Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) vp44 control module

[tbrenner]

My 98 has a no start problem at normal operating temps. I can drive it all day long, great lift pump PSI on all checks. I shut the truck down and can restart within 5-15 minutes. I wait an hour and the truck will not fire. It fires immediately when cold in the morning or up until normal operating temps. The closer I get to normal operating temps the longer it takes to fire. Dodge says that one of there cummins guys said that the control module on the vp44 may be getting "heat soaked" when the engine is shut down under normal operating temps. Apparently the compact control module is mounted directly on the pump and it contains a circuit board that may be getting over heated after the pump is shut down. The cummins guy said to run the truck to normal operating temp and shut it down for an hour and when I get the no start condition I should take a water hose and spray down the control module on the vp44 for around 10 minutes. If the truck starts after that the vp44 needs replaced. Has anyone heard of this? Any ideas? I'm trying the water hose remedy tommorow after work.

 

[Amianthus]

Tech has done a few.

While I was getting a reflash done at the dealership, I was talking to the tech and advising him on our lift pump problem whe he told me about this problem. He has done a few control modules on the VP-44 to correct this. I told him that this problem seemed remeniscent of the GM Stanadyne pumps on the 6. 5. And that I was not looking forward to fighting this battle. That and I thought the 44 was supposed to be a better design (it is).



He told me that it's not a real hard fix to replace the module. But if your pump is toasted...



Hope that gives you some light on this matter.

 

[tbrenner]

Well I did the water hose test for 10 minutes to cool down the control module on the vp44. It fired right up after not being able to start. This definetely means something in the control module is heating up after the truck is shut down. Any ideas anyone? I hate replacing the pump for $1800 when it could just be a resistor or some other electrical component on a circuit board.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

IS there a wiring connector anywhere near the module? Is it possible there might simply be a bad/intermittent connedtion that would benefit by a good cleaning and some conductivity paste?

 

[Amianthus]

From what my dealer told me, the module can be replaced on its own. I will give them a call on Friday to see if that is the case. I will also give the Cummins shop a call to see if there is a part number for it and how much it costs. You may be able to get an answer quicker by contacting your local Cummins shop. This will be interesting, I think.

 

[tbrenner]

The electronic control unit for the vp44 is divided into two, with a compact control unit mounted directly on the pump and a larger Engine Control Module mounted on the engine block. The one I'm dealing with is the compact control unit which is black and is strapped to the rear of the vp44 by some sort of metal strap. There is a large connector on the rear of the control unit with several wires. You would think if this thing is overheating it could be unstrapped from the vp44 and unplugged from the wiring harness and simply be changed out. I cannot find any information anywhere on compact control module replacement, or even if it is possible. According to dodge I'd have to replace the whole freakin vp44. There has to be a way. In the mean time I will remove the connector on the rear of the control module inspect and clean it.

 

[P Madrid]

I'm a Cummins Tech and I'm not aware of any replaceable module for the VP44. I did brake a module apart in order to remove the pins on the big connector to make a tool out of them, to ck if the female side had spread to the point of bad contact. There is a calibration to fix a hard start after heat soaking for 10-30 minutes. To what I understand it changes the injection at start up to get the engine going and then it returns to normal. Two of our service trucks had the problem and I got the calibration from the factory before it was release. Ask for your calibration to be update.