How To Install an AirDog 150 Fuel System
The AirDog 150 fuel pump is a good design kit. It comes complete with all hardware, mountings, fitting, hoses etc. to hook up to your Dodge Cummins Truck. It was rather easy to install on my truck since I already had a Vulcan Big line Kit and Carter campaign lift pump.
Mounting suggestion (for 4WD trucks) is that you push the pump forward towards the transfer case so the skid plate can protect the pump and filters from road debris. But make sure you leave enough room to access the transfer case for fluid checks and drain and fill service.
As for doing plumbing it rather straight forward. Route the hose and cut to size. But I'll make another suggestion. Look your routing over very carefully for a place to protect the fuel line from damages (sharp body edges, tight spots that could pinch, or get snagged by road debris, etc) Also remember to include enough room for your connectors. Below is the return fuel setup.
As for doing the electrical is also very straight forward too. It was designed rather good too. Looks just like stock wire harness. Suggestion for routing of wiring. The pump power leg should be routed with the taillight harness on the truck then you can zip-tie to the existing wiring and it look rather factory looking. The relay and fuse can be mounted on the firewall by the ABS controller. There is an existing ground wire in this location and I utilized the screw to mount both the fuse and relay on this ground screw.
Draw straws Install (Old School)
Now for the draw straw kit took some time and consideration. You got to ways of installing the draw straw by pulling the bed of the frame or to drop the tank. Since I've got a topper on my bed and lots of stuff in the bed of my truck it would be best to drop the tank. Here is a picture of the tank removed and I did prop it up on wood so the bottom of the tank didn't get flattened.
Now you got to drill your hole for the draw straw. I use a 1¼" I drilled it on a high spot of the tank towards the front. After a period of time has passed now I found out that the hole should be smaller like 1 1/8" hole.
Basically, now all you got to do is assemble the draw straw part and install it into the tank. But you'll find out that the straw is a bit too long and needs to be trimmed. I pushed the straw into place and measured the amount that it was sticking out of the grommet then trimmed it off. I did add some grooves to the bottom of the straw to keep it from sucking flat to the bottom.
Now I get asked a lot about how much gap to the bottom of the tank you need for the draw straw. This is an easy answer you want to place a quarter (coin) on the bottom of the tank and the tip of the draw straw should just touch that. Seem tight, right? Well think about the weight of diesel at roughly 6.6 pounds per gallon there will be 60 pounds of diesel pressing down on the tank bottom at a quarter tank so this measurement will widen with more fuel and less as the tank empties. I lightly notched the tip of the draw straw to keep if from ever sucking flat to the bottom. As for performance I've managed to run down below 1/8 tank warning light several different times now with no problems.
So now you should be complete. The Draw Straw should be all assembled and installed in the tank. So now re-install the fuel tank and hook up fuel line going to the AirDog 150.
All you need to do now is re-prime your fuel system.
My results were great. I've got awesome fuel pressure now.
