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Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) estimated Time to Replace VP44

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Hi Friends

Just purchased a friends 99 DRW 4x4 quad cab with a Failed LP and VP44. Looking for an estimate for real time to replace. I'm thinking 4 hours hopefully Max as long as There is no problem hardware or other Gremlins. So for those of you that have one or more installs under your belt, What would you guess. I am not new to a wrench and am pretty well rounded on most machinery from flying things to floating or digging things and most importantly have read tons of threads here and watched videos and will again review the vids. So how long should this take me. Thanks :)
 
If you have all the tools handy, it should be under 4 hrs without a problem. Just make sure the keyway is facing upward when you remove the pump... ;)
 
Follow the shop manual and it goes fairly quickly - hardest part will most likely be getting the gear off the pump. It took me a day - I had to run out for a puller and then run out again for shorted bolts for the puller. Gear was the most difficult. Fun job actually.
 
I would say that for an experienced shadetree doing the IP and LP for the first time, 3-5 hours sounds about right.



You can use a steering wheel puller to get the gear off, but using one made for the job such as the one sold/rented by BlueChip works better. The gear has metric 8x1. 25 threads in it. You can make your own puller with a 3. 5" diameter piece of 1/2" plate with slots cut in it for the bolts.



Tips:

1. Take the fuel filter base loose from the engine and lay it out of the way. You will already have the fuel lines loose from the LP and IP, so moving the filter base out of the way only takes a minute and gives you more room to work.

2. As mentioned above, make sure the keyway on the VP44 faces up so that you can see it better going back together. Use a little superglue on the new key to make sure that it doesn't fall out of the slot while you're lining everything up.

3. Take injector lines 1,2,3 off at the injectors and at the pump. Only take 4,5,6 loose at the pump because you can push them towards the block a little and the pump will come out past them, saving you a decent amount of time.

4. Torque for the nut holding the drive gear to the pump shaft is 125 ft/lbs. Make sure you have about the same # of threads showing that you counted before you took it apart. This helps you to be more certain that the keyway is seated correctly.

5. Remember to tighten the #2 line to the connector tube before installing the air horn. I like to have 1,3 still loose and break #4 loose as well to bleed the air out of the lines.
 
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When I changed mine it took 3 hours, 6 beers, 3 band aids and a little heat to get the gear off the VP44 shaft. I used a small torch similar to what a plumber uses to sweat water lines not a huge flaming blow torch. The smaller tipped torch is easier to direct the flame where you want it. I had the puller on the gear under tension and applied the heat the gear popped right off.
 
Sounds good, Thank you for the tips and Sharing your results. I just received my Pump and Will do my best to get it in as soon as possible. I'll let you know how I do.
 
Not to brag but I can do both in under an hour from opening the hood to test drive. I've also done about 40 of them.



I wrote a detailed instruction for this a while back. I thought I posted it here. Gonna have to look for it.



Additional tips:

1. Have the right tools! A 3/4 or 19mm angle wrench and 3/8 drive crows foot, an 8" 3/8 drive wobble extension to get the two inboard pump mounting bolts, the right gear puller, an inspection mirror to check the pump key clocking when removing and installing the pump. NOTE - place a thick piece of plastic (ziploc bag) over the socket and press the mounting nut into the socket, tear the excess plastic away. This will hold the nut in the socket while you get it threaded on the inboard studs w/o dropping it and hoping it makes it to the ground.



2. Use a paint marker to draw a line on the new pump in line with the key (READ - paint the tip of the key and draw a line from the key to the end of the shaft), makes aligning it up soooo much easier. Also pre-clock (eye ball it) the new pump shaft with the old one before you try to slip it in.



3. If you can, make a jumper wire to "hot wire" the transfer pump as you are buttoning things up. I get the VP installed, reconnect all the fuel lines, and leave the injector lines 3/4 turn loose (tight at the pump). I hot wire the transfer pump and start putting the rest of the parts I removed back on. Once I see fuel coming from the injector lines (1 or 2 at a time), I tighten them up, rotate the engine by the alternator (3/4 to 1 full rotation of the alternator - two strokes with the wrench) and keep assembling. Repeat. 95% of the time I do not have to bleed the lines when I do the initial start, and I usually get fire within 5 seconds of cranking.
 
Ha! Found it.



VP44 replacement

Read these directions completely before you start. Look at your engine and read it again. Step 11 under installation requires some advance planning.



