Thanks for the lesson.  As usual, your explanation is easy to
understand, even for those of us that have the random retard gene
floating about.

Craig C.

Well....  no  :)

Back in ye olden days, when there were only two valves per cylinder, there
was a mechanical lift pump mounted on the back of the engine that sucked
fuel from the tank, and fed it up to the P7100 injection pump.  The P7100
was lubricated by engine oil, and if for some strange reason the mechanical
lift pump failed and stopped feeding fuel to the P7100, the extent of the
damage done was probably a sore toe from you kicking the truck because it
stopped running (not to mention all the fun of re-priming the fuel system
and getting it running again...  but still, no permanent damage done).

With the introduction of the 24V ISB engine, came electronics.  With that,
the mechanical lift pump was replaced with an electric pump, still mounted
on the left-rear of the engine, still sucking fuel from the fuel tank, but
now delivering it to a VP44 injection pump.  The VP44 no longer used engine
oil to lubricate itself as the P7100 did...  it relied on diesel fuel for
lubrication.  You can see where this is going....  when (not if, but when)
the electric lift pump failed, it starved the VP44 of fuel, which in very
short order would gawl itself all up, and you were then the proud owner of
TWO broken pumps....  one relatively cheap (the electric lift pump), and one
really expensive (the VP44).

The 3rd gen trucks, with their new ISBe (also called the HPCR, High-Pressure
Common Rail engine), use a different version of the same electric lift pump,
and a newer, higher-pressure, yet still fuel-lubricated CP3 pump.  The CP3
is cheaper to produce than the VP44, as there are no electronics (the VP44
contained electronics to control injection timing) - all the injection
timing is now done at the injectors themselves.  However, the CP3 is still
an expensive unit, and not something you want to fail (and believe me,
starve anything that spins around and around of lubrication, and that's
exactly what will happen).

Starting in model year '05, DC decided that pulling fuel 12 or so feet
through a tiny little tube probably wasn't the best use of a pump designed
to push, rather than pull - and re-re-re-designed the fuel system with an
in-tank "pusher" pump, that would now feed fuel directly to the CP3 (still
going through the stock fuel filter canister, however).  Guess what?
Sometimes, those pumps fail, too.  Of course, now you have the added fun of
dropping the tank, and removing the fuel module to replace the pump -
something that old 24V guys could do by feel on the side of the road on a
moonless night inside of 10 minutes.

I considered the steering mount, but it blocks part of the dash.  I'm a
no-clutter kinda guy.

Yes, please.

Remember, I am not a mechanic, so what I'm about to say might be worded
incorrectly ... or worse yet, just downright wrong.  :-)

My understanding is that the issue on the older Rams was that they had
two pumps.  When the fuel pump in the tank failed it caused the lift
pump to work harder and eventually fail.  Which is why the fuel pressure
gauge was necessary (to detect the failure of the cheap pump in the tank
and get it fixed before the expensive lift pump failed). In my Ram,
there is now just a single, more powerful lift pump.  Therefore, the
fuel pressure gauge really serves no purpose.  However, the rail
pressure gauge can be useful in detecting a faulty FCA.

Does this sound correct?

If I ever decide to add a boost gauge, I'll probably put it on the
a-pillar with the SRT mount.

Thanks!
Craig C.

why not do both. install a srt apillar trim and mount your piro there,
thats where mine is, and then your tranny and fuel pressure gauges up on
the dash.. or you could do the steering column mount, this mount comes in
both dual and single gauge. i've got a dual on mine but still only the
boost gauge (i have yet to buy the fuel pressure gauge) i'll email ya a pic
of my setup if ya want.

i personally still want to monitor the lift pump (but i have yet to
install the capability lol)

Need a second opinion:

I am having Pricol Optix gauges installed on my 2004 Ram, CTD in the
next few weeks.  I like the Optix gauges because they match the OEM dash.

http://www.danininc.com/opticdetail22.html

Mounting will be a 3 pod dash mount.  I want a tranny temp, pyro and I
thought a fuel pressure gauge.  However, the guy doing the install feels
that I would be better served with a rail pressure gauge since the pump
issue in my model Ram is no longer an issue at all.

Would like opinions ...

I thought about a boost gauge, but can't really think of what that gauge
gives me that I can't tell without it.

TIA.
Craig C.