FlatTwin

Nick, Have heard this. As long as its a good pump could care who does it as long as they stand by the warranty. The last guy I bought the pump from did not stand behind what he agreed to and I will probably be taking him to small claims court over it. Thx, FT

Also looking at other VP sellers on the internet, and several offer a better warranty. That plus the reputation of Blue Chip (in the old days) was the reason I was looking at them. Throughbred offers an 18 month warranty on their Plus model... http://www.thoroughbreddiesel.com/vp44-pump.htm?gclid=CP2xi_jBvsICFZSEfgodaqkAGQ Then "The Diesel Store" gives a 2 year warranty on some of their pumps. http://thedieselstore.com/replacement-parts/fuel-injection-pumps-146/dodge-cummins.html Am just really tired of swapping out VP's and losing the $1000 and 5-6 hours of my time every year or so... Thx, FT

Thats one must for me now, I refuse to buy any pump that does not have a new computer board on the puppy. Will check and get back to you guys...

Thanks and guess its time to O/H the alternator then!

So you guys would go with CPP over Blue Chip? Only real reason I would go with BC is that they have a 2 year warranty on the better pumps... Every pump that is showing on CPP has only a one year warranty and I am getting really tired of changing pumps... Thx, FT

Thanks so whats my next step with this P1698 code for the last several months... its not the relay, its not the Cam Sensor...

So you think that this could be the problem? This video is the second time I ran it up and the first time it got up to .09 or so. Thats close enough to 1.0 to make me wonder... and a bit concerned. If this could be an issue, especially losing VP's, then its cheap insurance to pull off and get it overhauled and make sure it has new diodes included. Usually when a diode goes you can see some change in the voltage but I did not buy the truck new so it could have been this way for a long time. Thx, FT

And here is the gauge cluster test on YouTube...

Ok here it is on YouTube....

Where would you suggest? Did not know that about Photobucket... Or could email them directly to you?

Will, I took the old "clamp style" battery terminals off and swedged on new marine style ends on the battery cables. Before the voltage sat in the 12's even at idle and once the alternator came up on speed the voltage would come up but not now. Now its immediate full voltage (I have a digital volt gauge) and once the engine is running, even at idle, its 13;7 volts with the better terminals, so you might look into giving that a try. Your being up in Missoula (I used to live in Helena) and you really need good power to get going up in the mountains in Winter. This is what they look like: http://s876.photobucket.com/user/joeaksa1/media/Dodgemainbatteryconnections_zps3b499a0b.jpg.html FT

Mike, Here is a video of the gauge cluster test. Everything seems to be working fine... http://s876.photobucket.com/user/joeaksa1/media/Dodge%20gauge%20cluster%20test_zpsjicthhiy.mp4.html Thx, FT

Mike, I checked and all the cables and leads appear to be fine, Photo below. Also I could not find a ground from the VP but then I have the Edge w/Attitude and there is a ground from the battery into the Edge module. It as well appears to be fine. Here is the main battery and the second one looks just the same but with less cables. http://s876.photobucket.com/user/joeaksa1/media/Dodgemainbatteryconnections_zps3b499a0b.jpg.html Thx, FT

Also, forgot to mention I did check the relay and it appears to be fine. Swapped another one and no change but just in case I bought a new one and tried it as well, all with no change. Thx, FT

Tom, Here is a video of my readings. http://s876.photobucket.com/user/joeaksa1/media/Dodge%20alternator%20AC%20reading_zpstkdxwj9a.mp4.html Thx, FT

Mike, Thanks much for all this. Questions.... Is there anohter relay in the PDC that I could swap out for the fuel pump relay and test? Or is it better to just get another one at the parts place? My fuel pressures are always spot on and great (17-19psi) and rock solid. Both batteries were swapped out with new units two months ago (I always change them in sets) and several months before that I put all new battery cables and marine style (bolt on) terminal ends. Sitting voltage went up to over 12v then when I start the truck it immediately goes to 13.7 minimum where in the old days I had to get the engine off of idle to see a good voltage raise. Ground and power cables are both excellent and should not be an issue there. Now if there is a separate ground or power wire from the VP or VP harness please let me know and can go back and confirm that its in good condition. As far as the AC "noise" from the generator I really do not have any way to check that. I have simple VOM's around and am pretty handy but not an electronic whiz... I work on airplanes and they for the most part are 1930's tech. JAG, My issue is reliability with the truck. It had nothing on it when I bought it and I did not know about the VP and fuel pressure issue. Drove it until it started hiccuping and then did some research. Put a Raptor 100 on the truck along with a Edge w/Attitude so that now I had a gauge. Course the VP puked anyways but that was not its fault... Then put a freshly overhauled VP on it from DAP in Utah and it lasted 13 months. As usual the guys up there would not even return my phone calls so never buying anything from them again. Then the first Raptor pump died and was replaced under warranty... then the second one died and they gave me a good deal on a AD 165 which so far has worked wonderfully. Then this summer the VP that I got from Conestoga Diesel in PA after a recomendation from an old friend. He said that he would stand by his products "even if it died in the 13th or 14th month" .... Well it died two weeks after the 1 year warranty time hit and his reply was "your warranty is out, nothing I can do" .... So you might now get the idea why I am a bit pissed off at pretty much anyone associated with VP's and this system... And if it would help I know of a couple of cute 30 year old ladies that I might send up to Idaho to keep Mike warm for a while but guessing that his wife or lady friend might not agree! Thanks guys! FT

