Most miles on factory original VP injection pump?

[Wild and Free]

I think my original 02 pump bit it in the mid 20K miles range under warranty shortly after I bought it, started out by surging faintly with the cruise set and then no start when hot one day, let it cool and it got me to the dealer with dead pedal syndrome. Ran that one until the HP bug got me and swapped it for a HRVP44 from II. sold the stocker and I put about 100K on the II pump and it was going strong when I sold it at 155K miles.

[TFaoro]

Ok, I need to jump in here. Chip is very much alive at Blue Chip just retired and not on the phone as much as he was. You can still reach him by calling and selecting option #8. This news is from Tom at Blue Chip Diesel and he quoted this from Chip,         “Chip had said many times that the operating environment has EVERYTHING to do with life expectancy of a VP44. Long time of no use, long idle periods, and start stop start stop are all bad.”        I also have a Premium Special x VP44 pump that is now 2 years old. I made several calls to Chip with no issues at all. He did all that he could to explain the function and installment and believe it or not I can read and did read all the info for installation but still had some questions it being my first one. I understand what you are saying as well going through 5 pumps, two of which are Blue Chip before an Industrial Injection VP44 worked. What was wrong with the other 3 pumps that failed and what did you do different before or after the Industrial Injection pump was installed. I would like to have all of the facts before I start running someone in the ground (other posts). It’s obvious that Blue Chip (Chip Fisher) isnot popular among some of the members mostly because of price. I didn’t buy a Blue Chip to spend a lot of money but at the time 2 ½ years ago Chip Fisher was the only vendor I found that sold a VP44 with a new computer and that’s what I was looking for. A few weeks ago, I noticed that Industrial Injection (?) now sells a VP44 with a new computer and that equates to ZERO heat cycles. The first thing I was told on a Forum is I screwed up buying a pump with advanced timing and maybe I did because I can’t use a tuner with timing but according to Chip “you can always add more timing if needed” now I don’t fully understand the timing issues or how many degrees timing will advance on a Cummins 24 valve diesel engine but I am learning, a good recommendation on a Factory Service/Repair Manual would be a great help. One last comment, Chip does have a ton of information available for anyone who needs it along with other vendors who share presentations, videos, and written documentation to educate the public when working on their own vehicles, for that I would personally like to say Thank you, keep up the great work.

Okay I'll spell out all the facts so nothing gets twisted.

I bought the truck in April of 2013. Records proved the owner had replaced the original injection pump at 130k with remanufactured unit. The owner had also installed a junk lift pump with a regulator.

I brought the truck home in May 2013 and replaced the Lift pump with a fass 95gph hpfp. At the same time I also installed boost, pyrometer, and fuel pressure gauges.

In September 2013 the injection pump locked up without warning. I wasn't surprised because of the junk lift pump when I got it.

The truck sat until December 2013 when I decided to buy a Blue Chip "upgraded" pump. At the time I thought more $ meant better.

I installed the pump exactly how the Blue Chip site says to. The truck ran GREAT for 4.75miles. Yes I know the exact distance. It then threw a p0216 internal timing failure fault code. I checked over the install, cleared the codes and tried running it again. Once again it threw the code.

I called Blue Chip and told them what happened. He said Ok I'll send you another pump and you need to send that one back. 

The new pump shows up and I installed it exactly how I did the last one. After about a week the truck began to white smoke.... a haze all the time except when in the throttle. Didn't matter if the engine was warm or cold.

This is where it got bad. I called Blue Chip and told him what was going on. He told me I had debris in my tank or something that could be hurting the pump. I said fine, replaced the filter, took the bed off, and pulled the sending unit out. It was the still spotless from when I installed the Fass system.

I called Blue Chip and left multiple messages telling him what was going on. He didn't return my phone calls. After calling him 15-20+ times in a week I finally got a hold of him using my dad's phone. I'm not sure if he was ignoring my calls/ messages or what. When I did talk to him he kept saying it must be my truck not the pumps.

At this point I was fed up and done with them. I told them I wanted my money back and a core pump back so that I could make a purchase elsewhere. They were reluctant but finally agreed. I sent their pump out and they sent me a core pump. Then 3-4 weeks later I get a check for $50+ LESS than what I paid for the pump. So I ended up paying shipping to send their junk back to them AND had to pay for them to send me a core. 

When your pump screws up and I end up paying over $100 in shipping just to get back to square 1 I'm pretty pissed. I told them I would never send anyone their way and would do everything in my power to make sure no one buys their pump and goes through the experience I did. 

I immediately ordered an injection pump from Industrial Injection. I followed Blue Chip's installation instructions again, and the pump has been flawless since. I even sent the pump off this Christmas (pump was 1 year old) to Industrial Injection to be tested. It tested flawless.

