Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) FINALLY!!!! Some one puts an end to Carter!!

[Gary - K7GLD]

I'm on my 4th lift pump in 99,500 miles, all dealer installed, second in-tank pump in just over 1 year (interpret beyond 12 month warrantee). I drive like an old man because at $3. 37/gal, I drive for mileage. I seldom let the tank get below 1/2 full, except for occaisionally I empty it down more to get a greater percentage of fresh fuel. Bought this truck new in '02 and it has been the least reliable piece of equipment I ever invested in. My wife hesitates to go with me fearing we will end up by the side of the road. This site is more than a social network - Dodges should come with a lifetime membership in TDR as standard equipment, something like On-Star in GM!

There's WAY too many known fixes for the weaknesses in the Dodge/Cummins fuel system to have to drive one in constant fear and distrust - I'd SELL mine before I'd do that!



You're right - the available info on sites like this are an invaluable tool, and a great aid as liberation from sleepless nights - do research, read past articles here on the relatively easy and inexpensive fixes, and set yourself FREEeeeeee! :-laf:-laf

 

[ScottLauer]

Just some of my observations on the Airtex pump.

Idle: 16(if its cold outside approx 10 or below) or 18 in warm weather

Cruising: 12-13

WOT: 7

The only reason I bought the Airtex was because the local parts store had it for $180 bolt in replacement and I was having withdrawls after 1 day without my baby. Eventually I'll do the relocate and go to 1/2 lines and if the Airtex is still working by then I'll use it. I have Vulcans 1/2 IP to FF hose so hopefully that should take out some of the VP "hammer" effect. The pump has a one year warranty on it.

I'm worried though that there is such a wide spread between the Idle and WOT numbers. As you can see in my sig my truck is not that highly modded. I know 7 psi is still in the safe zone but I wonder if any more mods would outrun what the pump is capable of producing.

What do you guys think?

 

[Timbeaux38]

FYI- you guys with the Walbro/Airtex. Be very careful if you run the truck out of fuel. Ask the 7. 3 guys how that works out if the Walbro is asked to run without fuel to lube it.

In other words, if you run out of fuel, do not sit and try to will the truck into cranking or you will burn the thing slap up. Instead, fill with fuel and run the pump sparingly until you know it has fuel in it.

 

[HOT0124valve]

the airtex pump is a toned down 7. 3 powerstoke pump if i remember right they flow 40 psi and 120gph its ok for what it is but kinda a p. o. s. ,also on another note they hate vibration notice the rubber or foam lining in the bracket to run it and keep it from falling apart.





and think about this your motor cost at min junk yard core 1700 bucks and a rebuild cost 3500 -6000. now the vp44 cost on the low side 1000 and the high side 1800 for a good one now why would you put crap to feed it! the carter its junk i think that has been proven and the airtex is not much farther behind so why spend 120 on crap that is going to take a crap when you least expect it at 2 am.



just buy a good pump and be done it cheaper in the long run plus if you buy a fass you have filters so your vp44 will last longer



Just my . 02 hot01

 

[FLynes]

I've had my AirDog installed now for just over 500 miles and LOVE IT!!!!!!!! I should have done this install last year. Screw that OEM POS and screw anything that looks or acts like it. Get a FASS, AirDog or Walbro and be done with it once and for all. Nuff said on this subject.

 

[LarryG]

The thing is, I diddn't buy this truck for something to tinker with. I bought it because it had a Cummins - a motor with a really good reputation. This was the first Chrysler I've ever bought and it was because of the Cummins.

 

[rowilson]

I've had my AirDog installed now for just over 500 miles and LOVE IT!!!!!!!! I should have done this install last year. Screw that OEM POS and screw anything that looks or acts like it. Get a FASS, AirDog or Walbro and be done with it once and for all. Nuff said on this subject.

I'm with you FLynes. I wasn't about to play these silly games of lift pump blues with all kinds of fixes and such with a inferior design that came on the truck. I've had my AirDog on for over 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[courierdog]

OR, perhaps like THIS:



#ad






The Walbro GSL-392 is the primary fuel pump, automatically bypassed if it fails - the OEM Carter LP can be seen further up the frame, but is not connected to power unless the Walbro fails, and is also automatically bypassed - all that needs changing is a single power lead to switch from one to the other, and even THAT could easily be done with a simple power switch from inside the cab...

Gary:

Do you use two different pumps because you have them or what.

With the cost of the Walbro it would make for a very inexpensive and redundant system to have Qty 2 side by each with a remote electrical switch. Or have I missed something.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary:

Do you use two different pumps because you have them or what.

With the cost of the Walbro it would make for a very inexpensive and redundant system to have Qty 2 side by each with a remote electrical switch. Or have I missed something.

Where you now see the Walbro in the foreground, there used to be a Carter pusher pump - the Carter you can still see towards the front, is the OEM LP that was relocated to where it is now. The Walbro is/was pretty much a test in progress, with the Carter disconnected from power, the Walbro is pumping thru and around the Carter - but the Carter is still there for backup in case it is ever needed. It was already there from the previous arrangement, and no good reason to remove it...

