| dodge Cummins parts
A part from the clatter of combustion and the smell of the exhaust, one of the reasons we love diesel trucks is their reputation for reliability. It seems like the harder you work them, the happier they are. And when gasoline engines are giving up the ghost after 100,000 miles, diesel engines are just getting started. But no engine system is infallible, and in the case of many Dodge Cummins models, the Achilles' heel is often the fuel-lift pump.
What a Lift Pump DoesEvery diesel engine utilizes a high-pressure injection pump, driven by the engine, to deliver fuel under extremely high pressure to the injector nozzles. However, asking the injection pump to simultaneously draw fuel through several feet of line from the fuel tank is too much, so on Dodge and Ford diesels, the injection pump gets a leg up from a fuel-lift pump.
When Lift Pumps FailThe lift pump on modern diesels is a small, electric unit that draws fuel from the tank and through the filter, delivering it under low pressure (around 7-15 psi, depending on load) to the injection pump. When the lift pump gets old, its performance can suffer, placing added strain on the injection pump. And when the lift pump fails, it can actually kill the injection pump, which means you'll be left stranded wherever you are. It also means you're in for a serious repair bill; a new or rebuilt injection pump, plus labor, can set you back more than $1,000.
Preventive MeasuresThe good news is you can safeguard against lift-pump failure with a lift-pump kit from BD Diesel Performance. BD has been in the diesel game for 35 years, and its subsidiary company, Valley Fuel Injection, is a certified Bosch, Delphi, Stanadyne, and Zexel calibration and repair lab.
BD and Valley Fuel Injection have developed a line of diesel lift-pump kits to prevent problems before they happen and improve injection-pump life at the same time. Essentially, there are two types of kits-OEM Bypass and Tandem-and which one you use depends on the model of the year truck you own.
With the OEM Bypass kit, the factory engine-mounted lift pump is removed and replaced with a frame-mounted unit. The Tandem kit, as the name implies, is used in tandem with the factory lift pump, whether it's engine-mounted or in-tank.
"The OEM Bypass kit is the perfect replacement for the stock engine-mounted pump, which is no longer available from Dodge," says Blair Parker, BD's vehicle service manager. "In fact, the factory will sell you an in-tank pump to replace it, which requires additional cost in both parts and labor." Parker notes that BD still carries OEM, engine-mounted lift pumps for applicable models and that many auto parts stores do, as well.
Pump Prices"If the pump is still working satisfactorily, the Tandem layout can be used," Parker says. "Our lift pump is also good for use on later models with the factory in-tank pump for higher-power applications, as the in-tank pump is only sufficient for mild upgrades." The Tandem kit part number is 1050226; the OEM Bypass kit for '98 1/2-'99 trucks is 1050230; for '00-'02 it's 1050229; and for '03-'04 trucks it's 1050227. Kits range from $250-$270, depending on the application.
