tylerkck

Draining it back to the oil pan is great, but it adds contaminates to the oil. It's not just vaporized oil, it's blow-by from the piston rings. If I was on a 3k or even 5k oil change interval I would probably do the same thing, but I've got an amsoil dual filtration and run synthetic... I change every 20-25k miles. I have some concerns with the using an evac kit. As far as I can see these are used mainly on naturally aspirated american V8 motors.... how will it behave on a turbo diesel? The stock setup, moparman's setup, catch cans, etc. allow the crankcase to operate near atmospheric pressure and never allow any significant positive pressure. Will there be conditions where the exhaust/slash-cut pipe don't pull a vacuum, check valve closes, and pressure is allowed to build in crankcase? Maybe the check valve is only for adverse conditions like a muffler or catylitic converter getting plugged. I need to do some research, but I believe the vacuum will increase with increasing flow velocity in the exhaust pipe and decrease with increasing pressure in the exhaust pipe. I'd like to hook my digital manometer up to the exhaust at different points, maybe even a pitot tube to see what the velocity and pressure is in exhaust at idle, part throttle, full throttle, under load, etc. and coorelate it to the vacuum that could be produced. If my assumptions are correct then the most vacuum would be acheived by inserting the slash-cut pipe into the exhaust a far downstream as reasonably possible... That means a long run from the crankcase breather to the slash-cut pipe, this raises concerns with the vapor condensing out on route (insulating could be a simple solution), then you have liquid (combustable?) pouring into the exhaust system. Ugh, why does it always seem like when I look for answers I get more questions!?

I like the evacuation kits because you don't have a catch can to forget to drain/overflow on your driveway. And keep in mind the vapors from that catch can go somewhere, wherever they go they'll gunk it up..... unless it's out with the exhaust or some how otherwise routed away from any cool surfaces. The evac kits pull a slight vacuum on the crankcase. Running a crankcase under vacuum has benefits of it's own. I'm not sure how much of a vacuum the evac kits produce, but the rule of thumb max is about -14 in Hg.... I don't think the evac kits come close to that, so I bet these benefits are barely worth the note. There are a lot of options for catch cans..... jegs, summit, morosso, etc. Or make your own. If I went the catch can route I'd want a level sight/gauge. http://www.aaronreedbaker.com/oil.html http://www.42draftdesigns.com/categories/products/catchcans.html http://www.teammfactory.com/oil-catch-can http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&Ntk=all&Jnar=0&Ne=1%2B2%2B3%2B13%2B1147708&searchTerm=breather+tank

My 2002 HO cummins had a catch can off the oil breather on the front of the engine. I was sick of forgetting to empty it, then dripping all over my driveway, or spilling when changing. I just extending the hose down past my axle. It coated everything down stream of it with crud, but it seemed to work (only dripped a little). Last summer I nearly overheated when towing and I'm blaming the problem on oil vapor getting sucked into the radiator (I read this happens with the stock setup). I've looked at the different options available to get rid of the crankcase vapor and I want to try an evacuation system. I like this because the vapors stay vapors and exit with the exhaust, no drip, no catch can to drain. Also, the vacuum on the crankcase increases with load/rpm. Crankcase Evacuation.docx

I just wanted to leave my 2 bits here on what I've experienced. We had a big engine that blew an injector o-ring and it was pumping fuel into the cooling system which displaced the water out the over-flow. The more fuel that accumulated in the cooling system the hotter the engine ran regardless of the cool temps we were operating. This proved to us that diesel fuel has very poor heat transfer qualities. This gives me little confidence in the ability of higher fuel flow being able to cool the IP. Just my and I stand to be corrected.

I just wanted to give those interested a shout.... I got the Edge module fixed (trans temp now reads out), I installed the trans temp sensor in the fuel line a couple feet before it enters the IP. I'm seeing that the IP temp reads 15-40F higher (preliminary findings!!!) than the sensor output. I will also put the sensor on the IP return. Again, I'm mainly doing all this to determine if I want to run SVO and what I can do to insure a successful reliable conversion. Unfortunately, I didn't get this work done before cold weather got here; temps while running and after shutdown with hot ambient temps are crucial, so I wont be able to draw any real conclusions until summer hits. --- Update to the previous post... Has anyone verified that running higher fuel pressure to the IP gives more fuel return to the tank? Has anyone verified that more fuel return equals more IP cooling?

According to BlueChip, Bosch came out with a more resilient computer for the VP44. I wanted to find out if I had this model. I guess the part numbers are the same and the only way to know for sure is to take the IP apart. The upgraded computers have a larger heat sink that protrudes down into the inlet cavity more. Chip isn't sure if Bosch made other improvements to the computer. I'd like to run some shadetree tests using the fuel temp as given by the VP44's sensor and the actual fuel temp. I want to draw coorelations between inlet fuel temp, return fuel temp and VP44 fuel temp while running and after shutdown. I might test some cooling ideas too. The transmission temp sensor from my Edge Juice Attitude module is good, I guess becuase it read 0 deg F instead of 7 F.....Edge wants me to send in the module for service at $99 to fix it. I hate dealing with electrical type problems, but I'd like to troubleshoot it, anyone know how to check the wiring of these sensors?- is there supposed to be 12V going to the sensor? What about those trouble shooting LED lights on the Edge module, will they tell me something?

SOB! I just spen 1/2 hour replying, hit submit, asked me to log in again, my reply is gone! I'll reply later. Thank you so much ISX, that is exactly what I needed!....why don't I feel releived?

