ZackN

Just got them off. My caliper bolts were torx head and bracket bolts were 12 point and looked like they had locktite on them. Just used a breaker bar with the correct 1/2 drive socket. Before I was using a 3/8 socket, then a 3/8 to 1/2 adapter to stick it on my breaker bar. The proper tool made all the difference.Thanks for the help everyone.

Yes im referring to the caliper bracket bolts. Ill try to get a different socket as I only have a 3/8 with an adapter on my breaker bar. Ill see if I can get some pictures tomorrow as well before it gets dark. Thanks guys.

I am doing a brake job, first one since owning the truck, and in order to get the rotors off the front, I need to remove the Caliper bracket correct? I was having difficulties getting those 12pt bolts loose and looked up their torque specs at 210 ft/lbs! Is that correct and does anyone have and tricks you used to get those bolts off? It feels like my socket is going to break. Thanks for the help.

hopefully these pictures work.ill try the antiseize when i get home or tomorrow afternoon.

Yes, i now understand how the compression fitting works. I am just not getting what i want to say across to well. There is an outer nut, Which squishes the tiny ring against the body creating the seal. The body then, threads on to the gauge. My compression fitting is working fine. The part that leaks is where the fitting threads onto the gauge.(RED) Green is the outer nut on the left, ring inside and the body on the right. Red is where the fitting threads on to the gauge.(LEAKS) Ill take some better pictures tomorrow with a non cell phone camera in the day light. There is an outer nut, Which squishes the tiny ring against the body creating the seal. The body then threads on to the gauge(Leak is here). Color coded. Hopefully this helps. Totally agree with you, but there is another set of threads that it leaks from. Thanks Zack

Well im glad that they are supposed to deform. I guess that makes sense.The compression fitting part works just fine, no leaks. But my leak is where the compression fitting threads on to the gauge.The threads are not sealing it and its cranked down tight.Any tips?

Allright guys i have a few more questions.Thanks for all the help so far.I am attempting to install some gauges and im having some trouble with the compression fittings.First off, it leaks were it connects to the gauge. Red arrow.Its already pretty darn tight. Can i just put some teflon tape on these threads to seal it up?I also seems to be tightening the actual compression thing wrong.Each time i do it the line gets tweaked to one side and kinked.I thought the first one leaked, so i took it off to find out that the little inner brass piece was not aligned properly and kinda smushed.This second one seems to have done the same.How tight do i need to tighten these? Is that little bras piece supposed to deform to seal it?You can see here that the line is coming out at an angle. with a gap on the left of it where it enters the compression fitting.Thanks for all the help again guys, i really appreciate it.

Did great for a few days. On firday it stumbled a little after start up. that cleared up. This morning it dies again. Tightned the overflow nut this time. Hopefully this fixes it.

Thanks for the quick reply, ill go check it out now in the parking lot while its cool. Ill report back tonight if/when i get home. - - - Updated - - - Well no leak and it started up fine. Maybe there was just some air trapped somewhere lower than the pump that allowed the pump or lines to drain. It feels great to have a running truck again, thank you everyone for all the help! Zack - - - Updated - - - Well it started again this morning then died after about a second. looked all over and didnt find any leaks. finally when i decided to bleed the air again i put my hand on the inlet to the vp44 and found fuel on my hand. i bled the air and made sure to tighten it back upbetter this time. no fuel there after a 45 min drive. it seems to only happen overnight so ill see what it does tomorrow morning.

I got everything all put backtogether yesterday and then got a call that my mother got in an accident so i had to get a trailer and go get her and her car. I was able to bleed the air from the system and then got it running.I took it for a short spin and it ran great, got the trailer and headed out.Did the 200 mile round trip with no problems. Towed great, no lack of power.This morning i went to head out for the day, it started up and ran for a short time then died.I didnt find any fuel leaks yesterday or this morning, but i was able to get it started this morning by doing the cranking and resting thing to get the air out of the high pressure lines.It drove fine here, and i suspect that it will do the same this evening when i attempt to leave home.I think i may have an air leak or some thing in the high pressure fuel lines somewhere.Is it possible that it could leak air in and drain fuel from the lines or pump after sitting all night and not leak fuel?I almost have this all back to normal, excited to get my truck back.Also i thought i read that it takes 3-4 hrs to swap out a vp44, it took me alot longer, but this was my first venture in to the fuel system.Thanks for all the help!

Thanks Mopar man, ill go get a needle valve and some air brake line today.Also my Red low pressure indicator light seems to have stopped working. Any ideas why?Too long with no pressure burning up the sensor?

Well i just finished the install of the VP44.Ill put the lift pump, and the guage on tomorrow and the bleed it all.Hopefully it works.Just in case some one else needs this...The nut on the pump shaft is 1 and 1/16 (27mm) and you can use a steering wheel puller and some bolts(M8x1.25) to get the gear off if your supplier forgot to include the puller with your parts.I do have some questions about the guage install though. I got a kit and it came with a fuel isolator. It seems like its a diphram that keeps fuel on one side and something else on the other. is it just air on the other side? It mentioned something about a 50/50 antifreeze water mixture.Also, teflon tape on the threads, can i just use the standard white stuff or do i need to get some special diesel fuel safe stuff?Thanks again for the help!Zack

Yah thats why i was running it by you guys, you seem really knowledgeable. The mechanical pump i was talking about is a mechanical lift pump. They seem like the same price as an airdog/fass ect.The two i looked up very quickly were the DTT Assassin pump and the fuel boss pump. They look like the same thing.Its just a different option to consider.

