172'd valver issues.....

[Bluebeard]

Took the car out for a long blast tonight and it was faultless! I am back in love again!

THEN!!! It coughed and spluttered to a halt. A quick check over and the fuel pump is not working.

Now I had this same problem a while back, so bought a second hand one off a member off here. All good for a few weeks then it starts messing about again so I rip it all out and fit ANOTHER one bought from the local paper from a guy breaking a williams. Fitted that in, again all good and tonight it happens again! FFS!

It will fire up if I give it a whack a few times on the top of the pump. (Leave ignition on, whack until it primes, bingo bango away we go)

Obviously this situation isn't ideal so whats causing it?? Surely I couldn't have bought 3 dodgy pumps could I??

Could anything be causing them to fail prematurely?


Thanks in advance. x

 

[Russ_16v]

Hmmm, one thing it could be is the pump isnt getting too high a voltage is it mate? that can kill the pump, also what about fuel pressure? As high pressure can kill a pump quickly?

Course it could be 3 dodgy pumps, unlucky but could happen

 

[Bluebeard]

Well voltage and pressure remain at the same level as that hasn't been messed with since I bought the car.

Hmmmm........

Maybe i'll buy a new one and give that a go.

 

[Russ_16v]

Problem is it might not be the pump, and you might kill that one fella, has the car done a lot of miles on the first pump? im not sure how yours runs being in a mk1, is your FPR in the tank?

 

[Bluebeard]

FPR being Fuel pressure regulator? No idea mate.

I'm assuming that the pump has been out a few times before I bought the car as the floor has been cut open with tin snips to get the pump out without removing the tank.

So lets assume the cars had two pumps before I owned it, now i've fitted 3 so its had 5 pumps?? Somethings not right here is it.

 

[Russ_16v]

Id lean away from the pump, id test the voltage to the pump, make sure its not getting some freaky high voltage, then if the voltage is right then keep tesing ehile the cars running, to make sure the voltage isnt spiking.

From there if alls right, id say the fuel pressure would have to be huge to wreck the pump so quickly, so that is possible but a long shot.

Im going to lay my bets with the voltage.

 

[Bluebeard]

Will a haynes manual tell me what voltage I should be getting?

 

[Russ_16v]

Yes mate, the Heynes will say somwhere I expect

Edit, unless im having the biggest blonde moment ever, the pump should be getting constant 12v.

Id also check the state of the wires going into the plug, as if there is any corrosion in it, it will cause a break and cut the pump.

 

[Russ_16v]

Id really say def not the pump btw, I really see it being another problem.

 

[lemonnobby]

yea id say eirther there burning out due to a pressure fault or a voltage is being funny somewhere you looking at 11-14v with it running

 

[sideways danny]

have you monitored alternator voltage under load?

never measured on a clio but some cars have a voltage stabiliser for the pump so it's never over ~12v if that's not there and the alternator is over charging then that could be your issue, or something similar