What would you do?Fuel Pump!

I have a problem, my fuel pump decided it had had enough today! I finally got my 1.8t mk1 golf out of the garage for its first run and it slowed as if running out of petrol, but i know i had about 1/10 full so first thing i do is go for the fuel pump relay, put a positive feed onto the fuel pump line and all it was doing was clicking.

I checked under the car once i got it back to the garage and the pump looks quite new (got car just under a year ago) did abit of research and MG owners club say for a clicking fuel pump check for a blocked fuel inlet hose to the pump, or blocked filter.
Can anyone recomend anything i can do as a new fuel pump is the last thing i want to do after the thousands i spent! If i do find i need a new one, is there any pumps that can run at a better flow rate as i have solenoid injectors presumably a higher pressure would benefit them to a certain level!?

Nick

Is the lift pump in the top of the tank working properly?

I'd never run mine on 1/10th of petrol anyway - my E30 and my Jeep both cut out in hard cornering with so little fuel in.

I'd be inclined to speak to FSE Glencoe www.fuelsystem.co.uk (I think - might be .com) and see about getting a big Facet pump on there - that'll solve your problems!

As far as i was aware the pump in the rubber boot on the underside of the tank draws the petrol and should do when in a complete circuit. To be honest i dont know what the lift pump does and what effect it has on the electrical pump?!

EDIT car was a 1.6gti kjet before

First thing would be to put more fuel in and see what happens.

What pump setup does your car have, is it the same as K-Jet or a later cabby setup, or something else?

Correct (as per Paul-C) - try more fuel!  I am sure this will solve your problem

On the broader issue:

There is a lift pump in the tank.  This is activated by a relay when the ignition circuit opens.   This primes the fuel pump which delivers fuel to an accumulator.  The accumulator provides pressure to the system allowing fuel under pressure to be delivered to the metering head.  Fuel is  consumed by the engine with the surplus being returned to the tank.

The lift pump only runs for a few seconds when the ignition circuit opens.  The duration of the operation of the lift pump is controlled by the relay.

Hope this helps with your broader understanding of the system

Catchya

M

A stock 1.6 GTI wouldn't have had a lift pump, just an external electric pump at the back of the car.

Which i would have thought would be able to supply the engines needs.

abfmk1 said

Which i would have thought would be able to supply the engines needs.

x2

Ok soooo whys it clicking and not pumping then . Just to be precise in what we are talking about and to bring out any problems that you lot can see i am running the stock 1.6gti pump (looks new) and at the other end is a 1.8T engine, 3 bar FPR.

Presumably even if i had run out of petrol, i would still get a motor noise from the pump trying to pick up fuel not getting anything and spinning faster than usuall perhaps due to go fluid entering to cause inertia of rotation, but no i just get a click

Fuel pumps can be very quiet in operation, especially when new. So try more fuel first. If its definitely not pumping:

1. Bypass the relay and see if it does then. If it does, you have a fuel pump relay issue.
2. If not, disconnect the 2 wires to the pump and see if you have 12V and 0V. If it does, you have a broken fuel pump; if not, some other electrical issue.

Hmm well im going to try taking the inlet to the pump off to check for any sheet, ive tried with a car probe putting 12v directly onto the pump like i say it just clicks, probably another ?100 out of the bank cheers for your thoughts guys! One day my sleeper will break free!