 

Now through this whole ordeal I attempted to talk to Chip but DOUG would not let me. Every time I told him I wanted to talk to Chip he would tell me that he could help with whatever I needed. I really hope no one has to go through the crap I did with this company. Imagine buying your dream truck and driving it for less than 6 months before having this fiasco happen. It really made me want to sell the truck.

Shortly after I found this site and have been steered toward good advice and good vendors. I am not out to get Chip.... Doug on the other hand I have zero respect for. 

[JAG1]

Tyler, thanks for clarifying the situation with Blue Chip Diesel. Loosing $100 to find out it's not worth the effort dealing with a certain company is one thing, but having to change the pump 3 times to get one good one on top of it, well, that lost hundred would feel like a kick in the face, would get my goat. I think it is chicken crap they kept your hundred after all the work you did.

[TFaoro]

Tyler, thanks for clarifying the situation with Blue Chip Diesel. Loosing $100 to find out it's not worth the effort dealing with a certain company is one thing, but having to change the pump 3 times to get one good one on top of it, well, that lost hundred would feel like a kick in the face, would get my goat. I think it is chicken crap they kept your hundred after all the work you did.

You're welcome. It was a big kick to the teeth for me. I don't mind working on things.... I was 19 at the time though and going into my sophomore year of college. The money meant more to me than the labor. Now if a shop and to do all the work I might have been looking at hundreds maybe even close to $1k more after changing the pump three times and removing / installing the bed. I was lucky to stumble over here where there's always great advice from experienced guys!

[IBMobile]

. The money meant more to me than the labor.

I would have been flaming PO'd. Your labor is time that you'll never get back. How many hours of your life was wasted on that problem ?

[Wild and Free]

I would have been flaming PO'd. Your labor is time that you'll never get back. How many hours of your life was wasted on that problem ?

I agree totally with this statement, so many people put no value on their time when it comes to personal things but I do when it comes to things like this as it could have been time spent enjoying other things in life rather than stewing over it.

[Greenlee]

Paul you read this wrong... I'm not the one who went thru so many VP's. I just complained about Blue Chip Diesel in the customer mistreatment department based on What TFaoro said.

But, I do understand what yer saying.... I should not bad mouth somebody not knowing all the facts. You are absolutely right. I apologize to everyone concerned esp. Blue Chip Diesel.

Let me apologize as well, I understand it was TFaoro and the only reason I responded to the post was to clear up the issue of Chip Fisher passing away posted by JAG1. I am disturbed by the actions of Blue Chip Diesel and the treatment of a customer, which happens to be TFaoro, and the 2 pumps he went through. Doesn’t add up that Blue Chip Diesel would react like this especially having such a huge customer base. All it takes is one bad report to show up on a Forum or two and that little bit of doubt sets in like concrete. It is none of my business what happened between TFaoro and Blue Chip but we all sign on to this Forum seeking or giving advice on our trucks. We praise the vendors that go the extra mile to help us and we do not forget the ones that we had bad dealings with. The message gets out. As I said in my first post, Blue Chip Diesel has put a lot of good information free to the public. Blue Chip as all vendors have bad days occasionally but I would say you get what you pay for with any of them. I still appreciate all the advice and encouragement passed along to me from Chip Fisher; in addition, I need to thank Michael Nelson and the members of this Forum for bringing me on board. The Forum advice not only made it easier to work on my Cummins, it gave me confidence and determination to do my best. You can see the good in anyone if you look hard enough and that’s what this Forum does, looks for the good.

[Greenlee]

Okay I'll spell out all the facts so nothing gets twisted.

I bought the truck in April of 2013. Records proved the owner had replaced the original injection pump at 130k with remanufactured unit. The owner had also installed a junk lift pump with a regulator.

I brought the truck home in May 2013 and replaced the Lift pump with a fass 95gph hpfp. At the same time I also installed boost, pyrometer, and fuel pressure gauges.

In September 2013 the injection pump locked up without warning. I wasn't surprised because of the junk lift pump when I got it.

The truck sat until December 2013 when I decided to buy a Blue Chip "upgraded" pump. At the time I thought more $ meant better.

I installed the pump exactly how the Blue Chip site says to. The truck ran GREAT for 4.75miles. Yes I know the exact distance. It then threw a p0216 internal timing failure fault code. I checked over the install, cleared the codes and tried running it again. Once again it threw the code.

I called Blue Chip and told them what happened. He said Ok I'll send you another pump and you need to send that one back. 

The new pump shows up and I installed it exactly how I did the last one. After about a week the truck began to white smoke.... a haze all the time except when in the throttle. Didn't matter if the engine was warm or cold.

This is where it got bad. I called Blue Chip and told him what was going on. He told me I had debris in my tank or something that could be hurting the pump. I said fine, replaced the filter, took the bed off, and pulled the sending unit out. It was the still spotless from when I installed the Fass system.

