Lift Pump, has anybody NOT had problems??

[Tomscreek]

I'm a little overwhelmed by all I've read on this lift pump thing. I've got nearly 30,000 miles on my 2001 HO and it seems to run fine. It's bone stock. However my fuel mileage has recently dropped but I attribute that to winter, we'll see. Anyway I'm getting paranoid of a lift pump failure. If it goes will it leave me stranded on the road? My truck was not included in the lift pump recall, it was built later. Should I install a fuel pressure gauge? Is there instructions on installing a fuel pressure gauge in one of the TDR magazines? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[jdkenyon]

You sound just like me. I haven't had any problems yet with 30,000 miles on my truck. But I am getting paranoid and the fuel pressure gauge is going on next month. I can't handle the suspense on not knowing how the pump is running. My mileage has also dropped recently but I figured it was winter and the EZ I put on as the weather got cold.

 

[dresslered]

I'm in the same boat you're in Tomscreek. I've got a stock HO engine and have been monitoring the lift pump pressure post filter. It is slowly dying. Without the gauge, you will not notice the problem until you start starving the injection pump. Then it's Oh Oh! I now have over 30,000-miles on my truck and will be requesting a new lift pump installed under warranttee. I've heard that the new ones (I think 4 new revisions since ours) are suppose to be much better. Once I get the new pump I will probably relocate it back at the fuel tank where it should have gone in the first place. My present pressure readings are as follows:



idle: 9-10 psi

normal driving: 5-7 psi

WOT under load: 1 psi



I would imagine that if I had any kind of fueling box installed, I would sink these figures drastically.



For my fuel pressure measurements, I am using an autometer electric. Order one of the tapped banjos from Genos and replace the one in the bottom of the fuel filter. Then add a 2-ft grease gun hose (1/8" NPT fittings) to the tapped banjo so that you can mount the fuel pressure sender remotely. This will isolate it from the "water-hammer" effect of the injection pump. Good luck.

 

[LSMITH]

Guys, there are a lot of trucks out there that are not having lift pump problems. I still have the original lift pump on my truck, almost 90K miles later. Knock on wood, but it still gives me 12-13PSI at idle and 6-8PSI at WOT 2700 RPM in drive.

I check my fuel pressures regularly. If you do not have a fuel pressure guage or some way to check it you will not know when it dies and if you drive without a functioning lift pump for a while you will damage your injection pump. In my opinion the fuel pressure is more important to monitor than EGT on a stock truck. Get a guage in and there will be no more guessing and no more worrying.



EDIT: spelling error

 

[Diesel Freak]

52000 miles here!



Test results from last night



Cold Idle: 12. 5psi

Warm Idle: 11. 5psi

Cruising @60mph in 6th: 9. 5psi

WOT in 5th at 2900 RPM: 3psi

 

[John Berger]

No problems here

I did not have a problem with the factory lift pump, but since I didn't have anything to do one day last summer, I decided to purchase a new pump and install it, just to see how it was done. The pressure readings are considerably better with the new pump. The original pump never gave me a problem, however. It came off around 55K.

 

[rono]

I've got about 43k on my truck and so far no problems at all. Sometimes the milage gets really strange. It seems that if I wind through each gear til I feel the boost build and the truck pulls hard, the milage on the computer is always much better than if I simply ease through each gear shifting about 18-1900. So far the computer has been within 1\10th mpg. of my caculator at each fillup.

Ron

 

[SmokinRam]

Lift Pump Problems...

I took my stock original lift pump off at 22k and it was still going strong.



Even if you think your truck is still running great with your stock lift pump, please check your pressure. I installed a set of gauges(not Fuel Pressure) in a customers truck two weeks and just for mindsake, I wanted to check his fuel pressure. Well, his was a 2001 with 20k and it had ZERO pressure. The lift pump was completely dead, and his truck was running fine. Needless to say, I ruined his day.



So please do yourself a favor, and check your fuel pressure. A lift pump is much easier on the wallet than a new VP44...



Andy

 

[3dracer]

50,000 miles here and no trouble. I still need to get a gauge onn mine though. That will happen soon but not soon enough. .

 

[mstephenson]

So I guess the question is... stock or aftermarket?

and... same location or near tank?

 

[Pit Bull]

I look at it this way. I will add a FP guage in a few months. My truck runs great and if I do have a bad Lift pump and it kills my VP44, oh well I am under warranty for 100K miles and Dodge gets to pay for a new one. I have 40K miles on mine now and before I have 50K miles i will have a guage. But if I did not belong to the TDR I would be ignorant of this problem and be SOOL

 

[Mad Bomber]

not Yet

22K no problems,but I don't want to so I'm get pusher on and guage also I'd heard that some concern about that the truck could use a filter sceen at tank.