Mike, Other than the three (oil pressure, water temp and tach) gauges that die when the CCD error light comes on, no, they all appear to be working great. Thx, Joe

Great info guys, I am running a stock engine with the exception of the updated injectors and the Edge controller, so an extra 10 hp is not a big deal. Truthfully am getting tired of this VP throwing codes and looking for something reliable... Thanks much! FT

Ed, Thanks very much. Had heard that the auto tranny pumps had electric stuff going to the transmission but was hoping that the manual gearbox would work with any. Is there any big difference in the SO versus HO pumps as far as power? Thx, FT

Mike, Thanks and I just finished looking at the thread. It hits on all the high points that have me so frustrated. Two VP's changed already and I have little faith in this one not stranding me somewhere. Am really leaning towards taking the truck to a good Diesel shop I know of around here and just handing it to them. If they can find the P1689 fault and fix it for under $500-1000 then lets do it otherwise really leaning towards trading the damm thing in on something newer, at least a common rail version Cummins... I am two years away from retiring and cannot continue to shovel VP's and $$$ into this truck. Need something reliable... Thx, FT

Hawk, Sorry its been throwing a P1698 code for months now but the "check engine" light has stayed on this long. so did not associate it with that. Thx, FT " P1689 No Communication Between ECM And VP44 "

Do you mean to have someone work on it or a place to trade the truck in? Thx, FT

Ok all, as I may be in the market for another VP, what are the differences in the VP pumps? I have a 6 speed manual truck. Will any other pumps fit on this engine? I keep hearing that the automatic transmission pumps are different, then there is a SO and HO pump/engine. Truthfully am almost out of $$ to spend on this truck and hoping to find a used pump off of a wrecked truck, and need to know what would work and not. Thx, FT

Sure glad I read this thread. Am looking at another possible VP failure and was always told that the Blue Chip pumps and stuff were the best you could get. Course for $2000 in some cases they should be but they were the only ones I could find with a 2 year warranty as well... So who's next on the list that we can trust? Jamie at CPP?

Sorry for the delay, I travel for a living and work keeps getting in the way. In my case it was throwing codes (at one time P0216, and P1698) and at one time smoking both heavy black then for a bit white smoke. The combination of these is leading me to feel that I have another VP going South. Would love to have someone tell me otherwise as now I am concerned that its reliable or not. Driving performance 99% of the time is excellent, starts and runs like it always has. Now the smoke is gone and only smokes just a bit when I get on it... As well recently its "burped" while driving several times.... engine stops or power stops for a second or two then starts right back up again. After reading some of the other posts on this BBS disconnected the Edge w/Attitude and it did exactly the same but this time showing code of P0237. Now several months on its still throwing the P1689 code all the time and three gauges (water temp, oil pressure and the tach) stop working and the CCD error overhead pops up. Sometimes it does this for a bit then comes back, then sometimes all day long these three or two out of the three do this. Then in another thread someone mentioned that as I have been getting the CCD error code in the overhead display that my Cam positioning sensor was bad,. Ok so I spend the 4 wonderful fun filled hours changing this puppy (trust me, with the injection pump on its not fun) and guess what? Absolutely no change after $60 bucks and 4 hours wasted... Guys, I do not have the equipment above to measure electronics that you guys do, so no idea on if this is part of the issue. My voltage is rock steady (with new batteries) at 13.7 to 14.1 depending on the load and outside temp. I have a digital read-out for the voltage and its rock solid... With half of the gauges not working much of the time, the P1689 code most of the time and concerns about the VP being reliable... I have to admit that I have seriously thought about getting rid of the truck. Anyone have any other suggestions? Thx, FT