when the ignition is turned on should the fuel pump run all the time, or just prime.

my cossie hasn't been started since last year and i'm pretty sure is used to only prime for a couple of seconds, whereas now it runs all the time.

which is right? any ideas what could be causing this?

cheers Matthew

 

I am fairly sure it should just prime, on my L6(wd sapphy) this is what it used to do, just about a 2-3 second burst for prime, wouldn't worry myself so long as it's running!
tabetha

 

Mine just primes and then turns off until the car is started on my 3 door.

 

It shouldnt run continuously

Thers is something wrong there as its a safety feature

It could be a dodgy relay under the glove box

 

It is as said almost defo a sticky relay, turn on the ignition wait for the normal amount of time for the prime to stop, then with ignition left on tap the relay for the fuel pump, and see if it stops, if it does just change relay, if not it could still be being fed by the ecu, or it could be totally jammed, put a test light on ecu input to relay and see if the test light lights only for the prime time, this will soon determine whether it is a relay or ecu causing it.
tabetha

 

Mine doesn't, it only comes on when you turn the car over, i checked it with a voltmeter just last week. Sounds like you have a problem somewhere, as stated, yellow relays under dash are a good and obvious place to start.

 

Was gonna say what tab said but didnt want to type forever

 

cheers for the replies, is the fuel pump relay pink? and where abouts is it?

cheers Matthew

 

Yes normally purple and are behind the passenger side dash best bet is to remove glove box for easy access.

Martin

 

No they are both yellow eng man and fuel pump

Paul

 

Yes as above they are both YELLOW

 

My bad never had them out of the Cos I'm thinking of a normal FI Sierra.

Martin

 

Pinto efi are yellow too the only relay which is on that side and purple is for either ABS or heated screen i'd guess ABS

Paul

 

so theres 2 yellow relays, are they next to each other? if so how can you tell which is for the fuel pump?

cheers Matthew

 

Easy way to tell which is which, is as it is going all the time, remove one at a time and see which ones stops it, some cars have a extra purple which is for the air con(only if fitted obviously).
Whilst the ecu normally on these primes, it should also start pump once it receives the CPS signal from rotating engine, so it stops when engine stops, ie in crash etc.
tabetha

 

Pinto EFI maybe but cars such as the 1990 2.0 DOHC carb had a purple relay.

Martin.

 

2.1 zvh turbo with cosworth L6 management ..
Hi guys ive got a really strange one here ..for some reason my fuel pump has started running constantly when ignition is on before starting ..and very weirdly wont go in gear when this happens the other day I put a new ecu relay in and that cured it and it would go in gear fine ..But I went to go on a test drive i barely got off the drive and it cutout completely no ignitiion lights at all I found that the yellow 60amp fuse had blown
So fitted new one but now have same problem again fuel pump constantly runs and car wont go in gear when this happens it also causes the fuel regualater to screem ..ive even dissconnected the cps sensor stil no difference.. Its strange cos I had a problem with
The lights which caused a relay on the fuse board to go since then ive had this problem..??