Tool list

3/8 ratchet

1/2 ratchet

8" 3/8 extension (wobble is best)

3/8" drive 10mm socket

11mm deep socket

15mm socket

13mm socket

19mm (or 3/4) wrench (angle is best)

17mm wrench

8mm wrench or 1/4" drive socket)

T-50 torx

Pliers

Oil filter wrench (looks like a pair of pliers) or strap wrench

1/2" drive 24mm socket (alternator nut)

1/2" drive 27mm socket (vp44 axle nut)

3# retrieval magnet

Inspection mirror

Flashlight

Catch pan



1. Either disconnect the batteries, or cover the drivers side battery with a fender cover

2. Loosen the top intercooler boot clamp on the intake hat.

3. Remove the 5 10mm bolts on the intake hat (4 hold down and one for the oil dipstick). Remove the intake hat and place on the work bench. Lift the grid heater and lay it over on the PDC (next to the battery)

4. Using a piece of bailing wire or the like, pull the intercooler tube over to the drivers battery and secure it out of your way (wire to the battery hold down clamp).

5. Remove the 3 13mm bolts on the TPS housing. Lift up and disconnect the wire harness. If your unit has the harness holder on it, use a flat blade screwdriver to open it and lay the TPS housing by the gird heater.

6. Remove the first three 10mm bolts that hold the injector lines down to the engine, starting from the front of the engine.

7. Disconnect the two wire harness connectors on the fire wall to give you more work room to cyl. 5 and 6.

8. Disconnect the VP44 wire harness

9. Now I like to get the fuel filter out of the way for more room, so I remove the rear 17mm banjo from the fuel filter (line from the LP). You can skip these (***) fuel filter steps if you wish) You are going to want to place a catch pan under the engine.

10. Drain the fuel filter into a catch pan – water drain, make sure you close it when it is drained (***)

11. Remove the two 10mm bolts holding the fuel filter. (***)

12. Remove the 8mm bolt, cap, and blue bushings on the injector line clamp just in front of the lifting eye by cylinder #5.

13. Release the clamp on the crank case breather hose and remove the hose.

14. Using the oil filter pliers, unscrew the crank case breather on the timing cover and remove.

15. Remove the 27mm nut on the VP44 axle. Using a 3# magnet or better, grab the lock washer on the axle and remove ***DO NOT DROP IT DOWN THE TIMING COVER***

16. Emergency brake on, vehicle in neutral or park, use the 24mm socket on the alternator pulley and rotate the engine CCW until the notch on the VP44 timing gear is at 12 o’clock. Inspection mirror and a flashlight is handy.

17. Use the T-puller to separate the timing gear from the VP44 axle. Two threaded holes in the gear. It will “pop” and move back and forth when free. Remove the puller.

18. Remove the 17mm banjo from the VP44 fuel supply from the filter. Catch the washer on the inside.

19. Lay the fuel filter down in the bottom of the engine compartment out of the way. (***)

20. Remove the 19mm banjo return valve from the VP44. Catch the washer on the inside.

21. Use the 19mm wrench to unscrew the injector lines at the valve cover.

22. Looking at the back of the injection pump, top is 12 o’clock, battery is 9, unscrew the 6, 7:30, and 9:45 injector lines and remove (should be cylinders 1,2, and 4).

23. Unscrew the 12, 4:30 and 2:15 (in this order is easiest) and remove.

24. Using the 15mm socket and extension, remove the four nuts on the VP44. Two outside (battery side) and two inside (block side).

25. Using the 13mm socket remove the two lower bolts on the rear support bracket (block side next two the PS pump). Now I have seen 10mm, and 15mm bolts down there, depending on year. Sometimes only 1

26. Remove the VP44.

27. Now on the 98. 5 – 2000, there was a rear support bracket that was a real poor design and broke. If you encounter this (yours is broke), you will need to replace it and there is some work involved. YOU MUST HAVE THE REAR SUPPORT!!! If yours is broken, and you do not replace it, you will trash your pump.

28. Set the old pump upside down on your bench next to the new one. Make sure they are oriented the same. Transfer the support plate from the old pump to the new.

29. Stand both injection pumps on end and clock the two axles the same. The top of the injection pump (circuit board) being 12 o’clock, and if you rotated the engine, your old pump key way should be at about 10:45. DO NOT TURN THE OLD PUMP SHAFT!!!

30. Using a paint marker, or some sort of bright color paint, color the front edge of the key, and a straight line down the shaft threads to the tip of the axle on the new pump. This will help you make sure it is aligned correctly when you install.

31. Make sure the new pump has the o-ring installed on the mounting flange.

INSTALLATION

1. Set the new pump into position and insert into timing gear. Start 1 or 2 of the 15mm nuts on the studs to hold the pump in position.

2. Using the inspection mirror and light, look at the gear from the front of the engine and see if the line you painted is lined up with the notch in the gear. You should be able to see the front edge of the key through the notch. If not, remove the pump and adjust. DO NOT CONTINUE UNTIL YOU GET IT LINED UP. If the key is “almost there, only a 64th of an inch off” it is not there. It is possible to press the gear onto the pump with the key not aligned and really screw things up.