Yah, the stock lift pump will only be used until I can save up enough money for an upgraded pump.Talked with my friend who owns a shop here in town. He said to go with a pump that installs in the tank. He said that he has seen lots of the external mount pumps come in to get replaced, but never an internal tank pump after they installed one.Any ideas on this?Im considering an in the tank pump, an airdog style external mount pump and a mechanical pump.Still trying to weigh the pro's and con's of each.Might go and talk with a different shop just to see what they normally do.Thanks for all the help!Zack

Well yesterday I ordered some stuff. I got a VP44, a new stock lift pump, and a gauge set that has fuel pressure, boost pressure and EGT.The guys over at DAP are great, helpful and friendly. And you guys here are awesome! thanks for all the help, im sure that i will be around here for a while.

Yep i read through all the info there and just did all the testing tonight.I will be ordering a new VP44 tomorrow along with a new lift pump and filter.There is tons of great info out there, it just takes time to find it sometimes.Thanks all for the help, ill let you guys know what i order and when it comes in.

Awesome just checked out that thread and also looked at the DTT pump. I defiantly want to go with a mechanical pump. I want to upgrade my lift pump. But as of now im a little low on money. I think that i will just stick a stock type one on there to get it up and running. Once summer comes around and I can make some money, I plan on a few different upgrades. But for now I have a few questions. 1. Can I just grab a lift pump from a local parts supplier? Oreilly just opened up a store in town and they have a reasonable price one one. Or will this one from rockauto work just as well(or bad) as the original? 2. Which VP44 to buy? DAP seems to have good reviews from people. ($970) Blue Chip does as well ($1196) The diesel store ($995 + $95 for new lift pump and filter) Rock Auto ($1089) I really like that DAP comes with new electronics. I may call and place an order tomorrow. What do you guys think? And i found this in a different VP44 thread... My 8th digit is a 7, so it appears I have the HO truck. 3. What exactly does this mean? The High Output part?

Just to be sure, your lifting from the front axle tube right? This is ok to do and wont bend/mess anything up? I have been lifting from the pumpkin and putting a stand on one side, then from the arm and a stand on the other side.

Awesome, thanks everyone I really appreciate it. Ill do some research and report back on what I plan on doing.

Wow that was way quicker than i expected. Now i just need to figure out which parts i want, and where to buy them from. I would like to stock with stock stuff, except for maybe the low pressure pump. Thats called the lift pump right? I think that i wold like to get a new VP44, a new lift pump, and at least a fuel pressure gauge. Any other gauges you guys suggest to help monitor the health and longevity of my engine? What what can i tell from EGT? How well its running? I know that budget will be the limiting factor, but i would rather stretch my wallet a little thin and spend a little more for some better parts, rather than having to re do it later on down the road. Thanks for all the great quick help! I really appreciate it, and Mike, I like how you spell your last name! Zack - - - Updated - - - I have done 2-3 fuel filters in about 40k miles. How often should i change it? Besides when it gets dirty and nasty. So is it possible to get this code if a lifter pump fails and then cant get fuel to the pressure pump? I was hoping that might be the problem, but i opened up the filter and there was plenty of fuel in there, so that probably isnt it right? Also if i try to start it, some sort of motor or pump will run and buzz ( i can hear it) and it seems to be coming from the filter area, i can feel the motor/pump running if i hold my hand on the filter, but i dont know if there is one there. I only did this a few times most of them on accident, but the last one was to find where it was coming from and it only runs for at max 10 sec. Also, is it possible for me to rebuild my VP44 in order to save a few bucks? Thanks all for the help, i really appreciate it. Ill check back in on sunday.

First break down, and first post here. I think its awesome that there are resources like this site to help others. This is my first diesel and I love it. I have put about 40k on it the past 2 or 2.5 years. Majority Highway miles. it has about 254,000 on it now and had 213,000 a few years ago when i bought it. I really like wrenching and fixing things, but with this being my first diesel, and something new to me i am a little hesitant and nervous to do some stuff, but only because i dont really know exactly what im looking at. Well today on my way home I was passing a semi and then bam, no power(throttle) what so ever. Turned off radio, tried to restart, nothing. Put hazards on and let semi roll past and then pulled off to the side. I had a scan tool with me so i grabbed the codes out of the computer. P0253, P0252 and the dreaded P1688. Had the tow truck take me the rest of the way home. I also have a small red indicator light on my dash, cleverly hidden behind the steering wheel away from view from my vantage point in the seat. I think that its one of those low pressure indicator lights. The light would flicker occasionally, and i could only see it at night. But not really under full throttle, just at random times. After i lost power it was solid red. I do not really understand how the fuel system works, I do know that the VP44 is prone to fail, that there is a low pressure pump pushing fuel to the VP44 and that it provides high pressure to the injectors. Other than that I dont really know. ex, where is it located? I think that my VP44 may have been replaced before i got it, but im not sure how to tell. So i am pretty sure that im going to need a new high pressure pump, wether it be a VP44 or an aftermarket one. There is some info in my sig, and the rest of the truck is stock. Im not sure which model of the edge chip thing i have. it has a 3 position toggle switch. I did the crankcase vent mod and plumed it down underneath, and i have also adjusted my valves. Both of those were done not recently (not the cause of today) Any help or links to info would be greatly appreciated. I leave tomorrow early AM for some field work. No internet access, so ill check when i get home sunday evening. Did i mention this site is awesome? Thanks Zack

I think my pump just died today and i need to do the same oil seal replacement!Not especially looking forward to that VP44 purchase though.