Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) VP44 failure rate poll

[Pit Bull]

Want to get a feel for the number of members that have had their VP44 fail.



If you have had one fail could you give some information about your truck?



Was the engine bombed or stock? If bombed what type? What kind of mileage was on the truck when the VP44 died? Had your lift pump failed before the VP44 died? Also anything that you think would be important to add.



In the last 30 days there has been close to 2000 different members post on this site. If that is a common number it would be interesting to see how many out of 2000 normal members will respond to this poll in the "next 30 days" that have had a failed VP44. It might give us some insight into how big of a problem this might be??

 

[Stroke This 24V]

On # 3

I am now on my 3rd injection pump



Oh well thank god for warranty

 

[MD500E]

45,000 engine stock

45,001 installed fueling box,

45,002 injector pump died. Also found lift pump was dead.



I dont blame the box for the failure as much as the dead lift pump that I discovered at the same time, that was starving the injector pump of fuel. I was having intermitent power for several thousand miles before the injector pump failed, most likely due to the lift pump dying.

 

[Snow man]

Mine has been great-so far. 50K stock,added EZ,then a Comp a couple weeks later,now a drag comp. Ive been running with a weak,but not dead lift pump,and a pusher most of the bombed miles.

 

[JTBMC]

Lost 1st VP44 Injection pump at 80,000 miles and engine was stock except for DD# 1's and BHAF and 4 inch exhaust. Ran dd#1's 50,000 miles before pump started to leak diesel out of the sealed plate on top of pump, but never did stop running. I guess because I stay on top of the fuel pressure and change lift pumps as soon as idle pressure drops to 10 -12 psi with a fresh filter.

TJ

 

[Pit Bull]

Based on Steves lift pump failure poll that showed more than 50% of owners have had failed lift pumps, where are all of the failed VP44?

 

[Ross]

Tuff'rn Hell

My truck has over 115,000 miles, and the bombing started with a early generation powermax at less than 30,000 miles. Since then, I've piggybacked a VA, gone through three injector upgrades, and am now running a "competition" PM3, which is I believe, about at much as the VP can stand. When the truck is running, it's either hot-rodding (when empty), or carrying a cabover camper and pulling a very large 5-horse bumper-pull trailer grossing about 23,000. This truck has been hammered since the day I bought it, and it seems stronger every day.



On a side note, my VP had the additional misfortune of being run at least 15,000 on a dead lift pump i. e. , NO fuel pressure. It was moderately bombed with a original powermax through that period.



The truck was manufactured in February 1998, so it's an early 24 valve. I must have got a good one. My brother just bought a 2002 HO, and I wouldn't trade him. I LOVE MY TRUCK!

 

[zimman20]

Based on Steves lift pump failure poll that showed more than 50% of owners have had failed lift pumps, where are all of the failed VP44?

Pit Bull- One does not necessarily lead to the other, at least right away. It would seem that the harm done to the VP44 based on a failed LP is incremental and based on how long you ran with the failed LP and for that period of time you overburdened the VP44. In most cases, again based on how long you ran with the failed LP, the premature failure of the VP44 is somewhere down the road due to the harm done by the failed LP sometime in the past.



Or was that a rhetorical question?



zman

 

[wyosteve]

My thoughts exactly zman. My VP44 died at 73k. Installed fuel pressure gauge at 68k and found immediately lift pump was bad. No idea how long it was dead. Tow about 50% of the time. VP finally cratered on a long trip pulling the 4 horse gooseneck. Even then it died somewhat slowly.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by zimman20







It would seem that the harm done to the VP44 based on a failed LP is incremental and based on how long you ran with the failed LP and for that period of time you overburdened the VP44.

zman

Zman, I know some members have said this, but I don't see any proof of it (numbers= X number of failures X number of miles after lift pump failed)? In this thread alone we have responses all over the spectrum. You could assume what your saying is true. Kinda makes sense, but then you have a member that ran 15K miles on a dead lift pump while it was bombed to the max and used it to tow a horse trailer and street raced it when it wasn't towing over loaded and now has over 115,000 miles on the truck. Things just don't seem to add up. Makes you wonder if we worry to much about the lift pump and the VP44? Thats why I started this poll, thought it might give us some additional facts

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by wyosteve

My thoughts exactly zman. My VP44 died at 73k. Installed fuel pressure gauge at 68k and found immediately lift pump was bad. No idea how long it was dead. Tow about 50% of the time. VP finally cratered on a long trip pulling the 4 horse gooseneck. Even then it died somewhat slowly.

Steve, how long after you bombed it did it die?

 

[wyosteve]

Pit Bull, about 35k.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by krussell

45,000 engine stock

45,001 installed fueling box,

45,002 injector pump died. Also found lift pump was dead.



I dont blame the box for the failure as much as the dead lift pump that I discovered at the same time, that was starving the injector pump of fuel. I was having intermitent power for several thousand miles before the injector pump failed, most likely due to the lift pump dying.

The box might be the reason for the failure. It has been noted in the TDR that VP44's sometimes die after a box is added. If it does not die soon after the box is added then it usually does not die from the box. Problem is that we don't know if your VP44 might still be working even with a failed lift pump if the box had not been added. Could of been the combination of a bad lift pump and the box being added. That is why I am doing this poll so we can get more information.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by wyosteve

Pit Bull, about 35k.

Steve, since you have had one go ^^, what are your thoughts on what killed it? By the way was it covered under warranty and what are you doing different to save this one?

Thanks for you experence

 

[John Berger]

I'm on my original VP44 with a bit over 80K miles. I put bigger injectors and the EZ on last summer at around 60K. So far so good. It's never missed a beat, stock or BOMBed

 

[GLASMITHS]

OEM VP44 82,500, BOMBED 10K

No problems

 

[jwinnie]

490 people have viewed this thread and only 80 have voted????

guess alot of people can't manage that extra mouse click.

 

[bigbrassmonkey]

2000 q/c with 125K on it 100K at almost 400 hp NO Problems so far, and I ABUSE it

 

[GTX]

First VP44 died at 32k puking white smoke and stumbling.

Second VP died at 46k, hard start problem after LP changed at 45,5k.

Third VP died at 47k, hard start problem again so VP & LP changed again.

The forth VP has 20k on it so far.

The LP is slowly dying so it will need to be changed soon again.

Truck is a 1999 3/4 ton 4wd and has a BHAF.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by jwinnie

490 people have viewed this thread and only 80 have voted????

guess alot of people can't manage that extra mouse click.

At this point I got to agreed with you, these polls are a waste of time. 9 people polled that they had dead VP44, 4 posted with information , who knows the others might of failed when they were hit by a train . The only conclusion I can come up with is no conclusion. You might have a bad VP44 if your lift pump fails, it might happen in 1K miles or 100K miles or never. You might have your VP44 fail if you bomb your truck, it might happen in 1 mile or 100K miles or never. I guess we might as well quit posting about lift pumps and VP44's since all of the information is not at all statistically representative and ends up as just a guess. My recommendation is just drive it till it dies