Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) VP 44 dead

[FNilo]

I called the dealership, they said that the warrantee on diesels are 5 years/100,000 miles. I am at 76,000 miles and my 5 years were up on 6/05. So I did not bring it to the dealership, instead I brought it to a local shop who works on Cummins. He put a code reader on it and said that the VP 44 is shot. Will cost about $1750 for parts and about $800 - $900 for labor. Does this sound right?



Motor is totaly stock, no mods.



I had the truck in (to the dealership) to replace a bad lift pump about 2 years ago under warrantee. My question is do I have a leg to stand on with Dodge and try to see if they will cover the repairs (or at least part, with some fighting I'm sure) or am I SOL. I am out of warrantee about 8 months, but had a bad lift pump in the past. Would that carry any weight? Does anyone know who I would call to listen to me.



I am looking at about a $2800. 00 repair bill. Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!



If anyone can give advice, it would be helpful.



Thanks,



Frank

 

[SMoules]

Look into Performance Diesel Warehouse-www.pdwpower.com. They sale the vp44 for $1,089.

 

[DavidC]

I thought i heard at one time the Chrysler shop time allowed 3 hours to do the job. If that is true I want some of that 300 an hour. Do not look to Chrysler for help as you are beating a dead horse. Your 5 years are up and they do not care if it happened 1 minute or 6 months after that. Should be a mileage thing anyway, do the parts go stale after 5 years?.



Dave

 

[BManuel]

You are getting raped. Pump should be $1,300 max, labor should be 400 max. Where are you located?

 

[nps]

I had the truck in (to the dealership) to replace a bad lift pump about 2 years ago under warrantee. My question is do I have a leg to stand on with Dodge and try to see if they will cover the repairs (or at least part, with some fighting I'm sure) or am I SOL.

The total job should not be more than $1,500. $1100 if you do it yourself. Even if you got DC to pay for some, you would probably still be out of pocket more $. Find a good shop (the one that quoted you $2800 is NOT a good shop) and get it back on the road.

 

[jgillott]

The total job should not be more than $1,500. $1100 if you do it yourself. Even if you got DC to pay for some, you would probably still be out of pocket more $. Find a good shop (the one that quoted you $2800 is NOT a good shop) and get it back on the road.

I agree, DO NOT pay $2800 for a VP replacement. The $1500 that nps stated is much more in line with the going rate. Any shop that has done more than one VP-44 replacement should be more than able to do the job in a few hours with the corresponding labor charge.

 

[AHire]

Industrial injection has pump for 1100 i think when i got mine. It took me 2 hours to do mine myself and it was my first one. If you have minor mechanical skills you can change the pump. Just make sure you have the keyway at 12 o'clock.

 

[FNilo]

The quote the the shop gave me i believe was a seat of the pants guess. It did sound very high to me. It was about 5:00 on Friday afternoon. So I don't know if he was just throwing a number out or raping me. He is going to call me on Monday morning with a price. I am located in southeastern Michigan.



If the price is still high, I will look elsewhere.



Is this a job I can do myself? I can turn a wrench with the best of them but haven't had to do any work on this truck (or any other diesel for that matter).



How involved is it? Is there any instructions (tricks of the trade) someone could give me?



Thanks for all the advice.



Frank

 

[AHire]

The last copy of the tdr mag has a pretty good walk throught in it. Do a search and you will find all the instructions you need. Read over them until you feel like you have a pretty good idea of what you have to do. It seemed pretty simple to me.



Main thing take your time.



Watch the gaskets on the intake air horn and intake heater mine tore when i took it apart.



I took all the injector lines off except the last two, if your careful you can pry the pump in and out without taking them loose.



Make sure the keyway is at tdc when you take the old pump out and when you put the new one in.



Hope that helped it was kinda scattered.

 

[FNilo]

Talked to the shop about my truck. Quoted me a price of $2000 - $2200. I told him that I would replace it myself. So it is being towed back to my house.



My question is how do I KNOW that the vp44 is bad? The shop put a code reader on it and that is what he said it was. I am taking his word on it.



I am going to order a new vp44 from Industrial Injection(also a FASS system. don't know yet. Still doing homework on that) but just want to be sure that is what it is before spending $1100.



Is there any way I can be sure?



Comments?



Thanks,



Frank

 

[nps]

What are the codes he pulled? Or look yourself - key on-off-on-off-then leave on and read the codes from the odometer window.



If you have a 216, then the VP44 is gone for sure. Other codes may be present. Pull them out and post them.

 

[FNilo]

Still waiting for the truck to be towed back to the house. Will check codes and then post. Before I sent the truck in the code that showed was P 1693. That was the only one.



I just looked at the bill from the shop. Said code is P 1688



I will double check.

 

[FNilo]

Just received the truck back. Checked codes without cranking engine. No codes displayed. (did he clear them off?) Tried to start and then checked codes again. The only one is P 1693.

 

[clem]

City Diesel told me it would cost me about $1400 to replace my pump thats parts and labor(rebuilt pump)

 

[Moose Truck]

Code P 1693

Just received the truck back. Checked codes without cranking engine. No codes displayed. (did he clear them off?) Tried to start and then checked codes again. The only one is P 1693.

Frank, P1693 is a very common code. It means that the Dodge computer (PCM) is getting a problem from the Cummins computer (ECM). But like a Husband and Wife they aren't communicating :-{} ECM "There is something wrong. " PCM "what's wrong?" ECM "If you don't know, I ain't telling YOU!!!" :-{}



Here is a TDR link to the Codes: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96634



Your Code (not very well) explained:"P1693 (M) DTC Detected in Companion Module A fault has been generated in the companion engine

control module.



P1693 (M) DTC Detected in PCM/ECM or DTC

Detected in ECM

A 9Companion DTC9 was set in both the ECM and PCM. "



So the long and short of it is that you Probely have a bad VP44 :{ , I went thru this in Dec 05. My guru, Frank at Noble High Performance, has a Code reader set up that speaks "Cummins" and the code had set in the ECU said that the Rotor had sheared. Rebuilt VP44 and she now runs real sweet



Moose00 Oo.

 

[FNilo]

Thanks for all your help. I ordered a vp44 yesterday from Performance Diesel Warehouse. I also ordered a FASS system, I know some people as had problems with it (as some threads have shown) but that is all that I can afford. Has to be better than the crappy stock lift pump (last on only lasted a year). I will be installing this weekend. I will let you know how it went.



Thanks again for all your help.



Frank