Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) My VP44 needs to die before my warranty runs out.

[Gary - K7GLD]

HA! trying to keep all the VP44's for yourself!

NAH - I already (still!) have the dandy OEM original - *AND* a new Bosch spare, which I hope I never need!



And it will be a cold day in Hell before I deliberately try to kill a perfectly decent operating pump, free replacement or otherwise!



"Straight-shooter" Gary... .

 

[Jeepmullet]

NAH - I already (still!) have the dandy OEM original - *AND* a new Bosch spare, which I hope I never need!



And it will be a cold day in Hell before I deliberately try to kill a perfectly decent operating pump, free replacement or otherwise!



"Straight-shooter" Gary... .

hell has no fury like a 24 valve owner ****** about a lift pump... . Right after I got my gauges I noticed a ''low fuel pressure'' situation. No dealer could get me in for several days... so I had to buy a lift pump myself as I was going on a long trip pulling a trailer. They ''owe'' me one.

 

[cordell walker]

funny I found this thread 7 years later... still on the same VP44 at around 215k miles, 160,000 miles after posting this thread

 

[Ncostello]

Based on the new diesels out there now... the VP44 is peanuts compared to the cost and downtime of what can go wrong with new trucks. I promise you that owners of newer diesels (all brands) WISH all they had to worry about was a lift pump and an injection pump that only cost $1100 or whatever. (not that I think $1100 is chump change by any means). What was once a big deal... isn't really a big deal anymore, to me anyway.

 

[gtwitch]

Interesting Huh!! I bought my 99 with 117K and no clue! I drove it about 30K and and after changing a fuel filter the engine would not start so started looking and by air pressure on the tank filler neck I was able to get it started and then started the troubleshooting!! Little or no LP pressure and I have no Idea how long this was the case but the Carter was completely worn out and I found evidence of vane and ball/seat metal debris in the filter. I have read on TDR posts that as long as the system is sealed, that the VP44 will continue to pull fuel and all will run mostly fine, but this is hard on the VP and will hasten it's demise!! I lost the VP44 by 154k, went with Chips X and went over 202K last week.



gtwitch in Wyoming

 

[sg5054]

My 98. 5 pump died at roughly 65- 68k. I pulled up to a toll booth in NH, stepped on the clutch and she shut off. I had enough momentum left to hand over the toll to the attendant ( I said "don't ask" to her since I wasn't stopping and silently rolled through) and make it to the side of the road. Towed to the dealer in Manchester NH. Took 2 days before they called to say it wasn't under warranty. I advised them that it was as the truck was from CA. After some arguing they finally ran the SN and sure enough it was from CA. They only replaced the LP and then test drove (or tried to) and admitted the Vp was dead. 2 weeks to get a rebuild from Dodge. When pressed they said the pump was in stock in Dallas but shipping/ processing would take 2 weeks. With no small amount of pressure they finally got it in 5 days. UPS ground coast to coast is only 5 -7 days. I showed up at the dealership the day after it arrived to check on my baby. I found a kid trying to get the fan clutch off. He had the book on the fender and a hammer and wrench. Clearly he was struggling. When asked, he was a lube tech and had never worked on a diesel before. I looked at the manual and found him on the wrong section. Got him on the right page and went to the service writer and told them to get that kid off my truck immediately. Arguing ensued but they changed techs.
Several days later, the truck is done. I'm in the waiting room with the rest of the crowd when the writer comes in and hands me a bill for my truck. They are going to charge me for several hours of "troubleshooting". I refuse as this is a warranty job and troubleshooting is part of the job. He says "then you can't have the truck. " Speaking loud enough for all to hear, 8 - 10 people, I restate all he has said and then ask for the shop foreman. Not available he says. Then the service mgr will do. Not available he says. Now we have everyone's attention in the waiting room. I ask for the general mgr and he again says he is not available. I tell him that I will go find him myself. Just a minute he says. He disappears for a bit and comes back stating that they will make an exception this one time and absorb the "extra" charges. I walk out to get my truck and do a walk around. Open the hood and find the 10 ga body ground wire broken off and hanging. Left side battery neg clamp is just resting on the post. Fins on the ac condenser are smashed flat where the mechanics knees were on the bumper. Hand prints on the top of the console and a handful of dirty red shop rags on the drivers floor. Major ******* contest with the writer stating that the ac condenser was like that that when it came in. Go find the service mgr and more "discussion " before they agreed to fix the damage.
What a nightmare. Pump lasted about a year and a half and started to die. I went to Blue Chip Diesel in NH and he installed a new recon pump. It's been all good ever since. The truck has never seen a dealer since.