Surefire way to test injection pump?

[KatDiesel]

**Important** Surefire way to test injection pump?

Most likely losing my injection pump... ... just wondering best way to diagnose it to be for "sure" its going bad vs just throwing a new pump at it and crossing my fingers?



No its not going to the dealer, A) they would prolly laugh at me soon as I mention warrenty, B) I don't trust'em to do it right.



So anybody got some tips on diagnosing injection pump failure?



All hoses are tight, and turbo is in good order, can't build any boost hardly, and can't get much over 2600rpm.



I was thinking it was just cold weather, but I could swear I have heard alot of noise coming from the lil VP44, but was writing it off as cold weather... . maybe not?

 

[SSeifert]

I don't know if they slowly go bad or not my pooped out shifting from 4th to 5th, always had good power. Had hot PE on for over 25000 miles. think mine froze up, going to take it a part one of these days. Don't think I helped with your question though. Sorry

 

[LSMITH]

Can we assume that the lift pump is making good pressure? The fuel filter is fresh? There is good pressure at the inlet to the VP44? It sounds like it is starving for fuel for sure. Gelled fuel or iced up filter can do what you are describing. I would take it to Cummins if the fuel system is in good order up to the VP, especially if I were going to foot the bill.

 

[KatDiesel]

Checking pressures now.



Fuel filter will be changed.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

kat



order the new cover plate from blue chip for $50 and take it to a good dealer.



jim

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by CUMINNTSTRKN

order the new cover plate from blue chip for $50 and take it to a good dealer.

Just changing the new cover plate won't get rid of the nick already in the pump wire will it? If I do get a new pump I had intended on ordering the pump cover. Its still too early to tell.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

kat



i gives you new wires and cap so there is know nick



jim

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by CUMINNTSTRKN

i gives you new wires and cap so there is know nick

Ok thanks, email sent to BlueChip. Still going to confirm it is the injection pump myself before even thinking bout taking it to the dealer. Might be less hassle to just fix it and be done with it tho, the new pump will have the new cover plate tho



Its still too early to tell if thats truely what it is.

 

[KatDiesel]

Pulled a fitting and found some metal in the injection pump.



Will have pressures here shortly.



I have thought my VP44 was making an aweful lot of noise recently, but was writing it off to cold weather.



Lift pump was changed in Oct.



Its 5° outside so I took it to a comptent diesel shop to check the pressures for me.



I fixed the intercooler hose that was off, and now I can get 29lbs of boost, but truck still won't go over 80 mph, and there is NO black smoke what so ever like there used to be.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

kat , what turbo are you running at thge moment ??? is it howling ? you can do an injector performance test with a snap on scanner with the 99 or newer software .



i to would expect it to just die and not go slowly.



where did you find the metal filings ??? isn't bombing great ????

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Mopar-muscle

kat , what turbo are you running at thge moment ??? is it howling ? you can do an injector performance test with a snap on scanner with the 99 or newer software .



i to would expect it to just die and not go slowly.



where did you find the metal filings ??? isn't bombing great ????

PDR turbo is currently on the truck, checked the compressor side of things and all is in good order. No howling that I know of.



I'll ask the shop if they have the Snap On scanner. Even if it was just one injector acting up, I would still have enough fuel for black smoke from the others wouldn't I?



metal was found by removing the fitting where the fuel line gones in and sticking a magnet in there. This with the fact of the noise it has been making lately is point "me" in the direction of the VP44. When my engine gets warmer, just at idle... . it gets louder.





Everyone is telling me it "should" just die at once, but I don't know how else to explain whats going on with it.

 

[JR2]

CUMINNTSTRKN -

Did you say that when you get the pump cover from Blue Chip you also get new wires, so the nick in the wire goes away?? If that is the case I can see a new pump cover in my near future. .



JR

 

[Shooter]

Hope you had a better holiday season than your ride.



At 5* you could have fuel gelling in the tank ( even though you are running winter blend ) and plugging the puck pu tube screen. Try running some #1 through it w/ some anti gell. As for the metal in the VP, could be there from factory. Noisey VP - Could be pending complete mechanical failure.

Good luck.

Cummins would be the best shop to go to- They know these engines and have all the diagnostic tools to trouble shoot em. They can disconnect the engine/ pump from the truck elecrical system and hook it to there computer, run the engine from there computer and diagnose the entire fuel and engine.

 

[KatDiesel]

Pressures -



15 psi idle

12 psi around 2500rpm (won't go much higher then that)



transmission will not shift until you lift your foot off the throttle, and thats well above 2400rpm.

 

[rashwor]

Sounds like VP44

Kat,



Just my thoughts. I am no diesel mechanic, but I have been around all makes of agricultural diesel engines since I was a kid. It sounds like the engine is starved for fuel and she is doing what she can with what she is getting. If the lift pump pressures are good, then the VP is probably doing the starving. I will bet the VP is dying; I have seen injector pumps and injectors die slow deaths, but the pumps can die quickly as well.



If it was me and the truck was under warranty, I would probably try to take it to a reputable dealer (oxymoron? no, I think there are a few; hard to find? you bet. ) and the injector pump should be replaced under warranty. If the truck was not under warranty, I would probably take it to Cummins. In the end, you get it done right, and it probably does not cost any more than a Dodge dealer.



My 02 cents. Good luck.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Kat, another thing to watch for is whitish-gray smoke from the tailpipe when the engine is at full operating temp. Evan Beck's did this a few days before his VP44 took a dump on his '98. 5. He was pulling off the dyno at BD Dyno Day and I saw wisps of blue smoke coming out his exhaust. A week later his pump TU'd.



Vaughn

 

[KatDiesel]

I'm pretty sure its the VP44 (in my own mind)- just trying to cover all the bases before I "throw" a pump at it..... know what I mean?



I don't even trust Cummins (Great Plains)to do it. And well I don't trust any dealers around here either, too much of a hassle. I'm going to get the pump, put it on and be done with it. I have got too many "obvious" mods to get it warrentied.

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

Kat, another thing to watch for is whitish-gray smoke from the tailpipe when the engine is at full operating temp.

I've seen it from time to time, but was hoping it was cold weather related, or my tinted windows. It looks grey..... when it does it.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Call this guy

Kat, at Pahrump last month one of the vendors was a guy named Scott Gerrard, who owns J & S Diesel Service. He talked at length about the vp44 and seemed quite knowledgeable. He had an pump disassembled to look at and play with. He said that he does some pump work for Diesel Dynamics. Give him a call as he was very eager to help anyone while at the show. He said he would sell vp44's(new, I think) for around $1300. He is in Las Vegas, phone # is 866-736-8526



Sam

 

[BigYellowIron]

Have you unhooked your PEcomp?



Can you stall it in gear and build boost?



Could your transmission be slipping?



Just some thoughts



Adam