New lift pump installed

[Alan Reagan]

I know. Every day, there is a new lift pump installed. Saturday, I did mine. 36,000 miles and I put a new one on it. Here's why. 1. My truck has always cranked on the first touch of the starter but in the past week on two occasions it cranked over a few times before starting.

2. My truck has always had a little bit of surge under heavy acceleration with no load behind it.

3. Last week I seemed to notice a lot more noise from my VP44 area and it was concerning me, so I took it easy till the weekend.



Install took about an hour and I did it all from the top side. The back left nut was a PITA because of my SPA boost sensor location but I got it.



Observations: 1. Cranking is back to normal.

2. The little surge is gone .

3. The VP44 is quiet (if that is the work to describe it). The knocking "cheap gas" sound disappeared.



I believe that I was on the verge of having a real problem.

 

[John Berger]

You got it off from the top? Good job. I had my lift pump off yesterday so I could check the screen. I took the starter off and did it from underneath. The screen was good and clean after 55K miles. It was easier getting it back on than off, but this was the first time I did it. Where did you get your new pump and how much was it? I think I might like to have a backup, just in case.



John

 

[Alan Reagan]

I got the pump from Cummins South in Savannah for $126. I need to find out if there is a rebuild kit for these. I understand there is. If not, I'll still keep this one for an emergency backup. BTW, the screen was clean on mine, also. I did have a minor leak on the pressure side that disappeared with a second application of "torque".

 

[Marco]

Alan,

Do yourself and your new lift pump a favour, get a "pusher" pump!

Marco

 

[Alan Reagan]

Will do. I'm about to go reread Steve St L's thread now.

 

[TKilgore]

pressure reading?

I got mine from Cummings of Alabama for the same price.



I now run WOT and never get below 10 psi. What have you observed?



Tom

 

[Alan Reagan]

I talked to Cummins. No rebuild kit available for these pumps. My old one will be an emergency spare.

 

[Royal]

Alan, now you should complete the job and install a fuel pressure gauge. It will always tell you what fuel pressure you have. No more guessing.

 

[MikeR]

For anyone that is gonna replace their lift pump on their own... get at it from the top,not the bottom. I just lay on the (cool) engine when I do it. I'm done in 15 minutes... none of this remove the starter BS.



-Mike

 

[Alan Reagan]

I agree with that. The only thing that got me was the intercooler clamps. Rubbed up on my bulging biceps. BTW, best tool is a 1/4 drive with a 1 1/2" extension to get the nuts off the rear. They use a type of loctite on the nuts so they'll be hard to spin with your fingers. They go back on easy tho. Also, make sure you are on a place where when (not if) you drop one of the little nuts, you can find it . You will lose some fuel so have a pan ready. Also, check the strainer on the input side of the pump to see if you are accumulating debris. Have a cold beer ready for when you finish .

 

[John Berger]

Originally posted by MikeR

For anyone that is gonna replace their lift pump on their own... get at it from the top,not the bottom. I just lay on the (cool) engine when I do it. I'm done in 15 minutes... none of this remove the starter BS.



-Mike

Mike, that was exactly what I thought when I initially approached the job, but it just wouldn't work. And believe me, I tried. My arms are not long enough to undo the three bolts and hold the lift pump in order to keep it from falling on the starter (or in my case the driveway concrete). I had to have my wife hold the lift pump with a socket extension(she didn't want to get diesel fuel on her hands ) when I put the pump back on. If I had longer arms, that puppy definitely would have come off from the top. It only took me 20 minutes of extra time getting the starter on and off. On a good day, that merits two beers when the job is completed.