Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) testing the VP44

[Agades]

put the pump in on saturday

truck runs flawlessly at the moment



idle is smooth

low rpm lope is much better

no 50 - 60 mph stumble at all



only drove it about 20 miles so

I guess I will have to drive more to really be able to trust it



how long should I drive before hooking up the "happy wire"????

 

[Agades]

hooked up the "happy wire "on saturday and the stumble came back immediately:{



so now I have an extra pump



I am starting to believe that dodge or cummins put a program in this thing to recognize that I want more power and is making it stumble



computers suck



anyone have any great ideas



TNT maybe



I would like to try a mad ecm (marco)

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Another oldie/goodie worth bringing to the top...

 

[2-ND TIME]

This will be the last CRYslurr's Cummins CRAP (CCC) that I will ever by... Took the P-n-p off a while ago and now driving it again some distance after getting out of camp. WHAT A PIECE OF //?/??? The bucking is terrable and nooooo power revess like a Jimmy but nadda for power. is terrable Was in one of the boss's Fords with the new engine and has it got power it is incredable WOW!!!!!!!!!

 

[2-ND TIME]

Break out box

Cummins put the break out box on mine and this is the only time that it has (EVER RAN SMOOTH ) the mechanic that did it said that it starts and that is all he can tell from it starting but I said listen to the engine it is idling smoothly still not the responce that I needed from him :-{} can you say annoyed

 

[Agades]

call Marco!



I wish I had before I got rid of my stumbling POS



If it runs smooth with the breakout tool, theres nothing wrong with the VP

its something with the computer or sensors!!!!!

 

[Agades]

2nd,



try to find an ecm you can try out



there may be some available out there and may be worth a try





I failed to find an extra ecm for my 02. Dealer wouldnt sell me one. I bought one off a wrecked truck from piers but it didnt work. Cummins would sell me a new one but it would have the same program as the one I had , so... ...

anyway , there was a lot of ecms around depending on the year of your cummins



If not



PM Marco, It may be worth it



theres more to these damn computers than people will admit

 

[P Madrid]

For some reason the Cummins/Dodge ECM application is a little bit more complicated to trouble shoot than the regular Cummins ECM. I get several trucks after they have left the dealer with new VP44 and LP and no problem solve. These are the odd ones with intermediate problems, stumbles, dies for no reason and lost of HP. The cause on some of them has been from bad Ignition circuit, shorting PCM or harness, to corrupted ECM software. The problem is the time you put in to it and then have to explain, justify to the customer. We, Cummins techs, do not get train on the Dodge, they expect us to take our training and figure it out. No problem as long as it's a Cummins only issue, the hair pulling comes in when the dealer does not want to share their updated trouble shooting steps. I have spent countless hours on my own time in trying to figure out some of these problems, 90% Dodge, 5% Cummins and the other 5% is when the owner takes it away to trade or sell as is. This web site has been and is my biggest manual, when it come to looking for solutions to odd problems. So never bee afraid to ask, some one has probably had or has the same problem and together it will probably get fix right.



Pablo

 

[Marco]

This web site has been and is my biggest manual, when it come to looking for solutions to odd problems. So never bee afraid to ask, some one has probably had or has the same problem and together it will probably get fix right.

But I would like the hear feedback from the people if, how, when they fixed their problem they've psoted here. It happens often that one asks a question, get's the advice he needs and then nada...



Is it so hard to say: this or that solved my problem, thanks?



In that way we would be sure that what has been suggested was the correct solution for a given problem.



Marco

 

[mike.b]

bad vp 44 or not bad vp 44

Check Eng light came on, no other symptoms at the time.

My buddy who works at a Dodge dealer pulled the code, "Injector Pump Timing"



Is it the LP, vp 44 or something else?



Know of any shops in San Diego, CA to trust on this?



My symptoms were: Check Eng light. thats it. Starts fine, idle sometimes slightly rough, last week it stumbled when I gassed it.

Severe lack of power when on freeway towing.

No white smoke or any other symptoms.

I'm putting A FASS system on this weekend and a fuel pressure gauge, EGT, Boost, Trans, and Oil Pressure. .

HELP!!!



Thanks

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

UMMmmmm - without guages, hard to say - but I'd bet on a bad VP-44...



I see you are new here - a shame that so MANY guys don't learn the guages "lesson" until too late and lotsa $$$ are involved - worse YET, are the guys who HAVE been here a long time, and STILL haven't learned that lesson...

 

[P Madrid]

MBlackburn, If you are getting a "Can not reach command timing" you either have a plug fuel filter or the LP is bad. Depending on how long you have been with low or no fuel pressure will determine how much damage the VP44 will have (internal wear). I'm in El Cajon, Cummins Cal Pacific, If you are willing to wait around after work, 4 pm, I can check your fuel pressure but if you are in a hurry you will have to go through the shop.



Pablo

 

[A Johnson]

Originally posted by P Madrid

We, Cummins techs, do not get train on the Dodge, they expect us to take our training and figure it out. No problem as long as it's a Cummins only issue, the hair pulling comes in when the dealer does not want to share their updated trouble shooting steps. I have spent countless hours on my own time in trying to figure out some of these problems, 90% Dodge, 5% Cummins and the other 5% is when the owner takes it away to trade or sell as is.

Pablo

Amen



Pablo, have you tried to measure the VP-44 internal pressure while engine is running at all? If you have, do you have any meaningfull results or specs, as far as what PSI should be at cranking RPM, high idle, or at low idle? Any comments on gauge fluctuation?





A Johnson

 

[P Madrid]

A Johnson, are you referring to internal VP44 housing pressure? I have not, I would like to know the setting on the relief/over-flow valve. The problem with the Dodge fuel return plumbing is that it does not give you any area to check the internal pressure. On all other applications I can, by replacing one of the banjo bolts to the fuel line before the relief/over-flow valve, remote mount and not on the pump. I have never had the need to check on one that was not a Dodge and have not had the time to check for reference only, time limits. Just had one fix that every one kept pointing the finger at the VP44, it was an ECM, symptoms were: did not want to start right away and would cut the LP for no reason and make the engine stumble.



The pressure from the LP will fluctuate since its control by PWM (pulse with modulation, on and off 12v signal) from the ECM. It should not be a fast fluctuation but rather smooth depending on the needs of the Eng.



Has any one come across an Active #334, Cummins fault code. It refers to 'coolant temp not changing with engine operation'. I can see the temperature change up and down depending on the rpm and load but I can not clear it. I will start a post on this later in the afternoon, have to go see my patients, I mean trucks.



Pablo

 

[2-ND TIME]

bucking engine

Well I finally found parden me refound a dealer that wanted to help me in this engine bucking. They are in Edmonton AB( flat land) They found a P0217 so this pointed to with the lack of HP to the t-stat. They changed this and redyanoed and found that the HP was what the larger injectors were suposed to give me. 276/642 ThIS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THAT THIS HAS GIVEN ME ANY POWER !!!!!!!! It lasted that day the 8th and the 9th it ran the same way that it has run for the last 4 years 5 months and????? When the engine was running properly the bucking was gone at the 1000 to 1200. Can't believe that cummins missed this as well:-{} They even noted this on the work bill but no code. the lack of heat transfer. Since that day it is more back to bucking in the 1000 to 1200 RPM . But when it worked it was amasing I was actually to get out and pass somone The service gent said to give him a-day notice when I can get back to town. They were the ones that diagnosed the none working lift pump 130000 kms ago. The alt was changed and the batteries appear to be on the weak side even if the dealer**** that I bought this :-{} from said that they are still good. The fuel heater that day was coming on even above the temp 78*f and the o/p was 135*f