I called Blue Chip and left multiple messages telling him what was going on. He didn't return my phone calls. After calling him 15-20+ times in a week I finally got a hold of him using my dad's phone. I'm not sure if he was ignoring my calls/ messages or what. When I did talk to him he kept saying it must be my truck not the pumps.

At this point I was fed up and done with them. I told them I wanted my money back and a core pump back so that I could make a purchase elsewhere. They were reluctant but finally agreed. I sent their pump out and they sent me a core pump. Then 3-4 weeks later I get a check for $50+ LESS than what I paid for the pump. So I ended up paying shipping to send their junk back to them AND had to pay for them to send me a core. 

When your pump screws up and I end up paying over $100 in shipping just to get back to square 1 I'm pretty pissed. I told them I would never send anyone their way and would do everything in my power to make sure no one buys their pump and goes through the experience I did. 

I immediately ordered an injection pump from Industrial Injection. I followed Blue Chip's installation instructions again, and the pump has been flawless since. I even sent the pump off this Christmas (pump was 1 year old) to Industrial Injection to be tested. It tested flawless.

 

Now through this whole ordeal I attempted to talk to Chip but DOUG would not let me. Every time I told him I wanted to talk to Chip he would tell me that he could help with whatever I needed. I really hope no one has to go through the crap I did with this company. Imagine buying your dream truck and driving it for less than 6 months before having this fiasco happen. It really made me want to sell the truck.

Shortly after I found this site and have been steered toward good advice and good vendors. I am not out to get Chip.... Doug on the other hand I have zero respect for. 

Tyler, I did not see your post until now. I am sorry you had to go through all of this with Doug at Blue Chip. I understand completely why you would be angry after reading the rest of the story. No excuses for being treated like you were. After reading this incident from you, I can no longer support any product that Blue Chip Diesel sells. What they did to you as a customer does not fly with me and ripping you off on shipping can be simply put, Blue Chip Stole Your Money. That is the only way I can look at this. I apologize to you and the Forum for anything I said that was offensive to anyone. I made a big mistake thinking Blue Chip Diesel was on the up and up.

 

Paul Greenlee

[AGPTurbo]

Mine had one at 102k. Lift pimp died and was changed the week before the vp died and was changed. All on the PO'S dime.

[dorkweed]

Mean Green;  my old '99, had almost 170,000 on the OEM VP before the folks sold her.

[TFaoro]

Tyler, I did not see your post until now. I am sorry you had to go through all of this with Doug at Blue Chip. I understand completely why you would be angry after reading the rest of the story. No excuses for being treated like you were. After reading this incident from you, I can no longer support any product that Blue Chip Diesel sells. What they did to you as a customer does not fly with me and ripping you off on shipping can be simply put, Blue Chip Stole Your Money. That is the only way I can look at this. I apologize to you and the Forum for anything I said that was offensive to anyone. I made a big mistake thinking Blue Chip Diesel was on the up and up.

 

Paul Greenlee

No worries or hard feelings here! I just don't want someone else to go through that. If Chip himself were the one running things I too believe it may have been a different outcome, but Doug was the only one I dealt with. We all live and learn.... I still recommend Blue Chip's diagnosing procedures to everyone, I just strongly urge people to stay away from their pumps.

- Tyler

[Dave3500]

I started getting the 0216 code in 2008 w 164K when I bought her, now she has 207K w the same pump. Put in an Air Dog Raptor & FP gauge. The worst issue for me has been the 47RE 4th gear hunt & now locking up a NV5600. Once I get that sorted out the VP44 will finally go.

 

Just my luck,

Dave

[GSP7]

had 135k on my orig

[bearcat]

I bought my truck with 70K on it. What would I look for to indicate if it's the original pump? There was a "void if removed" sticker on it.

[Mopar1973Man]

I'm only 5k away from 200k on this pump.

 

Rollin' Rollin' keep those pumps a rollin'...

[Wild and Free]

I'm only 5k away from 200k on this pump.

 

Rollin' Rollin' keep those pumps a rollin'...

Its scorched earth ahead of you now, you know that don't you?  You just jinxed it for sure...................  

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

lmao^^^^^^

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

So mike where did you get your current pump from again? and did it have a new board or used?

[Mopar1973Man]

"Dealer Warranty" back in 2004 at 50k miles. Before then it was "Dealer Warranty" lift pump at 48k miles. So unknown of the source or if it was a new pump or what. Still going strong. Even if it died today just short of 200k miles I still would not cry. 11 years and 195k miles (current stats) I'm very satisfied with the out come.

[bearcat]

Had my local Dodge dealer run my VIN to make sure mine wasn't replaced under warranty before I owned it. 265K and counting. Do I win anything?