happen to me (also a 99, see signature). try disconnecting the lift pump as a johnson suggested, if it starts then it may not be the vp44 but a computer problem, in fact there is a TSB for "over fuel on engine start" or something like that, took mine to the local dodge dealer, (with great trepidation) but reflashed ecm per the tsb and not a problem since!!!!!
VP44 and questions of my own...
Thendrex,
It may be the VP44. I have not yet had a problem with mine. My recommendation is before shelling out big clams for a new VP44, take it to a diesel shop that can work on and diagnos our little cummins and have them look at it. A few clams spent getting someone to look at it may just save a bunch on a new VP44 that I hope you don't need. Good luck!
On a side note: I have found a good diesel shop in Lufkin Texas that will do any work on the Dodge Cummins engine that needs to be done up to and including rebuilds! Their name is Diesel Diagnostics. Through the years they have rebuilt several injector pumps for us on several farm tractors with great success. I am excited! Good diesel shops are so hard to find!Oo. Oo. I have a place to take my baby when she gets really sick now and a asprin or tylenol won't do the trick!
ralphr,
I have had the same TSB done for hard start that you have had. Question: have you changed the fuel filter since the TSB was done? Any problems? Since I had the TSB done on mine, I cannot get the lift pump to run very long at a time, now matter what I do. Prior to the TSB, I could bump the starter and the lift pump would run for 25 seconds or so. Now it won't no matter what I do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thendrex,
It may be the VP44. I have not yet had a problem with mine. My recommendation is before shelling out big clams for a new VP44, take it to a diesel shop that can work on and diagnos our little cummins and have them look at it. A few clams spent getting someone to look at it may just save a bunch on a new VP44 that I hope you don't need. Good luck!
On a side note: I have found a good diesel shop in Lufkin Texas that will do any work on the Dodge Cummins engine that needs to be done up to and including rebuilds! Their name is Diesel Diagnostics. Through the years they have rebuilt several injector pumps for us on several farm tractors with great success. I am excited! Good diesel shops are so hard to find!Oo. Oo. I have a place to take my baby when she gets really sick now and a asprin or tylenol won't do the trick!
ralphr,
I have had the same TSB done for hard start that you have had. Question: have you changed the fuel filter since the TSB was done? Any problems? Since I had the TSB done on mine, I cannot get the lift pump to run very long at a time, now matter what I do. Prior to the TSB, I could bump the starter and the lift pump would run for 25 seconds or so. Now it won't no matter what I do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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