I experienced a transfer fuel pump failure last week in the middle of no-where. My coach has 16,000 miles on it. Is this a common problem?
-------------------------------------------------

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ecker,

I'd say not common, but certainly not unheard of either. How old is the coach? Low mileage isn't the only factor in this sort of failure and there are many low mileage motorhomes that are several years old.

By the way, welcome to IRV2!

Gary, the coach is an 05. We bought it in September of 2005.

Thanks

I change em all the time...did they just throw a pump at it, or did they do the full trouble shooting path?

These things lead a hard life, sometimes drawing fuel from as far away as twenty feet. Fuel flow restriction is very hard on lift pumps. we always check for restriction prior to installing new pumps.

quote:

Originally posted by dsnook:
I change em all the time...did they just throw a pump at it, or did they do the full trouble shooting path?

These things lead a hard life, sometimes drawing fuel from as far away as twenty feet. Fuel flow restriction is very hard on lift pumps. we always check for restriction prior to installing new pumps.

===============================================
I think the response "we change em all the time" may generate more concern than warranted.
Your naturally going to see failures but if one looks at the total engine population I believe that the failure rate is very low. Over a million ISB's have been produced and I see very few complaints. The change to USLD did give a blip but even then Cummins found the rate was so low that they rescinded their August 05 advisory. I'll try to get the actual failure rate to make this response more objective. However, its not something that the poster should have to worry about in the years ahead.

Leo gave great advice. The ISB 5.9 primary pump contains a fuel screen, which, when restricted, will cause a long list of problems, including injector pump failure. For more information visit dodgeram.org. That website is arguably the most informative on the internet for the small Cummins engine.

They just changed out the pump only. Also, I was told by a mechanic that adding a small Holly pump near the fuel tank to help push the fuel to the transfer pump will help.

An electric auxillary pump may reduce the damands placed on the primary pump, but it will not eliminate the root source of pump failure. Have the flexable fuel lines been changed? They are known to fail from the inside while appearing perfectly fine on the outside.

The Holley fuel pumps have been used to supplement and even replace the OEM Carter-supplied lift (transfer) pump in Dodge pickup applications. Unfortunately, the Holleys don't have a sterling record of reliability handling diesel fuel.

Rusty

The fuel lines have not been changed, coach is 2-1/2 years old. Should the flexible lines be changed? Thanks for the input.

quote:

Originally posted by Trail Boss:
The fuel lines have not been changed, coach is 2-1/2 years old. Should the flexible lines be changed? Thanks for the input.

They normally will go for many years. I've run my diesel motor homes for seven years and 90,000 miles and they were still good.

Leo, my old 1996 Dodge B5.9 required new flex lines in 2000, with just over 60K miles. The exterior appeared like new, but the inside of one was ragged and half-closed. The other had a tiny air leak which caused hard starting after a few weeks non-use.
There is much more information on this issue at: dodgeram.org.

quote:

Originally posted by Ray,IN:
Leo, my old 1996 Dodge B5.9 required new flex lines in 2000, with just over 60K miles. The exterior appeared like new, but the inside of one was ragged and half-closed. The other had a tiny air leak which caused hard starting after a few weeks non-use.
There is much more information on this issue at: dodgeram.org.

-----------------------------------------------
It's not something I've seen on RV's or heard anyone talk about on any RV board or meeting. Trucks aren't covered by Cummins contract with Dodge so I don't come in contact with them.

There was a significant amout of lift pump failures on Cummins installed in the 98' to 2002 Dodge Rams. The problem there was that if the lift pump quit, or had reduced flow for a period of time, the injector pump would fail

Those injector pumps were the VP44, and were mega expensive to repair. In the later model trucks Dodge moved the lift pump to inside the fuel tank. I have now heard of very few failing. However, the VP44 is no longer used. Instead the HPCR (High pressure common rail) fuel system is being used.

In defense of the VP44 though, many of the failures that I heard of were in trucks with the power turned up. It seems that higher fuel demands on the stock lift pump was the death noll for the VP's.

Im not sure where the lift pump is located on my 5.9 in the MH. Fortunately I havent needed to find out.........

Sarge

TRAIL BOSS, I have experienced problems with my ISB 300 for 2 years/28,000 miles. Cummins replaced 2 turbo-chargers and 1 lift pump on it before discovering that the coach had a fuel strainer in the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine. They replaced the fuel strainer and it is now running good. The reason that the strainer hadn't been changed up to now is that nobody @ the shops seemed to know that it was there. I will change it every 12,000 miles-per Freightliner's instructions. Sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Indiana Journey