Would you buy a FASS with TDR member generated dyno numbers?

[RAndrae]

oh yeah I forgot

12 psi on the fuel guage with absolutely NO fluctuation at all under any situation. mildly bombed --- PDR hx 35, Ez box, exaust, air filter..... also I have a set of high flow banjo bolts for sale 20$$

 

[d.miner]

Big Thank you !

Brad,



Lots of back and forth... .



The FASS caught my eye and ear because I am looking for a solution to the lift pump problem.



I love my truck and bought a late year 02 because I like the style and it was a proven product, the 03 at that time was unknown.



The one thing I haven't seen is anyone disappointed with the FASS. That says a lot to me (and should say alot to those on this thread). I'm looking for the reliablity, like the one writer said "going on a long trip and always worrying the pump will act up".



Up to this time I read a lot of threads about Holley, Mallory, etc. No one had a long term solution.



Once I have the funds available, I'll make the switch.



Thanks for bringing to market a product we 98. 5 - 02 owners can count on!



Dan

 

[Murle]

Sounds good to me..... Think I'll go hunting, because with my FASS, I don't have to worry if I'm going to get home or not... .

 

[cummin2pass]

To me the FASS sounds like a great product. I have a great pump

with dependability. It is about one half of the cost.

I have read the science behind the air in the fuel as well.

I would like to know from people that run it and see if the extra cost is justified. I know it has filters, but as I understand they are too coarse to meet the factory specs.



Just some of my thoughts

 

[hammersley]

Connect The Dots!!!!

I've read all the posts - and unless I've missed it - THE REASON I bought the FASS was to Not Kill my VP44. The Foreman at the Cummins NW Shop, here in Portland Oregon, told me that the LP is a huge problem and it usually results in the "COMBO Pack" - a LP and a VP 44! It is common on Lots of rigs - NOT just the Dodge! I bought it for that reason alone! Now to protect it I fabricated a cover..... Go to the 4th Page of comments at this POST and see my photos of the cover... .



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81272&perpage=15&pagenumber=4

 

[LowFly]

FASS Fuel System

I just wanted to let you know that we have available 3 micron filters for the FASS Fuel System.



Brad

 

[Proram]

Fass

Brad, quality product!! i'm very happy w/ the unit. obviously a LOT of time and engineering went into this unit. i myself have a custom 1/2" bradied line system (bought the pump only)

it's no louder than a new carter, truck runs smoother, like hammer said less cackle. and when i do have the fuel system apart its almost a joy to prime. let um say what they want i love it and when i open my shop i'd like to sell it too.



Thanks again for a great piece, Scott

 

[krs]

I haven't posted to this but still have an interest akin to that of many members.



Brad, it seems that you've got the best solution yet to the reliabilty issues surrounding the VP44, why not leave it at that? You don't seem able to support your claims of HP increases in a way that we believe in yet you continue to make them. It's obvious that you do that in pursuit of a bigger piece of the market pie but in so doing you are placing your credibility on the line and that could upset your ability to continue sales of the FASS system here. It's difficult for me to place trust in an enterprise which I feel would deceive me if it could, and in saying that I assure you that I have not begun to "skip the trial and just go to the hanging".

 

[Murle]

Ok, guys, I don't care what the dinos say. Yesterday I pulled a 24 foot tandam duel trailer to the cow sale. I have pulled this trailer many many times to the same sale, up and down the same hills at the same speeds, at the same time of day and in the same truck.



But yesterday I bucked a 25 mile head wind both ways, wind change directions during the day.



This is the first time I have pulled this trailer with the FASS installed.



1. Truck seemed run better and did not seem to lug as bad up the hills. Speed 70 mph + trailer empty. 5th gear(only a 5 speed)

2. Return home with 10,700# of cattle. Truck ran with better power than it every has. Truck only lost 5MPH at the worst hill. It has alway lost at least 10mph the same hill. ET was 200 less. And the boost was up 2# I have never ever got this much boost out of this truck before. 65mph 4th gear.



Now like I said I don't care what the numbers say. I know that my truck has more HP now than before. I also was not looking for more Hp. Just peace of mind that I was going to have fuel when I need it.

 

[CEkstam]

The purpose of this post is to clear more of the details of Air/Fuel separation technology, where it came from and the facts about some of the statements made by others.



Let's straighten this out: The statement, a quote, "Posted by: Ekstam (Brad)... . The reason I tell you of the Fuel Preporator pump living so well is that the FASS and Fuel Preporator has the same pump. (Just so you do not think I am stealing someone's idea, I helped design that unit along with other people that designed the unit, mainly a company out of Illinois that makes our fuel filter, CIM-TEK. )"



The first Fuel Preporator patent was filed by Charles L. Ekstam, in 1992. It issued in 1994, NO. 5,355,864, the second patent application was filed June 17, 1994 and issued in 1998, NO. 5,746,184. As the production of the original Preporator and the fuel pump used on it and which now, as posted in this thread, is used on the FASS was already in use before Brad began selling Fuel Preporators in mid 1994, I find it hard to believe that he helped to design that pump??? Check it out, Patent No. 5,746,184.



