Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) pusher pump voids warranty

[Steve St.Laurent]

Just got home last night from a much needed 10 day vacation and am catching up on threads. When I added the pusher pump to my truck I talked with both a Cummins engineer and a Dodge engineer that are responsible for our engines and both of them told me that 22 psi wouldn't be a problem with the exception that I may have a hard start problem if pressure was over 7 psi while cranking. I made mention of that in my original post on the pusher pump and have mentioned it several times since. What I do is turn the key on and wait for the pumps to shut down and then crank it and it lights right off every time. If I rush it and crank it immediately while the pumps are running then it will crank over several times before it starts.



DEZLPWR - you are probably seeing over 5 psi still. The ECM cycles power on and off rapidly to the pump to get the low pressure cycle. Most likely it cycles too fast for the relay to turn off and on.

 

[DEZLPWR]

Steve,

I do the exact same thing that you do when starting the truck. I ALWAYS wait for the pump to stop before cranking & have NEVER had a hard start problem.....

I'll watch the FP gauge more closely next time when I crank to see what the fuel pressure reads when cranking.

 

[lsenus]

Patience Patience Patience.



It is supposed to be a virtue, right?

 

[lsenus]

Patience Patience Patience.



It is supposed to be a virtue, right?

 

[DEZLPWR]

Originally posted by lsenus

Patience Patience Patience.



It is supposed to be a virtue, right?

I must have missed something...

 

[lsenus]

Put the pusher on a switch in the cab. STart the truck with the lift pump only, then power on the pusher. It's one way to do it, and cheap.

 

[azcummins]

Isenus-

Unlike others, my truck starts fine. The pusher pump fires very briefly, then the heater grid goes off and I crank the truck. It started very hard (15 sec of starter cranking. Sounded like it was out of fuel) before I got the new VP44. Once I got the new injection pump, everything is fine. More proof that the pusher isn't causing an issue.



I'm always up for more switches on the dash though!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

A Johnson - great post - I agree 100%!



Like some others here I was puzzled as to why my new truck needed to spin more at startup than the '91 had - then, read a post from Steve on the adviseability of WAITING a few seconds after switching the key, but before engaging the starter to allow LP pressure to bleed down below the set pressure required by the VP44 - did it, and now rapid starts every time - thanks Steve!

 

[DEZLPWR]

I always wait for the pusher to stop before cranking. When I turn the key on, the pusher will run for a couple seconds & the fuel will quickly spike to 20 and as soon as it shuts off, the psi needle drops fast to zero, then I BARELY crank it and she fires right off! In that split second when I crank it, the psi hardly moves from zero.

Maybe the guys with hard starting problems are cranking during that time when the pusher is working. If so, try doing what I do... .

Never had a problem!