georgels1

What a roller coaster! I was about to give up and pull the VP44, but I gave it one more crank. I got fuel at three injectors and so I tightened them up and cranked it ..../.boomm it started. The alternator immediately started billowing smoke....panic...... but it cleaned up shortly and appears to be charging and cycling OK. Still not sure about the original reason it stopped on the freeway, but logic dictates it must of run out of fuel...=> bad fuel sender sensor.....or weak lift pump How about this theory: The coolant reservoir overflowed and spilled into the alternator. This caused a major fault in the main computer which immediately shutdown the lift pump and VP44. I had just flushed and attempted to refilled the radiator but it did not seem to take much. Driving out my driveway, temperature gauge hit 220F almost immediatly. I stopped and popped the radiator cap (w/big rag) and radiator was cold...but needed alot more coolant. I then headed down the freeway and the temperature gauge came to ~180 as it normally does....but it may have been ejecting excess coolant from the reservoir. Shrug Lessons learned: 1) You really have to crank the engine alot to re-prime the fuel injection pump. Be careful not to burn up the starter! 2)I was told alot of fuel would come out the high pressure lines if the VP44 was primed and working properly. Also I was told if the VP44 was bad, I would get no fuel or a dribble out of one high pressure line. NOT THE CASE! I got no fuel for about three ~20 second cranking attempts. I then got a dribble out one injector after two more 20 second cranking attempts. Finally, I got a dribble out of three injector lines on the seventh 20 second cranking attempt. It then started, ran rough, cleared up and idled after a minute or so. Starts fine now. Good thing I have bigass batteries (Yellowtop optima) and a good charger for all that cranking I'm going to replace lift pump just in case it was somehow the problem all along. VP44 appears to be fine, so I'm not sure the weak lift pump logic applies. Now its back to the original cooling problem....thanks for all the help!!

sorry for the delay! I added yet another 5 gallons of fuel and the guage is reading 1/4 and the fuel light went off. If you all recall, the engine stopped suddenly going down the freeway with about 1/8 tank of fuel and the fuel low indicator had just come on. I had flushed the radiator 1 hour earlier. I checked all the electrical (ground and positive posts, relays, fuses) and I confirmed that I had ground and 12volts on pin 6 and 7 respectively of the VP44 electrical connector during "on" and "start". Did not have 12 volts on pin 5, hence, appears signals to VP44 are normal. Still have only P1693 general fault code , but the check engine indicator finally came on. I was told by several sources that I needed a DRBIII scan tool to get the secondary codes, but I don't have one. Fuel pressure is strong at the VP44 supply port (at least it squirted out strong to every nook and cranny of the engine compartment when I loosened the banjo to bleed air out of the lines). Napa lift pump is only 3 years old. Loosened high pressure lines 1,3,4,5 at the injector and cranked for about 30 seconds several times. Got only a dribble out of line 4. Looks like I need to replace the VP44 unless you guys can think of anything else!

I had a generic fault 1693 (key off and on) but I don't have scan tool for secondary codes....does anyone have a inexpensive scan tool recommendation? Also, coolant temperature read normal (~180F) while driving on the freeway unloaded just before shutdown. Cooling problem occured only under load or real hot day >100F. I flushed the radiator, had a brief circulation (air lock) problem, and then cooling system appeared to be operating normally for about ten minutes before the complete shutdown. Fuel tank was low (1/8) Fuel low indicator had just come on. Computer indicated 70 more miles of fuel. I have never had a fault with computer fuel estimate or fuel gauge but I suppose it "could" have run out of fuel. More fuel and prime the injection pump will be first step when I get home from work tonight (in my rental car:cry:) but I think it is more serious. I did a quick check loosening the fuel filter and I'm getting "good" pressure but I did not install a gauge. NAPA Lift pump is "only" 3 years old....Iknow:badidea:

Can the main computer shut down the Bosch VP44 if there is a cooling problem or temp sensor error? I have been having cooling problems on hot days and under load. After flushing radiator, the engine ran normally for 5 minutes down the freeway and then suddenly stopped and wouldn't start. (as if it ran out of fuel) . Fuel pressure from lift pump is OK. Fuel to the injection pump inlet OK but nothing at the injectors. There was no missing, no smoke, no roughness, good 23 mpg, just before shutdown. Coolant temp was normal. It seems odd that the VP44 would fail after I was working on the coolant system. Is there an internal fuel shutoff solenoid inside the VP44? Any insight would be appreciated!