 

[aholgate]

Lift pump

All,



I have like some of you a 01' HO 6 speed. I have a TST Product Stage 3 system with a remote. I run most of the time on Zero but when I need more power for blowing around someone I crank it up to 6. I have read the posts about the lift pump issue and seems you may never know until it blows that you had a problem.



Three answers please:



1. How much is a stock and or aftermarket pump

2. What is a lift pump and what does it do

3. where did you install it, stock location or other.



Thanks,



Ashley Holgate

 

[RJOL]

20,000 miles and mines still working fine. Did install fuel/egt/boost gauges last Summer and an EZ in November. If your worried about the lift pump situation, just install a fuel pressure gauge so you can monitor it. The gauge and parts are less than $100 from Geno's (Westach). For those of you who are contemplating moving the lift pump or adding another pump, there has been some debate on this site that this could result in Dodge voiding your warranty, as you have modified the fuel system... If your still under warranty, it might be better to leave the stock pump alone and just monitor it for failure until the warranty is up (100,000 miles)...

 

[JR2]

I have not had any problem with my stock lift pump. At about 10K miles I relocated it to the back of the truck by the tanks. While doing this I replaced the fuel lines with braided stainless steel lines. I did not have a FP gauge before this so I have no idea what my pressure was before, but after all that have:



10-13 at idle

9-10 just crusing along

3-5 at WOT with all the boxes on full power.



I carry a back up lift pump with me in the truck. I bought if from the local Cummins shop and paid about $150 for it. If you try to get one from DC expect to pay double that.



If you want lots ( and I mean lots) of information, do a searh for a post titled Pumps, Lines and whatnot. It is about 500 posts long and has more info in it than you will be able to stand.

There is also a good post by Steve StLaurent on his FP gauge set up out there.



As for aftermarket pumps, that is still up in the air. Many guys are trying different things and none of them is perfect. I think right now the leader of the pack for single pump guys is the Mallory Marine pump. (cant remember the #).



Another option is to install a "pusher pump" back my the tank and leave the stock pump alone. Search for "pusher pump" and you will find lots of posts.



What every you decide to do make sure you monitor your FP.

 

[Tomscreek]

Geno's ????

The fuel gauge kit in Geno's says that for 2000 and up models, installer must be creative. So apparently the kit won't fit?

 

[roadranger]

16,000 miles of towing on an HO with an EZ box.

Still showing 14 psi at idle and no lower than 10 psi at WOT, on a SW electric gauge.

 

[RJOL]

Re: Geno's ????

Originally posted by Tomscreek

The fuel gauge kit in Geno's says that for 2000 and up models, installer must be creative. So apparently the kit won't fit?

On the earlier models, with the older fuel filter, there are two test ports on top of the filter. One is for prefilter testing, and one is post. On the newer models you just have to install the sender in a different location, as the filter top now spins off and has no ports on it. The easiest place to install the sender is off the VP44 fuel inlet line, comming from the filter. You need on of the modified banjo bolts, from Geno's. You remove the factory bolt, and put the new bolt in its place, which has been taped out the top of the bolt for a 1/8" NPT fitting. It's really no problem on the newer diesels...

 

[TomGolden]

Well, as of today, I have 31200 on my truck. Totally stock fuel system, except I had the banjo's removed and went with stainless steel lines and smooth fitting elbow joints about 20000 miles back.



I also do not yet have a fuel gauge.



I am planning on going with a totally new fuel system later this year, hopefully by then, someone will have found the ideal replacement lift pump. That Mallory 4140M is sounding hopeful lately...



Tom

 

[redneckdr]

transfer pump

now have 12,000 miles on mine. it has spent about 5,000 miles being fed by a pusher, that i have taken back out. i felt that the volume of the pusher was inadequate. with the pusher in the line, i had 20-22 psi at idle at the vp44, 13-14 at cruise, and about 2 PSI at WFO (WOT ). with the pusher back out of the loop, 14-15 PSI at idle, 10-11PSI at cruise, and never lower than 5 PSI WFO. i'm pretty sure i don't need 20 PSI at idle, and need more than 2 PSI at WOT, to feel comfortable. if you're gonna put a pusher in line with the OEM, i suggest you use a minimum of 70 GPH at 7 PSI spec pump.