P-Pump Swap

ADDING POWER, RPM, AND LONGEVITY TO A ’98.5-’02 24-VALVE CUMMINS

- Mike Mcglothlin

While the 24-valve 5.9L Cummins found in ’98.5-’02 Dodge Rams can be a great workhorse engine, it leaves much to be desired in the way of reliability and horsepower potential. A failed lift pump tends to take out the electronic Bosch VP44 injection pump, the rotary style pump itself can’t fuel past 4,000 rpm, and as of late, ECM problems seem to be plaguing the ’98.5-’02 second gens. After encountering the latter scenario—where the engine would spontaneously free-rev on occasion—the owner of this ’01 quad-cab ¾-ton, Thales (T.J.) Stewart decided he’d had enough of the VP4