2250 Carnage Pictures

[JMBT]

Halfpint: I just replaced my 3 cylinder with the new 2 cylinder. My 3 cylinder was still operating perfectly but had started to leak a bit of fuel from the weep hole in the gear pump, (which according to quickserve means the internal seal between the fuel pump and gear pump has failed) I took it off the truck and popped the head off and it was perfect inside, ceramic plungers, cam, and rollers all looked new, even at 580K. So I wondered the same thing, can I get an upgrade kit to the steel plungers for this pump? I talked to 3 Cummins dealers and all of them told me no. So instead of several hundred for new plungers, tappets, and seals, I got shafted for $4400 in parts (new pump, mounts, lines, gaskets, and sealing washers) and that was just parts, with my brother and I doing the work!
Now one of the guys on the forum had the idea of mic-ing one of the old ceramic plungers and then a new steel one at Cummins to see if they are interchangeable, but then I would still have needed an old style gear pump to deal with the leaky internal seal. Cummins says no parts for the 3 cylinder are available any more and I just flat out didn't have the time to dick around with investigating further.
If I had, had more time I would have investigated more and rebuilt this 3 cylinder if the steel plungers were interchangeable, and if I could have located a gear pump. It would have been a lot better then getting raped for $4400! I know some on here would disagree, but I don't think the 3cyl has any other inherent problems then just the ceramic plungers so in my mind if you have the time to do some searching, and you are doing the work yourself I think upgrading the 3cyl would be the way to go, and DEFINITELY a much more cost effective option. Just my opinion.
Another option: one of the guys on here had bought a used two cylinder, all two cylinders are upgradeable per cummins, and put new internals in it. Still a sh!t-ton cheaper and with the same outcome.