lift pump helppppppppp

anyone know how to test the lift pump in the tank

what car/year?

disconnect one of the wires from the under car main pump, then turn key 1 click, if the car normally primes the fuel pump for a few seconds when you do this, you should hear the in-tank pump prime.

if the car doesnt usually prime the pump, turn the engien over on the starter and you should hear the pump run. might be tricky to hear it so might need to get a mate to do it while you have your ear to the metal flap under the rear seat!

Or you can do it by the book and remove the output hose, connect a section of hose running to a graduated container. Ther run the pump for, I believe as I have no book handy, 30 seconds and measure the amount of fuel pumped out. If it does not pump out any fuel then you'll have to discover why not.

I have a question seeing as it was brought up in the above response a few times and I recall addressing it at least once some time ago. Please don't, anybody, fly off the handle into some kind of fit or temper tantrum as I'm serious in asking this. Does the word "prime" have a different meaning for you folks there? By my English it means to prepare or ready something. I know with something like a Lawn Mower engine you have to pump the little rubber ball to prime the fuel system, unless it's electric of course. On the VW system the pumps com on with the key and fuel, even for a very long time if the system is leak free, is ready instantly. That running of the pump for a second and then stopping you hear is just the relay doing what it was designed to do, stop the pumps if no engine movement occurs within a half second or so. So my question is if this prime thing I always hear is slang or some other meaning that I never heard?

Don't fly off the handle yourself when I say, 'its just what we call it over here'.  Sometimes theres just no need to get into a massive debate over what it actually means when the fuel pump runs for a few seconds, especially in this case when litereally all I'm trying to find out is if it actually does anything or not. Almost as bad as arguing with Americans over the correct pronounciation of 'chassis' and 'aluminium'

fuel measuments are all very well but pretty much 99% of the time, if the lift pump is working then it is fine.  I've never ever seen a situation where the pump will work but not deliver the correct amount of fuel.  If the pump was working then I'd think about foing the fuel measurement thing, but probably not before doing other tests.

edit: put it this way, its quicker to say 'does it prime' than 'does it run on for a few seconds' and then later say to someone else 'you know it doesn't actually prime the sytem' if they mention it  

However I do actually know where you are coming from, I don't like to refer to the KR ignition controller as an 'ecu' since it isn't.  But its much easier to just call it the ecu as otherwise often people dont know what you are talking about, you have to tell them 'yes its the ecu in the scuttle tray, but technically it isn't an ecu'  

rubjonny said

 … you have to tell them 'yes its the ecu in the scuttle tray …

"Scuttle tray"?? I know where it sits so I guess I understand where you mean, but . . . Guess I'll skip asking about that one for now.

your guess is as good as mine on why its called a scuttle tray  

they call it a scuttle tray because the word scuttling was/is used for the deliberate sinking of a ship by means of letting water on board.

the function of the the scuttle tray is to deliberately let water flow into the tray from the windscreen gutters and bonnet shuts to drain it away from entering the interior of the car… in a similar way to how scuttling works..

oh and john, i'll have to disagree with you on what you mention about the KR ignition controller not being an ECU.

It's Electronic (it has a 12v feed and a relay trigger board)
It Controls (fuel pump, ignition timing, and partly involved in idle control)
It' in a neat little Unit

Actually ECU stands for
Engine Control Unit



The KR ignition control unit doesnt completly control the engine, as the fuelling is done by the k-jet metering system. Hence why the KR has an ignition controll unit instead, sometimes known as the FEI or Fully Electronic Ignition unit

i bow down and stand corrected. :wink:

great but gone away from my ?