P0216: VP-44 Death Code?
Just last week I learned my truck has the P0216 error code. I've read several remarks that this code is the "VP-44 death code." The repair manual, however, lists this code as:
Fuel Injection Pump Timing Failure: High fuel supply restriction, low fuel pressure, or possible wrong or incorrectly installed pump keyway.
Soon after finding that error code I determined that the lift pump was dead, which makes perfect sense considering the error code reported that there was a high fuel supply restriction and/or low fuel pressure.
But the truck runs fine - no dead pedal, no smoke, no miss - none of the symptoms that I've read indicate the VP-44 is on it's way out. If the VP-44 allows the truck to run fine as it is now, without a lift pump at all, then a logical conclusion (for me) is that replacing the lift pump will bring the fuel system back to a healthy condition.
i.e., a new lift pump will correct the error code message so that the fuel system will be no longer be running with a high fuel supply restriction and/or low fuel pressure...
I'm not saying the VP-44 hasn't been burdened by the exercise, but I am saying I have no reason to believe it has been ruined and needs replaced.
[Expected response: "You might not now, but you soon will!"]
- djb