Help, major emergency!!!

[FFSchooley]

I am having a crisis. I posted this is truck 911, but wanted to post it here for added help. I went to change my fuel filter today and found out that my lift pump is dead, and that the VP-44 has been sucking fuel all this time. Well now, my truck wont start and I NEED it for work on Monday. No D/C parts departments are open and no local parts stores carry lift pumps. Any way to get the truck to start without a new lift pump?

 

[Thomas]

Cummins parts and service locator.



Hope it helps.

 

[Challenger-II]

Sorry about your troubles!! How do you know that your lift pump is dead?? Do you have a pressure gauge? Where is the sender located. If it is air bound, you might not see any reading. I'm sure that you have pre-filled your filter canister and bumped the starter at least 6 times to purge air..... open the post filter test fitting while pump is purging during bumping?? I had a similiar problem and had to crack open the banjo fitting at the VP pump to rid it of air. After I did this, I had to crank for 10 or so seconds to get it to fire up. Really sucked!! I may have stated the obvious here but just trying to help... . good luck

 

[FFSchooley]

Well, I assume my lift pump is dead because absolutly no fuel is flowing out of the fuel line going from the lift pump to the filter. I just don't get it. The truck ran fine before. I was going to hook up the guage today too. I hear the lift pump working when I bump the started, but no fuel. I filled the canister, cracked all kinds of fittings, even funneled fuel into the line going to the VP-44. Nothing. I have bump the starter around 30 times and have tried to crank the truck till the batteries were dead. I dont see why it was running fine before, and now nothing.

 

[dan_gilson]

The expensive way to fix this is to use Cummins West remote service. I believe that they run 24/7. You might want to give them a call and see if you can borrow ride meet somewhere closer to San Leandro. It might be a way to lessen the expense.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

is there a napa nearby that is open tomorrow ? they have the carter 15psi HP pump in their own box , don't know the part number .



either that or try any parts store to see if they have the carter 4601HP pump . you will need to rig a few things as it is setup with 3/8 npt connections . i used a 3/npt to 3/8 compression 90 degree on the input of the pump , got it at home depot , and you can get a 3/8 npt to hose barb , this will require you to cut the harness that goes to you presnt pump , no big deal and cut the banjo off the line that goes into and out of the pump .



had the same thing happen a few weeks ago , truck comes in running fine , swap in modified banjo bolts and the pump will not suck after it and lines were emptied of fuel , had to replace the pump , and it was the original pump with 114k miles ????

 

[johnrv4]

I had the same problem with a 2000

I ran into the same problem last week with a year 2000 truck. Pump would run, but not pump. This truck had a Schraeder valve on the VP 44. What I did is use a MityVac(hand held vacuum pump) and I installed this on with the correct hose on the Schraeder valve and "sucked" the fuel up to the VP44. This worked and got it started. Evan Beck posted that he put the hose from a bike pump into the filler nozzle and packed rags around it. He then pressurized the tank to push out the air in the system. I think if you cracked the fitting on the VP44 and did this, you could bleed the air out and get it going. Good luck

 

[RustyJC]

In a pinch, you can pressurize the fuel tank to get fuel to the VP-44. If you have an air compressor, cut a hole in a tennis ball, shove an air hose through it and use it to pressurize the tank at the filler neck. Thanks, MDW - saw this trick used to get a truck with a failed lift pump going after a fuel filter change.



Rusty

 

[FFSchooley]

Thanks for the help. I used an air compressor with rags wrapped around the fill hole and pressurized the tank, worked great. But now I see I only have 6 PSI @ idle, and 0 at WOT. Time to order up the Mallory. Thanks!

 

[barryg41]

Air Pressure!!!

NEVER! NEVER!



Would I have thought of pressuring up the fuel tank to get the diesel past the lift pump.



I guess my machanical skills are not broad enough.



Thanks RusytJC and MDW.....

 

[klenger]

Rusty:



Would 120 lbs be enough pressure?

 

[JR2]

Well I am a bit ignorant on these type things but is this not the answer to our lift pump problems?? Why not get an onboard aircompressor and pressurize the tank all the time, say to 13 psi and bingo we are done. Would this not act like a pusher pump??

 

[Steve Campbell]

I think the problem there ("pressurize the tank") lies in trying to get the return fuel back to the tank.

 

[TXRam]

Or just maybe ...

It's because that's a plastic tank and should not be pressured. i agree that's a great idea to get the fuel flowing and air free the system if the lift pump will not prime itself, but be very careful about pressurizing the tank.



For example, 10psi means that for every 1 square inch of surface area, there is 10 pounds of force pushing on that area. So, let's say that the bottom of the tank is 12" X 36" - that's 432 square inches. With 10psi in the tank, that's 4,320 pounds of force acting on it!!! I seriously doubt that any fuel tank will withstand any more than a neglible amount of pressure.

 

[HVAC]

Lift Pump

FFShooley,



Isn't there anyplace in Sonora to pick up a DC pump?



Do you have another vehicle available to you today?

 

[willyslover]

FFSchooley. . I can help ya out in a temp. fahsion. . I have a donor wrecked 98. 5 at my house. . [local to you]. . I'll loan it to ya but need it back as I think mine is going out also [on new rig]. . but as of this weekend will be parking new rig and using another car to commute with so no big presssure to fix new truck today type thing. . e-mail me at



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