Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) In tank lift pump?!?!?! HELP!

[Duluth Diesel]

My truck is in the shop, under warranty, with a 0216 code. The dealer says they will order up a new VP44 and lift pump. They say that they have never heard of dealerships doing an in-tank lift pump retrofit kit under warranty. They are ordering me a engine-mounted lift pump just like I already had die on me. I have read on here that some 2nd Gen guys have had dealers install these new in-tank lift pumps. Help me show my dealership where to look so that I can get this new, improved lift pump! Were is the dealer supposed to be looking?



Thanks!

DD

 

[CLudwig]

Dunno where they need to look but I had an in-tank pump put in about 6 weeks ago. It was done at Coyle Dodge in New Albany, IN. Have your dealership give them a call as a last resort.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Thanks!

I need more info than that though. My dealer likes to play dumb, and it really drives me nuts. I've had to print out TSBs for them in the past after they said it didn't exist.



Anyone else????

DD

 

[pro99]

Mopar part number is 05175538AA



The parts computer should automatically switch over to the in tank pump kit.

 

[nps]

You may want to think twice before insisting on the new pump. If you can get the old pump, I'd recommend you taking it.



Members with FP gauges are reporting low FP with the new pump. The dealers are saying that the cause of the low FP is the new "low pressure/high volume" design (that defies the laws of physics) when challenged on why the pressure is low.



Note that this LP is a retrofit from the 3rd gen HPCR module that went onto the 05 model, not something they did just for the 2nd gens. The high pressure pump in the HPCR does not need the fuel flow to cool anything like the flow that is required by the VP44.

 

[JRagland]

I'm with nps. So far, most people on all the sites i have read are showing dangerously low WOT pressures, mostly near 0 psi. The in-tank pusher idea is the right one, but a pusher pump or in-tank pump does not save a VP-44, fuel pressure maybe, but not strictly the location. An engine mounted pump with 14 PSI is better than an in-tank pump at 2 PSI.

I'd take the old one if your dealer can get it.



You guys above that just had the in-tank pump placed, what are your pressure readings? I don't want lead ayone wrong about this pump.

 

[NevadaBackroader]

10 psi at idle and 6 psi with a 9K trailer uphill. No problems with the in tank pump. Only thing that we can figure is that a restriction at the fuel return in the tank has been removed with the conversion.

 

[no-xqsz]

I got the in-tank replacement and saw 8psi at idle and can pull it down below 3psi under WOT and this is a stock truck.



Part of the issue is that the replacement includes an aluminum block with a 1/4" passage, I believe, that goes in place of the engine mounted LP. Between that small passage in the aluminum block, the 2 banjo bolts on either side of the aluminum block, 2 banjo bolts on the fuel filter, and the banjo bolt on the VP44, there is a great deal of restriction.



I replaced my banjo bolts and fuel lines such that I have a 1/2" line between the fuel filter and VP44 and a 3/8" line between the fuel filter and the hard fuel line on the frame.



It improved my idle psi by 1-2psi and I can't pull it down below 5psi under WOT.

 

[JeffWhite]

I've got the in-tank pump, and am seeing the low pressures reported,

8 at idle, drops way low at WOT. Would it do any good if I opened the

drain to my fuel filter and measured how much fuel it will flow on a bump

cycle? I would be willing to do this, but have nothing to compare it to.

Unless they DID take a restriction out at the tank end, something is fishy

with this. I would like to know if I need to put on a booster pronto, or am I

Ok. How much would a Carter flow like this? Is this a sound basis for

comparison? Oh, and a plug for Cartwright Dodge/Ford in Booneville MS -

they got right on it, no deductible, and no BS about anything - mech.

asked me about the condition of the fuel filter - I said it was recently

changed, but I would probably change again soon, and they did not rape

me for putting one on, as I have seen some report here. From the beginning,

all it took was my word that it had 0216, and they went to ordering parts.

Thanks, guys Oo.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Well I talked them into putting on the in-tank pump. They also say that they cannot get the old LP any more. I guess I'll see how this goes. I see a P-pump in my future, probably in 50,000 more miles.

 

[.44 mag]

I had a VP44 and in tank pump done at the dealer a few weeks ago under warranty. That was the only way they would do a VP44 replacement now. Truck seems to have a bit less power than when the old pump was working good. Are there any differences in the replacement VP44s they install? I plan on putting a fuel pressure gauge on the truck this weekend so that I'll see the numbers.

 

[Ereynolds72]

I had the 0216 code and had "dead pedal" a few times on a long trip. I took it to the dealer where they confirmed it would be under warranty with the 100,000 mile engine warranty. Mechanic told me the code was set off "50 starts ago". He cleared the code and farted around driving it for two days. Couldn't get it to set off the code again and said it was making good pressure so they (whoever approves the repair) would not approve the repair or replacement under warranty. What happen 50 starts ago?



I hate this crap! I know that if I wasn't under warranty, they would have told me the lift pump was bad, the VP44 was bad and it would cost me $2,500 to fix.



I've got my fuel pressure guage. Going to install it this weekend and watch the pressures. Thing is, I'm at 93,000 miles. I'm sure it'll hold out till about 101,000 miles, then leave me stranded somewhere.

 

[Supermod56]

The Dealer can keep the in-tank retrofit, if my 44 goes kaput under warranty they can do that if they want, it will come out as soon as I get to the house, and the RASP will go back on!!!



Tom

 

[matrose]

Holley Black

I now have a holley black mounted on the frame just in front of the fuel tank. 3/8 inch hose clamped to the fuel tank outlet feeds the holley. 3/8 inch hose goes directly to filter canister from the holley. All banjo bolts have been replaced with -an high flow fittings. I now get 13 at idle and cannot pull it below 10 psi at wot. Once the warranty expires I plan to cut into and use the factory hard fuel line as much as possible, but at present I am using aeroquip fuel line hose sheathed in split loom and zip tied to the hard line.



Before I installed the holley I upgraded the banjo bolts to -an style high flow fittings and obtained about 1/2 psi for each replaced banjo bolt. But the largest gain was by using a fuel pump mounted at fuel tank level.



I am on my thrid vp44 and got a new lift pump during the warranty vp44 replacement ( previous lift pump failed and took vp44 with it ). In the future, I plan to mount the oem carter in place of the holley to see if there is an improvement in the flow/pressure. The oem carter is self priming while the holley is not. I have never had to mess with priming the holley after the initial prime but it seems like a better idea to have a self priming pump.

 

[NevadaBackroader]

Ereynolds72, I feel for you. Mine was doing that at 50K. I had the same experience with the dealer. I got to pay a $70 diagnostic fee and the mechanic used up 1/2 tank of fuel trying to get the code to set again. I bought a hypertec programmer so I could clear the codes and get an idea on how soon it would set the code again. It got down to setting 216 as soon as it was started. This took 25K miles to get it this sick. It never did stop running which is nice. I don't think you will be stranded, just dealing with dead pedal more and more frequently until you replace the two pumps. Good luck.