Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Camaign Lift Pump... DEAD at 3,000 miles.

[SLightfoot]

This is incredible. My god these lift pumps are truly trash.



I installed a brand new "campaign" pump, from Cummins back in early June of this year. Ran fairly well - always 12-14 PSI idle or load.



Then, just yesterday morning, I go out - and it's quite a bit colder than it's been all year (just above freezing) and the pump pressure is now reading 5 PSI and as soon as I lay on the throttle- 4, to 3 to 2 and if I accelerate hard 0 PSI!!!!! It was very sensitive to throttle - I could see it suck the pressure down hard.



WTF??? This is nuts I'm thinking to myself.



Went to Cummins yesterday, picked up a new Campaign lift pump and filter.



This afternoon, before doing anything, I re-checked the situation - still very low fuel pressure - only 4 PSI.

Changed the fuel filter - primed system, start truck, same fuel pressure reading.



Next, rip out old "new" lift pump, put in the one I just picked up, prime system, restart truck and VOILA! 12 PSI again. Took, it for a test drive, and all the fuel pressure sensitivity to throttle was gone, and it's holding steady.



3 months out of a lift pump. That's crap.



I may have to go the FASS route afterall.



So, the campaign pumps are no better than the originals after all. Maybe worse.



Done venting.



Thanks,

Shawn

 

[johncameron]

I had the same darn thing happen to me. Fass for 14 months without any issues.



John

 

[SnoKing]

Someone said way back when to put dielectric grease on fuel pump relay contacts, which I did and still have the original lift pump 5 years later. Not that many miles at 45,000. I recently moved the pump to the frame and have 15. 5 at idle, 13. 5 cruise at 19K GVCW and 11. 5 at WOT pulling hills. I used the Geno's Vucan kit. Have Geno tapped Bango at filter outlet for Fuel Pressure gauge and drilled out the one on the VP-44 myself. SNOKING

 

[LFJ]

Why did you not take the old pump back to Cummins? They told me that the pump I got from them was guarnteed. This was in Arlington,Tx.

 

[DMannon]

Have you looked at any other possible causes of low FP? Like getting air in the lines somewhere? Try disconnecting the fuel line at the VP, put the end in a bucket, bump the starter and let the pump run.



Should fill about 1/2 gallon before it starts, should come out clear, without bubbles or foam.



Less than 1/2 gallon, the pump isn't pumping enough. Bubbles or foam = air in the fuel lines somewhere = low pressure.

 

[SLightfoot]

I did take the pump back to Cummins, but since it's my only daily driver, I had to buy a new one first, to get me home just to take the dead one out. FWIW, they have a 6 month warranty.

I just returned the dead one today under warranty.



What ticks me most is the fact that it only lasted 3 months!



And yes, I checked pretty much everything I could before changing the pump. It seemed that the only thing that made any difference at all was the pump itself.



What saddens me most is the fact that about 90% of the problems I've had with my truck have been Cummins related, not Dodge related, which isn't what I expected.



Shawn

 

[Nate]

I have 8 years, 165000 miles on the factory pump. I do have a spare sitting in the garage though.

 

[jwilliams3]

Just buy a fass and be done with it!!

 

[klaybus]

Just buy a fass and be done with it!!

Or a Walbro! I don't have many miles on the Walbro but I've got ROCK HARD pressures that are friggin awesome! 18 psi at idle & it doesn't drop hardly at all regardless of throttle position.

I do however want to turn it down, just a tad... ... . 16 psi at alll times would be perfect.



Clay

 

[SLightfoot]

I have 8 years, 165000 miles on the factory pump. I do have a spare sitting in the garage though.

My original went over 120,000 miles - although I don't exactly know it's date of death, since I didn't have a FP guage at the time.



If this one heads South in the near future, I'm ordering the FASS for sure.

A guy can't take too much more of this nonsense of failing pumps.



I did get the changeout time on the lift pump down to 20 minutes this time around though.



Shawn

 

[Jengle]

Another vote for the GDP or walbro. Peace of mind.

 

[mhenon]

I have 8 years, 165000 miles on the factory pump. I do have a spare sitting in the garage though.

That's got to be the world record for LP's!