Fuel pump stopped priming (again) - any idea's?
23-04-2010, 07:41 PM
#1
Fuel pump stopped priming (again) - any idea's?
Wow, a car related post from me 
Fucking fuel pump on the car (1800 Zetec, Mk6 escort) has stopped priming so it won't start.
Did this about a week after I got it, had to get it recovered home (thank fuck the ins had free break down cover ) and tried all sorts, testing for spark etc etc. Turned out the pump wasn't priming so someone said check under the backseat to see if there is a cut off switch. Lifted back seat, no cut off switch. Put back seat down, tried again and it primed and started 
Now, 8months later, it's done it again (fortunately at home, as I don't have any breakdown cover on it anymore, so if I'd have been out I'd have been fucked
) so I lifted the back seat and put it back down again in the vain hope it might work again It doesn't. Pump isn't priming so no starty starty!
Any idea's?
Fucking fuel pump on the car (1800 Zetec, Mk6 escort) has stopped priming so it won't start.
Did this about a week after I got it, had to get it recovered home (thank fuck the ins had free break down cover
) and tried all sorts, testing for spark etc etc. Turned out the pump wasn't priming so someone said check under the backseat to see if there is a cut off switch. Lifted back seat, no cut off switch. Put back seat down, tried again and it primed and started Now, 8months later, it's done it again (fortunately at home, as I don't have any breakdown cover on it anymore, so if I'd have been out I'd have been fucked
) so I lifted the back seat and put it back down again in the vain hope it might work again It doesn't. Pump isn't priming so no starty starty! Any idea's?
23-04-2010, 07:52 PM
#5
No idea where the cut off is, and not got fuck all to test it with anyway.
And yeah, I was thinking the pump was probably fucked, but hoping it might just srate working again like it did last time All I did last time was wiggle the small bundle of wires running across the rear seat through the grommet to under the car and it started working again No suck luck this time!
Haven't used it since last saturday, but it was fine then! Since then it's just sat outside the house till I just tried it now and it don't work
And yeah, I was thinking the pump was probably fucked, but hoping it might just srate working again like it did last time
All I did last time was wiggle the small bundle of wires running across the rear seat through the grommet to under the car and it started working again No suck luck this time!Haven't used it since last saturday, but it was fine then! Since then it's just sat outside the house till I just tried it now and it don't work
23-04-2010, 07:54 PM
#7
burnzy
pull one of the kick panels off by your feet at the side in the foot wellcan't remem if it's drivers or passengers though, it should be a big flat headed screw turn it half a turn to release it and then prise the cover back, try not to pull it off cos if a remem rightly they don't take kindly to it but if you cant get to it very well and have to pull it off it'll go back on again just a couple of the tangs will be broken .
there should be a black inetria(sp) switch for the fuel pump if it's popped up it will be whats causing the probs try pushing it down and it should click into place if this is the probs, but the fact it fixed itself last time pionts to it not being the switch as it would of had to be switched back on again.
it could be your pump has given up the ghost or the relay, i'll find out what relay it is in a min for you
.there should be a black inetria(sp) switch for the fuel pump if it's popped up it will be whats causing the probs try pushing it down and it should click into place if this is the probs, but the fact it fixed itself last time pionts to it not being the switch as it would of had to be switched back on again.
it could be your pump has given up the ghost or the relay, i'll find out what relay it is in a min for you
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23-04-2010, 08:05 PM
#8
burnzy
the relay is a brown coloured one, pre 96 cars the relay is position 10, post 96 position is r3, there located on top of the fuse box itself pull the clip off that hold the fuse box up and hinge it downwards to get to the relays it should have the relay numbers in a coloured outline around the relays on the box itself.
if you say you wiggled the wires going to it and it worked last time could be a loose connection, pull the rubber grommet up from under the back seats and you should see the pump/sender, the connections should be visible just check them out
if you say you wiggled the wires going to it and it worked last time could be a loose connection, pull the rubber grommet up from under the back seats and you should see the pump/sender, the connections should be visible just check them out
23-04-2010, 09:48 PM
#11
on my mk5b cabby it broke down, was the fuse box.
the AA guy put a wire from the bottom pin of the fuel pump relay on fusebox (small brown one in the middle ish of the box) to the top pin of fuse 5 i think it was. worked for a bit, but then it broke down again
so i removed the fuse box completely, made a diagram and labled all relays and fuses etc, took all the covers off the fuse box and resoldered every joint i could get the solering iron to.
they suffer from dry joints and that is quite possibly your problem.
soldering irons are about Ł15 from b&q
the AA guy put a wire from the bottom pin of the fuel pump relay on fusebox (small brown one in the middle ish of the box) to the top pin of fuse 5 i think it was. worked for a bit, but then it broke down again
so i removed the fuse box completely, made a diagram and labled all relays and fuses etc, took all the covers off the fuse box and resoldered every joint i could get the solering iron to.
they suffer from dry joints and that is quite possibly your problem.
soldering irons are about Ł15 from b&q
23-04-2010, 10:15 PM
#13
Advanced PassionFord User
I'd say the fuel pump is not working full stop. It should still turn when cranking over and provide fuel to run the engine. So I'm guessing it's not even doing that. Try wiring 12V direct to the pump to see if it stil works or not, that will at least rule the pump out.
