new 24v owners --fuel pressure

[WadePatton]

It's really easy to get carried away with the boxes and injector mods---GAUGES !!! must be first.



I'm still a bit green, but have spent many many hours pouring over the info available here. Thanks TDR folks. This thread is directed at NEW owners, so it is kept fairly simple. There are tons of posts on here that go into more detail and speculation.



Now about those gauges on a 24v. FUEL PRESSURE. I had rigged up a tester of sorts-because I don't have gauges yet -, but got a Briar Hopper special at Black Mountain Diesel yesterday. It has enough line on it to tape it to the windshield and drive around-which i did to get a truer picture of my Lift Pump pressures.



My 53,000 mile Y2K truck makes 10-11 psi at idle, 7-8 cruising, and drops immediatly to 4-5 with acceleration and down to 2 psi when the boost comes up.



The good news is that I'm not going to zero, the bad news is that this is below spec. The pressure is supposed to stay at 8psi or better under all circumstances. Some dealers will replace a low output LP without too much hassle. Others are peckerheads about it. I'm going to find out how my local dealer handles it tomorrow. I'll shop around if necessary.



The reason these pressures are so important is that the VP44 (main injection pump) relies on excess fuel for cooling. A LP that doesn't deliver sufficient fuel for the VP44 will lead to a premature death of that expensive creature.



There is an established reputation of LP's going out, when this happens it can lead to wear on the VP44. IF YOU HAVE A FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE, you can catch this before it harms the VP44. There is no other way to know if the LP is running low.



If it runs low pressures you may be killing your VP44 without knowing it. :{



And life is just more fun with a bunch of swinging needles to look at.

 

[Lsfarm]

Perfect

You hit the bullseye Wade! There is no other way to KNOW if your lift pump is working properly than to have a full time fuel pressure gauge.



Your post should be a required first read post for new CTD owners!!



Greg L [the noise nazi]

 

[RCone]

Mm pressure is bout the same as yours Wade, bout 6 at WOT. Hard to see tho, Briars guage is a godsend, but taped to the windshield at an angle really hard to tell for sure. I know that DC says 8 should be minimum at WOT and if not, call their Star line, but volume is also important. I am not worried at this point. I check it every oil change (3000mi) and as long as I have pressure, and my performance is not suffering, life is good.

 

[RCone]

I just re-read your message Wade. Actually my FP is 14-15 idle, 10-12 cruise, and WOT even with max boost, 6 at an angle on the windshield.

 

[WadePatton]

angle

I wadded up some shop towel and cocked the guage back away from the windshield a bit to make it easier to read.



14/10/6 are my new numbers.



I'll feel a lot better with my permanent gauge installation.



My most local dealer turned out to be a peckerwhumpus, so I bought a pump at Cummins for 145 and slapped it on myself.

 

[RCone]

Thanks for the feedback, Wade. Just checked my FP again today with Briars setup. Took your advice, kinda, taped 2 rubber wedge shaped door stops together, taped on windshield with clear scotch strapping tape, and taped guage to wedges. Worked great, much better to see. Had 14-15 at idle, 11-12 cruise, and right at 8 WOT under full boost. So far, so good, he said keeping fingers crossed. I also have to think that the dealer probably does not check pressure like we do. That is to say, I doubt seriously if they strap a guage to the windshield and test under real load conditions. They probably just wind the damn think up in neutral in the service bay. I would hope that I never see them do that. If my lift pump gives me problems, I will tape Briars guage on and take it to the dealership that way and we will go for a drive.

 

[Pit Bull]

Wade is right you need to check with a gauge. Before I got the Briar Hooper gauge I thought my lift pump was fine. Truck ran great. When I got the guage from Briar I checked my Fuel pressure. it was negative, below "0" it was pulling a vacuum. It was dead as a door nail. I don't know how long it had been dead. Truck had around 40K miles on it. Took it to the dealer the next day and 45 minutes later I drove away with a new lift pump. I now check it the 1st and the 15th of every month, which works out to around every 800 miles. I now have around 50K miles on my truck and the VP44 is still working, hope I got a good one and it works forever or it dies before I get to 100K miles and the warranty is done

 

[JCoffey]

I love my Briar Hopper's gauge. Instead of using all that tape and crap to get it at the right angle to see while driving I just make my wife ride on the hood and hang on with one hand and hold my gauge with the other. We have only done this once so far but I have told her that Dodge recommends we do this once a week if you have not installed a permanent fuel gauge. She is now encouraging me to get a permanent gauge installed. Wait until I tell her how we have to check the EGTs.





There's more than one way to skin a cat. .



James

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by JCoffey

I love my Briar Hopper's gauge. Instead of using all that tape and crap to get it at the right angle to see while driving I just make my wife ride on the hood and hang on with one hand and hold my gauge with the other. We have only done this once so far but I have told her that Dodge recommends we do this once a week if you have not installed a permanent fuel gauge. She is now encouraging me to get a permanent gauge installed. Wait until I tell her how we have to check the EGTs.





There's more than one way to skin a cat. .



James

James, I think you broke the code on adding needed equipment. I'm going to have to try this

 

[WadePatton]

That's gotta be the coolest hood ornament around.



Can you get her to wear a chrome outfit and sit like the "trucker babes"?

 

[WTBurke]

James... .

You da man!!!!!!!!!!!!



William

 

[zimman20]

James- LMAO!! :-laf