My high pressure pump wasn't sucking, so I changed it and it's still not sucking. What is the solenoid bit all about, and is there a solid requirement to prime it?


The long version. Before Christmas I had a tapping as I turned.. I think it was left. Ignored it. Failed to start one day. Bubbles in fuel line from the filter. New filter. No bubbles. No tapping.
Few weeks go by. Tapping is back. I do a bit of uphill duel most days. From full to light throttle to pull off there is a stutter. Then one day, the stutter doesn't stop, I pull off, recovery truck home.
The pump doesn't seem to be sucking. The car is a kuga but I find an S-max that looks right, and has a recon on it, minus a barrel that holds on with a couple of allen keys. Which is fine, as I'm coming back from fetching one off a focus that has the barrel but a different fuel inlet connector. The focus being a pipe a typical two button hose fits on. The Kuga is a hole in the pump, as is the S-max. So I have the s-max pump, and focus barrel bit, but it doesn't suck. It spat a little from the return, but no movement in the fuel inlet pipe. Just like the pump that it replaced. I can use a hand pump to get fuel up the lines to the high pressure, but it falls away as the non-return valve seems to be faulty in the tank. Tank off job, or just chop one in somewhere. I'm told the High pressure pump has a vane type lift stage, so I'm puzzled why it won't lift. Puzzled, and somewhat deflated..

Any ideas? Links to more pump details than a part number? Know about the electrical bits on it? Priming?

Thanks in advance

Edit: This is the pump sat on the focus, showing the barrel bit I had to move over

 

Well I put a non return in. Got the fuel to the pump. Dribbled some in with a pipette for good measure. Still nothing.

I knew the later car needed the pump timing, and now I read the earlier one does. Still no idea if this one does. Or if pulling vac on the return should get fuel coming through. I have to presume it's spinning though, and the vane part seems unlikely to have the option not to. So it really seems I fitted a bad pump (which was nice and clean) or there is some electrical part that can stop it

This is the best ford forum right? I have an mx5 turbo, and by now we would be on page 3. I have searched loads, but mostly in-concise topic headings took me nowhere. Is there a thread on this pump at all? Perhaps an electric pump to save me scraping it?

 

Starting to build a picture. That barrel bit, sits between the lift pump and pressure part, regulating rail pressure by controlling how much goes back to the tank from this point. This was probably what failed on my pump, considering the cough when I did a big shut off on the power. It's PWM driven, so a mechanical issue there is likely.

This new pump just isn't priming, or rather, I'm not getting to pull any real amount of fuel through. I made a clear pipe with non-return and inserted it at the filters inlet, using proper connectors. Then pulled from the pump inlet till it looked alright, and it didn't fall back. I have changed the filter top also, and it did go on tighter with the orange seal I think may be ford. My new filter the other month provided a black o-ring that was not so tight.

I have a 12v diaphragm pump here that's got a bar or so of lift. I hope to try again later. Perhaps I have buggered this pump by now, but I'm learning not to


I had to quote myself. I couldn't post. Each try... token has expired, refresh

 

Hi, did you manage to solve this problem?

I once bought a new pump, no priming was needed. Just fitted it and engine started...

 

No I pushed it in the corner and bought another car.

I did get a 5th priming pump, that managed to get fuel moving through the lines. After the first 4 were inadequate of dead on arrival. At that point the battery was getting a little low, so decided to charge it. First charger was too slow. Second charger got it half full then it started dropping again. Just yesterday I got my third battery charger.

This job has made blaming one's tools a justified excuse.

While running the latest priming pump I did remove an injector pipe, and nothing came out. Not even with the 10 seconds cranking I got before deciding to charge the battery.

As it stands, I have physically swapped the high pressure pump, the filter top and the tank assembly. I have learned nothing useful though, nor made any progress. I do know there were brass looking fragments in my filter housing though, indicating a pump perhaps lost them back to the tank. The tank was clean though. I suspect an earlier pump.

When it's charged I will fit a more permanent non-return valve than the looped in one I have. Then I will remove the electric priming pump I have used before the filter. At that point the filter should be back upder negative pressure from the hpfp sucking, rather than positive pressure from my 12v priming pump. This may show me I have air ingress. Though right now, that wouldn't be stopping me.

I also, just yesterday, got some easy-start. An aerosol can of fuel substitute you can spray down the inlet manifold. This running the car even without a fuel system. That should give the pump it's best chance of doing something. I must also find my forscan obd thing, and a second set of hands that understand whats happening.



Edit: 3rd battery charger failed. Found it at fizzing away at 16V soon after connecting it. No range selection switch, it must of decided I had a 24V battery. Charger number 4 next. I wonder if I get to number, 5, like priming pumps. Also.. I wonder if their is a good, and what I did. This is outstanding..

 

All the best with getting it right...

 

Failed.
End of the exhaust cam has snapped off. It's a castellated socket that takes the pump drive. The bits that broke off are quite large and missing in the engine. A seized pump causes this. The cam is itself belt driven using an alloy pulley, which is more likely to fail than the pump end, so is also likely damaged.

I think it's scrap now. Needs a new engine. It could be saved, but the two jobs are about the same. Shame... it's taken months of broken tools and head scratching.


I need to figure what I should sell off the car, to regain a few quid. It's the reversing camera model, with nice enough seats. I guess the lights might sell.