Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) VP44, Bio-Diesel, DTCs. Ugh!

[npieske]

Here is the deal, 2000 truck, intake, exhaust and superchips tuner, BD low pressure light, helper supply pump mounted by fuel tank.



Stopped in hot weather (95+) at traffic crash on interstate. Engine temp and transmission begin to clime substantially (although not to danger levels). As soon as I get moving, everything cools off as anticipated. then from a stop, I accelerate mildy, engine stumbles and check engine light illuminates.



I hook up my tuner and behold, the code of death; p0216. Every indication says it is my vp44. Talk with the folks at Oregon Fuel Injection, they concur. I change fuel filter and then test fuel pressure (manually) at the schraeder on the vp44. I am getting 19 psi at idle and down to about 14ish psi WOT.



I then return the truck to stock with my tuner in effort to not task the vp44 anymore tan I have to.



I get similar results later after accelerating mildy up a slight grade, it stumbles again and gives me the same codes (p0216).



Then the plot thickens, I am then driving again mildy from the fuel station, and the truck damn near stalls and rpm's are jumping up and down. It sounds like the truck isn't getting fuel now. I suddenly get power and am able to drive the truck home and hook up the manual pressure gauge again and the psi is jumping from 19 psi down to 9/10 psi.



Additionally my truck sits for fairly long periods of time and I drive it when I am either having withdrawls or need to pull something heavy. I have also put two tanks of bio-diesel in it... Oregon Fuel Injection says Bio-Diesel is the devil and I suspect it or other algae could be my problem.



Any ideas from anyone?

 

[Boondocker]

Biodiesel is a much better solvent than #2. It will clean the crap out of your fuel system and try to dump it in the filter. I've heard stories of people going through 3 or 4 fuel filters in the first couple of tank fulls of bio. Makes me wonder what kind of crap fuel they had been using?

I started on B20 and never had any problems, have been running it for a couple of years. It will lube your new VP44 better than ULSD. B100 is a little different animal. Biodiesel is more hydroscopic than petro diesel and more susceptable to algae growth. I still use Stanadyne Performance with B20.

If your truck sits for a long time with a low fuel level, there is lots of room in the tank for condensation, then bad things happen to fuel. Keeping a full tank minimises this tendency for condensation.

 

[Huff N Puff]

Test the fuel delivery system,Do this by removing the line from the fuel filter to the VP44. Extend that line so you can run it to the bottom of a one gallon clear container. Now power up the pumps. Watch the pumps fill the container. Should get half a gallon in 30secs with no air bubbles after the intial spurt,if its areated and frothy its probably a restriction in the tank or its pulling air on the suction side. Its also possible to have either power or ground problems at the pumps. Your over heating is probably a clogged radiator. Fan clutch is having problems pulling air thru dirt in the radiator.

 

[npieske]

Maybe this sounds dumb but, how do you suggest I "extend the lines" in order to get it into a bucket with the fuel fittings?



Radiator is brand new(last year) and filled with cummins coolant. I will also check the the electical connections.



Thanks Fellas!