Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) what a long, long day...

[GiesJ]

My truck (blue) just shut down while I was driving on the highway. I think the VP44 kicked it again (15 months) and was lucky to pull over safely. I have 14 psi after the filter and she cranks but does not fire up. 82K on the OD and she goes to the dealer tomorrow.

If it wasn't for my great friend and Tdr member (mschoenheider - red truck) I would still be a very long way from home. Thanks again bud,

J



PS - his truck pulled it like a dream - thank goodness ole blue didn't have to follow anything but a cummins.

#ad

 

[mschoenheider]

No sweat Jason, I'm sure the roles will be reversed sometime.

Mark

 

[K_Arts]

Sorry to hear about the probs J.



Let me know if I can do anything to help.



Kev

 

[azcummins]

bummer!

Dude- bummer about the truck! looks good on a trailer though... perhaps you should just chrome the whole thing out and take it to truck shows! I got a nice Dually you could pull it with... .

Let me know if I can do anything from down here in Fort Fun...

 

[GiesJ]

Thanks Kev and Mark, we are going to the dealer today to see what their diagnosis is. After doing some more reading on the TDR I'm thinking it's the VP-44.

We'll see. Thanks Guys, looks like the DD1s will have to wait a while!

later

Jason

 

[SOOT]

Dang, that sucks. if you need anything just drop me a line. Hope it all works out for ya.

 

[GiesJ]

Thanks Marshall I appreciate it. She's at the dealer now and hopefully I will have more news in a couple hours.

j

 

[wyosteve]

Don't spend all your money Jason, you're no. 1 on the list for my DOR bumper if I get an 03! Let me know if you need assistance with anything.

 

[Whitmore]

Dang it Jason, what the heck is going on, 15 months on a vp aint for crap let us know what the deal is and if we can help out a fellow Wyo dude.



cheers, Kevin

 

[GiesJ]

My fellow local brothers -

I was correct - VP44 kicked it and yeah, 15 months ain't cool. Luckily I'm covered under warranty and it should not be anything out of pocket. Unfortunately though, the replacement pump is in Detroit so she will be down until Friday-ish. Not a big deal, I ride my bike most everywhere anyway.



Thanks for everyone's support, without the TDR and you guys teaching me, I wouldn't know crap! I wouldn't have a FP gage, I wouldn't know how to change my lift pump, and a million other things.



All in all, the situation could have been much worse as I was descending Wolf Creek Pass in southern Colorado about 300 miles earlier in the trip.



Wyosteve - you keep me posted on that possible '03 purchase as I am saving the pennies. Come over to Laramie sometime and shoot.



thanks everybody,

j

 

[GiesJ]

VP44 replaced and everything is running strong. One thing that is kind of wierd - I'm now seeing a little more pressure after my filter (14. 5) than I did before (max 14), maybe because by the time I had my FP gage installed the pump was already on the way down. Could the pump, by not being as effecient, cause a lower pressure reading?

anyway, I'm on the road again, thanks for everyone's support.

J

 

[K_Arts]

I'm glad to hear that your truck is back up and running. Keep us informed with how this new pump is working.



Kev

 

[GiesJ]

Up until yesterday, everything was running fine. I even made a run to Craftsman in Cheyenne to get my Crows foot for the eventual injector change. Then yesterday I went to start the truck after it sat for about 2 hours in the cold - 20°F-ish and it just cranked for about 5 seconds and then fired right up. This morning, 3°F out, plugged in all night and the same thing. I thought maybe (and mSchoenheider sent me an email with the same sort of idea) that I'm having to re-prime the pump for some reason? I am seeing no change in my post filter FP numbers. Any ideas?



Whitmore, I'm going to be up in your neck of the woods this weekend Snow-machining Togwotee Pass, might have some free time, pm me a way to get a hold of you and what your schedule might look like this weekend.



Thanks for everyone reading this and let me know what you think the problem could be. If it does it again, I'm off to the dealer.

jason

 

[GiesJ]

I would like to give my dealer a little more credit, they just called me about 3 seconds after I hit submit. They were doing a routine follow up to see how everything is working with the new pump, I explained to him the problem and he thought it might have something to do with the grid heaters, however, if it continues or happens again, I should just bring her back in. Fingers crossed, this vacation has been planned for about 3 months.

j

 

[DEZLPWR]

GiesJ..... Just curious....

I take it this is your 2nd VP44, right? How many miles on the truck, and how many on the failed vp44?

Was it a new or a reman VP44 that went bad? Bet it was a reman!

 

[GiesJ]

DEZLPWR -

This is the 3rd VP on my truck (that I KNOW of. ) I bought her used with 27k. I lost my pump the first time around 58K and then again last week at about 82K.

I asked the same question about a new or reman - the dealer told me that "they can't tell - and besides, a reman is brand new!"



We'll see as I now have the suspicion that the grid heaters are either not hooked up or damaged.



Jason

 

[DEZLPWR]

Jason,

Originally posted by GiesJ

DEZLPWR -

This is the 3rd VP on my truck (that I KNOW of. ) I bought her used with 27k. I lost my pump the first time around 58K and then again last week at about 82K.

I asked the same question about a new or reman - the dealer told me that "they can't tell - and besides, a reman is brand new!"



We'll see as I now have the suspicion that the grid heaters are either not hooked up or damaged.



Jason

The stealer was feeding you a line of BS when they say they can't tell, and that a reman in brand new... . #@$%! #@$%!

As Piers explained it to me, a re-man pump is a USED pump with SOME (not all)parts that are replaced!

If I were you, since you are close to the end of your warranty, and the next VP44 will likely be on your dime, I would insist that they find you a new pump, not a reman... .

Do you want to go through this again?

A new VP44 is no gaurantee that it will last forever, but odds are that it will last longer than a reman.



Just my $. 02

 

[GiesJ]

Not that anyone cares anymore - my care factor is flying out the window as I type... BUT the recently installed VP44 is leaking. They didn't install it incorrectly or anything like that - just something internal was not 'rebuilt' correctly. What a bunch of crap. And when I said, "how 'bout you boys kick down and just get me a new pump, none of this reman crap. " They said DC does not distinguish between a brand spankin new and remanufactured pump.



Anyone want to trade straight across? my 98. 5 for your 98. 4?

 

[JWhitcomb]

Lets hear it for good friends with big trailers. Way to be a friend. By the way, years ago I got caught near the top of Wolf Creek Pass in a bad spring snow storm. I was going back to CA from Il on my bike. After making it down safely but very wet and cold I stopped in a camp ground with a hot tub and spent two days trying to get warm.

 

[GiesJ]

JWhitcomb- I bet Wolf Creek on a Motorcycle in a Spring snow really sucked!



I got the truck back again and other than my FP gage being unhooked it looks like everything is running smoothly.



Thanks for everyone's help and concern,

jason



ps - hello Ft Collins Dyno Day