The quote: "Posted by Ekstam (Brad) This pump was designed for the big rigs and before laying it over on its side the pump would usually last about 300 - 500,000 miles. That was with the pump in the vertical position. But at times the pump would only last 60 - 100,000 miles. "



The issues of the original Fuel Preporator manufactured between 2000 and September 2002 with pumps failing at 60,000 to 100,000 miles were mainly caused by unauthorized changes made to the pump by the then current manufacture. These changes were the elimination of several original features and some severe engineering mistakes. Placing a flat washer under a bearing and allowing the inner and outer race to rest on the same solid surface (OOPS) is not going to extend the life of the bearing. (Fuel Preporator International has sold hundreds of replacement pumps at cost to help the many owner/operators that were sold these defective pumps. )



NOTE: Brad worked with and for that company from Fall, 1998 to Sept. 9, 2002. DPI the company, to my knowledge, dissolved some time after the Fuel Preporator business association with them was terminated on Sept 9, 2002.



Placing the original Fuel Preporator pump in a horizontal arrangement is a risky design and was only used on the Fuel Preporator proto-type for testing. We found the issue is that through vehicle bouncing and vibration, should the assembly fasteners become loose, structural support and integrity is lost, the armature shaft alignment with the gearotor assembly is lost and early pump failure results. This horizontal designed pump is not incorporated into the new Preporator design. The reason, the 10-32 socket head screws in the soft zinc cap will not hold sufficient torque to support the electric motor assembly mounted horizontally without support.



Additionally, the high pressure safety by-pass valve has been eliminated as has the original Fuel Preporator pump feature that puts the seal under a vacuum instead of the usual high pressure has also been eliminated from the FASS pump.



A quote posted by Ekstam (Brad): "I have had the horizontal design out for about 1 1/2 years on some fleets running about 250,000 miles per year and they are performing excellent. "



This fleet is using Fuel Preporators and not the FASS. They are also in the process of converting their Fuel Preporators back to the original design (with our help).



Quality/life expectancy of the Fuel Preporator pump. The Fuel Preporator uses a gearotor pump assembly. This type of pump mechanism is not as readily damaged by air and vapor as are many of the other types of pumps. When the pump was originally mounted in the vertical position and the shaft became out of alignment with the center gear, the center gear would wear on the wear plate like a saw blade and also bind causing excessive brush wear. The horizontal position of the pump now allows the outer gear to float on a (fuel) film just as a rod bearing rides on an oil film. Additionally, the center gear is now riding freely on the armature shaft. The new design of the Fuel Preporator pump has eliminated the fiber gasket between the field housing and the G'rotor base which, with metal on metal contact with the G'rotor base, allows perfect alignment throughout the assembly. Perfect alignment equals longer life.



The new Preporator design has also eliminated the wear plate and the gasket thereby eliminating another source of leakage.

The Old Preporator design had a total of 5 machined blocks or plates bolted together as does the FASS. The New Preporator assembly has reduced those 5 pieces to only 2. The Fuel Preporator is also an ISO-9001 Quality Manufactured product. Now that may not impress some, but the major manufacturers of the world find that it is necessary process to promote quality. Fuel Preporator is also approved for use in California through CARB Executive order G-02-003, and carries an ID plate stating such.



This new horizontal pump design using proven technology is now incorporated into all of the New Preporator line of fine products.



Current air/fuel separation devices and some facts of life:

The operation of the Fuel Preporator and air separation is explained in the new Fuel Preporator patent that has been allowed by the US Patent Office. If one were to remove just one simple feature of the Fuel Preporator in an attempt to get around the patent, the following would result. First, the system may not always prime and one would have to loosen the filter to break the vapor lock (and risk getting a diesel shower). Two, the system would not always send the air/vapor at higher operating speeds or pressures back to the fuel tank, but to the engine. This would cause the torque and horsepower output of the engine at higher operating speed or when dyno'ed to drop below the original level produced by engine using the original OEM lift pump . (NOTE: Hammers dyno test) Here's why! The pump used on the Original Fuel Preporator pumps at a higher flow rate than the Cummins OEM lift pump. This increased level of cavitation produces higher volumes of vapor that cause greater levels of retarded injection timing and power loss, etc. and can greatly contribute to the early destruction of the VP44 .



The dyno results posted by Hammer from the Fall Brawl point out a horsepower loss and what happens as a result of removing this important feature. The dyno results posted by How'dHeDoThat at the DFW Dyno Day point out a completely different result. A 20 hp increase and a 16 hp increase after installing the Fuel Preporator. The dyno tests done back in 1998 on 12 valve 5. 9's that came to my attention were reported as increasing about 20 to 35 hp after installing the Fuel Preporator.



As to Warranty: The warranty on the Fuel Preprorator, when it was manufactured by DPI, was ONE YEAR. The FASS came out in April '02 and was advertised with a ONE YEAR warranty. We changed the One Year warranty of the Fuel Preporator to TWO YEARS. The FASS warranty was then advertised to be two years also.



If any one of the many good people who are contributing the many good questions and comments to this thread wish to personally discuss any of the aforementioned issues or wish to make personal constructive comments, I can be reached, toll free, at 1-877-463-4373 Mon thru Fri, 8:00AM to 5:00PM. Whether you have a DODGE with a 5. 9 Cummins, a D-10L dozer pushing a 24ft. X10ft. blade, or a tug boat with twin 4,000+hp EMD's pushing 40 loaded barges up the Mississippi, Fuel Preporator is an Equal Opportunity Product.



Fuel Preporator is not the "Johnny come lately"!!



Thanks for your time!!



Charles L. Ekstam

 

[jcarew]

I am not considering it for more Hp. I want it for RELIABILITY

 

[jcarew]

I am not considering it for more Hp. I want it for RELIABILITY