3. Snug up all 4 15mm nuts on the mounting studs.

4. Set the new lock washer and nut on the VP44 axle, and snug (35 ft #)

5. Remove the nut and washer (DO NOT DROP WASHER INTO TIMING COVER) and verify that the key is in the notch 100% lined up. If not, remove pump and inspect key for damage and adjust clocking, return to step 1.

6. Once the key is verified, install the two rear support bolts and tighten, torque the injection pump axle nut to 125# and tighten the 4 15mm mounting nuts.

7. Install the injector lines in reverse of removal (block side first) Tighten the valve cover ends finger tight, then back off ½ turn.

8. Mount the fuel filter back into position and install the banjos (filter and VP44).

9. Install the fuel return valve and line to the VP44.

10. Connect the VP44 wire harness

11. Now, I have a tool at work that hook up to the LP to run it constantly. After I have the feed lines connected to the VP (filter installed and return line) I connect the pump to the battery and start priming the system. You can use a “T” pin to back probe the POSITIVE side of the LP wire harness and a jumper wire to the battery positive, and the NEGATIVE side to ground (red wire + black wire - if you have a new extension). VERIFY WHICH IS POSITIVE IF YOU DO THIS BEFORE YOU START!!! You can cook your pcm if you do the wrong wires. You can prime by “bumping” the starter for the 30 second LP run time. I decided this was a PITA going back and forth from the engine to the ignition 15 or 20 times.

12. With the pump running, watch all the valve cover end injection lines for fuel. It will typically do 2 at a time, starting at #3. Wiggle the lines in and out to let the fuel/air out. Once you get good fuel flow, no bubbles, tighten the lines up and rotate the engine via alternator CCW (about ½ to ¾ turn on the alt) continue this until all 6 lines are bled. I will start assembling the other removed parts in reverse of removal as I do this (waiting for the air to bleed out) Skip the rotating the engine via the alternator if your are doing the bump the starter method

a. Crank breather valve, and hose

b. Hand thread the injector mounting bolts

c. Grid heater and intake hat (only after #2 is bled and tightened)

d. Connect the wire harness’ at the fire wall (only after 5 and 6 are done)

e. TPS housing (only after #1 is bled and injector line mount is tightened)

13. Once all the lines are bled, tighten the injector mounting bolts, and the 8mm bolt, and blue bushings. Remove the pump power bypass if you used this method.

14. Verify that everything is installed and tightened up. Start the engine.

15. If you are having difficulty starting, you may have to crack open the injector lines on 1, 3, 4, and maybe 5. and crank the engine until you have good fuel flowing at the injector lines. Tighten them back up and try to start again.

16. Once the engine is running, visually verify that there are no fuel leaks. DO NOT CHECK FOR LEAKS BY HAD WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING!!!

17. Go to the car wash to wash off the fuel drippins from the engine and go for a 5 minute drive. Verify that there are no fuel leaks. # 6 is notorious for leaks (because you can’t get it tight enough due to lack of room to work).



This is a “Do it at your own risk” list of suggested procedures. The author accepts no responsibility for any individual attempting to perform repairs on their own vehicle if injuries or damages occur.
 
3. If you can, make a jumper wire to "hot wire" the transfer pump as you are buttoning things up. I get the VP installed, reconnect all the fuel lines, and leave the injector lines 3/4 turn loose (tight at the pump). I hot wire the transfer pump and start putting the rest of the parts I removed back on. Once I see fuel coming from the injector lines (1 or 2 at a time), I tighten them up, rotate the engine by the alternator (3/4 to 1 full rotation of the alternator - two strokes with the wrench) and keep assembling. Repeat. 95% of the time I do not have to bleed the lines when I do the initial start, and I usually get fire within 5 seconds of cranking.
That's a great tip. Thanks!



John L.
 
All Set Start to finish 2 hours. (really 2. 5 But I ran to hardware store for 8x1. 25x90mm Bolts) I read everything I could find until my eyeballs were tired . Took some Tricks from here and there. Printed Sticks directions too they were very good. I never had to remove fuel filter housing just cracked the Filter outlet line and swung it out of the way, Never removed rear three lines just pushed them away toward block. Also I used a Bend a light to actually observe the Key entering the Keyway on the Gear, this way I did not have to wait until pump was in place to see if it all worked out! The lines bled out fast and It started right up. Now she's a runner! Awesome Information here from everyone thanks for all the help. I did have slight confusion briefly trying to get the New LP running with key, Then I remembered I had read that It does not run until start so I just had to turn key just a little more and Everything filled quickly from there. Thanks for taking the time to post all the tips and tricks I used them! Big thanks again.
 
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