Troubleshoot Fuel Pump Problem

Hey - Me Again!

So, got my lower strut brace fitted today and took it for a spin! - what a incredible difference it makes, noticed as soon as it was off the drive - feels much more "firm" and corners much better.


Anyway, main fuel pump started whining just as I was furthest away from home! Started off intermittent but as I turned around and tried to come home it got more persistent, then the engine was struggling - not missfiring or stuttering , just gutless.
Then started stuttering, then on the last 10 miles completely cutting out every 2-3 mins.

Managed to stutter home, got it up and it's deffinatly the main pump whining - making one hell of a racket.

Taken it out, quickly ran it for 5-10 seconds out of the system and its running fine with no fuel and if I Block the Inlets it's pulling a vacuum fine.

Turned on the ignition without the main pump with a bottle on the end and the sender pumped about 50ml of fuel through the line into the bottle then stopped.

Took out the fuel filter and it didn't have any junk come out but I noticed if I blow through it it's not exactly difficult but it has mild resistance.

In cars history it's had loads of fuel work done , and I recently did the tank.

I can see the fuel pump was done last year, and so was the filter - so I can't see it being that unless the guys who did it were pulling a fast one.

See the photo of the fuel pump and filter below.

Never had any issues with it before it's literally come from nowhere and I can't think of anything I have done to cause it to happen.

Before I fork out 200quid for new pumps and filter what else should I check? - is there a way to test the fuel is coming through from the tank fine? Or what resistance is in the lines incase there is a blockage somewhere? - could it be a blockage?

What diameter should the line be? I don't think so but could there be a fuel line too small on it?  

Lots of questions I know! Sorry - advice welcomed as always!

Have you checked the lift pump in the tank? If that is failing then the main pump has to work harder, hence the whining. Modern petrol attacks the rubber hose that connects the lift pump to the sender inside the fuel tank.

Hey, thanks for the reply! I have given the sender a test and it appears to be pumping fine.

I have done a bit of digging and have found a few things.

Cut it open and Fuel filter was filthy, looks like a load of rubber - as you say it's from the lifter to main pump line.

I managed to put my swirl pot back in hooked up wrong from when I changed my tank a few weeks back.

AND - the fuel lines from the sender to main pump had started to perish + the tank to pump one was a 8mm and I have read online it should be a 10mm to pump then 8mm after the main pump.

So I have a few bits to change on Sunday! Will change over filter and sender to main / return lines and Will blow out the main lines from pump to engine bay (they were changed 2 years ago so should be fine) Then will update if I hopefully solve the problem.

Sounds like the filter has done its job - you don't want gunge getting to the fuel metering head etc. - trust me!
Hope it all goes well.