24-04-2010, 11:15 AM
#15
on the passenger side kick panel there is a hole on it, behind this is your fuel cut off switch but it wont be that
it will be the fuse box
easiest way to test the pump is pull the unsulation off the wires under the seat and put 12v and earth direct from battery onto the fuel pump wires
but im 90% its going to be fuse box as they always are
it will be the fuse box
easiest way to test the pump is pull the unsulation off the wires under the seat and put 12v and earth direct from battery onto the fuel pump wires
but im 90% its going to be fuse box as they always are
24-04-2010, 12:06 PM
#16
Advanced PassionFord User
Check the pump fuse if there is one. Bridge the relay connections, same with the inertia switch, it could also be a bad earth maybe.
24-04-2010, 02:21 PM
#17
Mate, my technical skills aren't anywhere near what you're describing! I'm good with theory, but nowhere near capable of doing that
Anyway, it's fixed itself! Just came home, thought I'd try it, straight away it primed and started on the button
Problem there is it doesn't help me solve the problem!
Now, under the backseat is some bundled cable (taped up leading into a rubber boot/grommet) which goes to a plug I can just see sitting atop the fuel tank directly below the rear seat. This wiring runs through the side sill covers to the drivers footwell into more wiring. Bolted to the metal in the footwell is some black plastic thing with a red circle plastic thing inside it - is this the cut off switch?
What I need to know from someone is what wires are the positive and negative, in this bundle going to the tank, that I can test to make sure power is going there (obviously there will be power now, but for the future)
Also, where is the relay for the pump? Under the bonnet or in the blade fusebox under the dash on the drivers side?
I need to test these things when it next happens to see where the power loss is. My thinking is if it's not in the wiring at the pump or the relay, then the problem is termination somewhere, probably at the pump, meaning no power getting through hence it not priming. If there is power all the way and it's not a termination problem (dodgy connection) then it's the pump acting up?
Anyway, it's fixed itself!
Just came home, thought I'd try it, straight away it primed and started on the button Problem there is it doesn't help me solve the problem!
Now, under the backseat is some bundled cable (taped up leading into a rubber boot/grommet) which goes to a plug I can just see sitting atop the fuel tank directly below the rear seat. This wiring runs through the side sill covers to the drivers footwell into more wiring. Bolted to the metal in the footwell is some black plastic thing with a red circle plastic thing inside it - is this the cut off switch?
What I need to know from someone is what wires are the positive and negative, in this bundle going to the tank, that I can test to make sure power is going there (obviously there will be power now, but for the future)
Also, where is the relay for the pump? Under the bonnet or in the blade fusebox under the dash on the drivers side?
I need to test these things when it next happens to see where the power loss is. My thinking is if it's not in the wiring at the pump or the relay, then the problem is termination somewhere, probably at the pump, meaning no power getting through hence it not priming. If there is power all the way and it's not a termination problem (dodgy connection) then it's the pump acting up?
24-04-2010, 02:27 PM
#18
the fuel cut off switch is in behind the passenger kick panel
if you take a look you will see either a plastc a grommit or a hole in the kick panel, this is so you can get your finger in there and press the button
the fuel relay will be behind the fusebox, so you need to left the catch that holds the fusebox behind the dashbaord and the fuse box will swing down to show the relays
the wires going to the fuel pump will be the 2 thickess wires, usually brown and black with a red trace
it will be fusebox though as tev from here had exactly the same problem on his run around and when he sold it the new owner had to have a fusebox fitted as this was causing the problems
if you take a look you will see either a plastc a grommit or a hole in the kick panel, this is so you can get your finger in there and press the button
the fuel relay will be behind the fusebox, so you need to left the catch that holds the fusebox behind the dashbaord and the fuse box will swing down to show the relays
the wires going to the fuel pump will be the 2 thickess wires, usually brown and black with a red trace
it will be fusebox though as tev from here had exactly the same problem on his run around and when he sold it the new owner had to have a fusebox fitted as this was causing the problems
24-04-2010, 04:21 PM
#24
Right, so hypothetically speaking... If I knew what the part number of the fuse box in my car was (lets say it's 1212334455BL) could I order a new fusebox from a motor parts supplier that deals in OE replacement parts, then if I get the 1212334455BL fuse box, is it as simple as unplugging everything from one side, plugging it all into the new box, then filling it with the right fuses, and off I go?
24-04-2010, 05:49 PM
#25
Right, so hypothetically speaking... If I knew what the part number of the fuse box in my car was (lets say it's 1212334455BL) could I order a new fusebox from a motor parts supplier that deals in OE replacement parts, then if I get the 1212334455BL fuse box, is it as simple as unplugging everything from one side, plugging it all into the new box, then filling it with the right fuses, and off I go?
the plugs only plug in one way so you can't mix them up, but getting to the fuse box and doing the swapping is possibly easier said that done
but if you can dismantle cars to get windows out then you won't need much more mechanical knowledge than that
25-04-2010, 10:27 PM
#32
Advanced PassionFord User
Fuse box is a possibility and quite probable, next time it wont start on you lay underneath and give the bottom of the tank a good wallop !! See if the pump springs back into life.
We get called out regularly to broken down cars that wont start and this works a suprising amount of times !!!
Not a cure to the problem but might just let you know if its the pump thats actually at fault.
We get called out regularly to broken down cars that wont start and this works a suprising amount of times !!!
Not a cure to the problem but might just let you know if its the pump thats actually at fault.
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