Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Having vp44 issues

[Excavator86]

So I purchased a 2002 dodge 2500 24v cummins work truck a couple months ago. Truck ran great, I drove it for about two weeks with no problems until one day while driving it just shut off and would not restart. After diagnosing I noticed there was a lift pump code and I couldn't hear the lift pump running. After further investigation I realized there was no lift pump at all on the truck and only a sending unit in the tank! It has the wiring for an in tank lift pump so I purchased an in tank pump which is working properly and getting fuel to the IP. I cracked all the injection lines and just a trickle from the lines after cranking for a couple of hours. I decided the pump must have burned up with no lift pump pressure so I pulled the vp44 off of another cummins that I wrecked about a month prior and installed it and I'm still not getting fuel!! After two days of cranking and checking lines ect.. I was at my wits end so I used ether. The truck starts with ether and injector line #1 pumps but that is all. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is 12volts to the pump with the key on and it drops while cranking but still has voltage.

 

[JR]

Are you sure there isn't a lift pump on the side of the engine block behind the fuel filter housing? What kind of fuel pressure are you seeing before the VP?

Are you positive the installation was done properly? Any new codes since you put the recent VP on?

Have you bled the lines on the high pressure side sufficiently while cranking? I'm not a fan of ether at all but if you insist on using it make sure your grid heaters are disabled.

 

[Excavator86]

No, there is no lift pump on the side of the block, that's the first place I looked. That's where it is on my other truck. truck was a northern truck with some rust and there are new gas tank straps on the tank so I'm assuming that has something to do with it but have no idea?!? As far as codes, Im not sure which codes are new and which are old but the codes that are coming up are p0123 p0122 p0232 p1698 p1689 p0230 p0562. Is there a way I can clear these codes without a scanner? As far as fuel pressure I loaned my gauge out and never got it back but it seems to be pretty decent pressure from the banjo bolt. I do believe the pump is installed correctly and I've taken it off once to assure that and also painted the keyway yellow. I can buy a new gauge of it would help diagnose. Thank you for your reply

 

[BarryG]

Try looking here
http://www.bluechipdiesel.com/vp44_diagnostics.html
He has a good help page on diagnosing the vp

Some of those codes listed are not good ie 1689

 

[petersonj]

There is a low pressure gear pump inside the VP44 housing that will act as a transfer pump which explains why your engine seem to run normally even without an external transfer pump. The VP44 might have failed or might have lost its prime, thus putting air into the high pressure lines. Or, you may have another problem.

Before attempting to bleed the injectors, I would start my troubleshooting with verifying that the transfer pump runs for approximately 20 seconds after bumping the starter, then verifying that the fuel pressure on a test gauge downstream of the fuel filter is normal and steady for the 20 seconds of transfer pump operation.

Keep us posted,

- John

 

[JR]

If all those codes have come up since your truck quit running you may have an ECM related issue. Check all your battery connections, make sure they are charged, also make sure the connector at the ECM is clean and secure. If you've got a spare ECM it may be worth a shot to swap it out.

 

[Excavator86]

Well after another day of troubleshooting along with reading suggestions here and bluechipdiesel's diagnosis several times I ended up getting out my small alligator clips and jumping pins 6 and 7 directly to the battery which resulted in hearing a click from the ip and lots of fuel from the injection lines upon cranking.

The truck now runs and idles smooth with the pump hot wired, but when I plug the ip in I do not hear a click nor does the vp44 pump any fuel. I am puzzled as I do have voltage to the pins on the plug when the key is in the on and also when cranking. I am debating on swapping my ecm out as JR suggested from my other cummins but I have it parked about an 1.5hr away and don't really want to make the drive unless it's a strong possibility.

Any suggestions on where to go from here would be much appreciated and thank you for the responses so far!