 

[JoeCanuck]

Good day. I know I'm reviving a long dead thread but I just got my 2000 so I'm new to the issue of lift pump death and destruction. While most things are making sense, I'm unclear about a few things.

How much lift pump pressure is too much for the injector pump to handle? The injector pump must have a built in bypass so I'm unclear how a lift pump such as the Walbro can overpressure it.

What is the minimum pressure the injector pump requires to operate safely... and under what conditions?

On the photo of Gary's dual pump layout, which component in the bypass circuit is the check valve?

And one last thing; Can someone point out an aftermarket pressure relief valve and where one might acquire one?

That's it for now. Thanks in advance.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

JAntaya,

Supposedly the VP44 can only handle 14psi and I just replaced the VP44 which had 265,000 miles and had been subjected to my AirDog that entire time which puts out a constant 19psi.

Minimum psi? The low pressure light on the AirDog comes on at 7psi. Wouldn't want that light blinding me all the time. Most folks say 5psi.

Aftermarket relief valve? Never heard of one.

If you want to deal with the lift pump issue once and for all go AirDog. Mine has 296,000 miles with zero issues. And the replacement filters can be bought from Fleetguard very reasonably unlike the FASS. PM me for dealer contact.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

I 2nd the AirDog idea. I do not have near that many miles on but I have been very happy thus far. I think I saw an ad for a lifetime warranty with the airdog, but only for a limited time?? Might be worth researching.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Good day. I know I'm reviving a long dead thread but I just got my 2000 so I'm new to the issue of lift pump death and destruction. While most things are making sense, I'm unclear about a few things.



How much lift pump pressure is too much for the injector pump to handle? The injector pump must have a built in bypass so I'm unclear how a lift pump such as the Walbro can overpressure it.



What is the minimum pressure the injector pump requires to operate safely... and under what conditions?



On the photo of Gary's dual pump layout, which component in the bypass circuit is the check valve?



And one last thing; Can someone point out an aftermarket pressure relief valve and where one might acquire one?



That's it for now. Thanks in advance.

No "check valve" in my setup, other than the one built into the homebrew automatic bypass valve setup installed on both of the pumps pictured. The VP-44 has no "bypass valve" at it's input side - and the one it DOES have is further down in the flow path, and AFTER some of the more pressure sensitive components that can be damaged by excessive fuel pressure.



Some guys think the overflow valve on the VP-44 fuel return is to somehow control and regulate the PSI delivered to the VP-44 - but that's NOT the case - it controls PSI at a later point in VP-44 fuel flow.



As to after market pressure relief valves - or regulators - for higher PSI and volume lift pumps, several sources exist at varying prices - but I built my own, so can't help there...



Good luck!

 

[ScottLauer]

Oh Darn, 7 months on my peice of crap Airtex in the stock location. Pressures are still the same as they were in January when I put it in. PHEW! The Good Lord has smiled upon me and empowered my inferior pump to last over half a year! I'll cross my fingers and hope it lasts for another week or two. It could go at any moment you know. Afterall it's not a FASS, Airdog or Walbro!

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

JAntaya,

BTW, welcome to TDR land!

Go to the control panel and add a signature that has info on your truck, ie, what gauges, power modules, etc.

If you don't have a fuel pressure gauge yet that is the very first thing I would recommend you do. Do you know if the lift pump is in the stock location on the engine or if the in tank pump has been installed?

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[JoeCanuck]

My first mod will be to the lift pump system. Mainly for ease of maintainance, (and potentially reliability), I plan on moving the system to the frame.

For no other reason than I like to tinker, I'm looking at building a remote pump/filter system... I just haven't settled on the parts.

One question I have is about the stock filter. I'll definitely be going to underbody spin ons, but I'm undecided whether or not to bypass the stock unit, specifically the heater.

I live in northern Alberta where -40 temps are not rare. I wonder how useful the heater is. I've done a lot of big rig driving up here and I don't recall any of those trucks having fuel heaters. My gut feeling is that as long as the fuel is moving, it is liquid enough to burn. I'm also going to look closer at possibly moving the stock filter.

One thing I have to get very soon is a shop manual. Anyone have an extra?

 

[NoSeeUm]

There are others, but I using this regulator with my WalBro. It is seems reliable, simple and cheap.



Jim

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

There are others, but I using this regulator with my WalBro. It is seems reliable, simple and cheap.



Jim

JEEZE!



Someone stole my idea and design again! #@$%! :-laf:-laf



Here's my setup all laid out to display parts:



#ad




And here it is installed on my truck:



#ad






I'm gonna have to start patenting this stuff! :-laf

 

[AKAMAC]

No Gary, We need more anatomy lessons! Get away from the keyboard and into the garage until you have something new to offer. Patens are for sissies!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

No Gary, We need more anatomy lessons! Get away from the keyboard and into the garage until you have something new to offer. Patens are for sissies!

HEH! You're probably right! :-laf