I’m not sure if this should be a separate Thread, but…. My stock LP and consequently my stock IP failed at about 57,000 miles (’06-’07?). The IP and LP were replaced under warranty. Soon after, I dropped the tank, removed the replacement LP, and installed the AirDog. I have had no problems since, now with +130,000 miles. I’m doing this VP44 cooling research because I’m considering converting my truck to run on straight vegetable oil (SVO). The viscosity of VO is too high at ambient temps and must be heated to thin it down to that of diesel. Trying to remove heat from the IP isn’t going to happen with hot fuel, 160F up to +190F. First I want to say that I have found only 2 guys that run SVO thru a 1998.5-2002 Dodge Cummins with “success”. I’m communicating with one of them (cumminscanuk on burnveg.com). He lives in central BC with cooler ambient temps, his waste vegetable oil processing seems to be up to par as well as his truck’s conversion set up. He has a ‘98.5 and has only been running SVO for 2 years, about 17,000 miles, with no problems, no error codes, all good. The other guy I heard about thru the grapevine, supposedly he has been running it thru his VP44 Dodge for about 5 years and had to replace the IP once at some point, maybe at 4 years. Needless to say, running SVO on this type of truck is risky business. Does anyone else have experience with running SVO thru VP44’s or know someone they can put me in contact with? I’ve dreamed up some other IP cooling schemes that don’t use fuel to cool, but before I put any more effort that way I need to try to find answers to a couple of SVO/VP44 hang-ups. The VP44 has a temperature sensor integral to it. My Edge Juice with Attitude can display this temperature, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen it higher than 120F. Edge calls it the fuel temp. I read in my factory service manual (FSM) that if the fuel temperature gets too hot an error code (P0168 or P1180) will be logged and the truck will be derated.--Does anyone know what that temperature is?- it can’t be 120F, because I’ve never seen the codes. Does anyone know if this was a safety feature added to later trucks?- say from 2000 and on? If someone has a FSM for an earlier truck (1998.5 would be best), we could compare the error codes given in your section 25 to my 2002 FSM. MoparMan, I checked your section 25 (2000 year, right?) that you posted and there are some differences but the P0168 and P1180 codes are listed there. Also I read somewhere on the internet that the maximum fuel inlet temperature Bosche allows for VP44’s is 158F, beyond which diesel fuel loses too much lubricity. I also read that the max was 98F, beyond which not enough cooling is provided to the IP by the fuel.

Thanks guys for the links, very helpful. See attached. I initially thought the cavity under the computer/heat sink held the supply and return ports. Only the fuel inlet is connected to the cavity. The fuel enters this cavity makes direct contact with the computer heat sink and is forced thru the orifice (as shown in the 5th picture) to the vane pump and to....take a look at the diagram. BlueChip has said that the majority of failed VP44s is due to failed computers (at least with the later versions). The computers fail because they get too hot and/or because of heat cycling, in particular the lead-free solder connections are weakened by this. Chip noticed (I don’t know how) that the temperature gets the hottest right after shutdown….makes sense, because no more fuel is flowing thru the pump for cooling….when the IP is not turning no fuel will pass thru it. Chip is currently working on two things to remedy this; one modification will allow fuel to flow thru the pump (just the heat sink cavity) even when the IP is not turning, the other will allow the lift pump (LP) to continue pumping (and circulate fuel thru the cavity) after the engine is shutdown until the pump is “cool enough”. Chip has tested different solutions to this problem in the past. He’s spent over $10k trying to move the computer, but electrical interference put that solution to rest. He machined and bolted another heatsink to the top of the computer, actually I think he machined a whole new cover with integral heat sink….said the temps underhood are too high to do any good. I''m not clear on how or where he measures pump temps to test his solutions. I asked Chip if the current solutions he’s working on include adding another outlet port to the cavity, but he stopped me there with proprietary. I believe that is a good solution, especially if you can add the port to the opposite side of the cavity….if it is feasible given the layout of the IP. I’m thinking you would attach a regulator on this added outlet port and maintain the cavity to say 17psi and use a higher flowing LP. I have an AirDog LP/filter assembly, I believe rated at 95 gph with big feed line, stock return line, not sure if I got a different pick-up. As it runs now, most of the LP flow is returned to the tank right from the pump exit, the fuel returned from the IP and injectors shouldn’t have change much, if at all, with the addition of the AirDog. Adding an outlet port with regulator to the cavity would allow much more of the LP flow to actually go to and cool the IP computer. VP44 pics2.doc

See attached file. I'm trying to figure out the path of the fuel flow within the VP44 injection pump (IP). I'm interested in the slight possibility of additional cooling for the IP. Does anyone have any other pics or drawings or diagrams they can upload? I've done a bit of research on forums and I've talked to BlueChip at lengths. The VP44's computer sits on top of a heatsink or is integral to it, this is bolted to the IP housing, and the diesel fuel passing under the heatsink cools the computer. There is a vane pump at the inlet of the VP44. The "ww.chinahanji.com" drawing is helpful. I'm thinking the area directly beneath the computer, adjacent to the inlet and outlet ports is a cavity and inlet to the vane pump. The fuel enters the cavity thru the inlet port, the cavity is pressurized to 14 psi via overflow valve (or pressure release/check valve, whatever you want to call it) that is integral to outlet banjo bolt. A portion of the fuel is taken from the cavity by the vane pump and fed to the high pressure rotary section of the IP, the rest is returned to the tank thru the overflow valve. This flow of fuel, most of which is returned to the tank is what cools the computer. Does anyone know what the bottom the computer/heatsink looks like?- is it finned or flat? The smaller cavity that the heatsink/computer also covers is shown with what looks like a wire ribbon passing thru and has a seperate gasket. Does anyone know if this is also filled with fuel? Please, are there any VP44 guru's out there that can correct me? VP44 pics1.doc

I'm considering taking out the silencer. I like hearing the turbo build boost, but will I hear a whistle while cruising?- low speed? highway speed?