Trouble Starting - Fuel Pump Not Priming

[TStevens]

Top tip: When you have replaced the filter and repaired the pump: Don't put back the 4th bolt from the cover of the fuel pump assembly that is under all the trim!
It saves you a lot of trouble when something goes wrong

That bolt was a nightmare to get out! - I wont bother putting it back!

[epipete]

Top tip: When you have replaced the filter and repaired the pump: Don't put back the 4th bolt from the cover of the fuel pump assembly that is under all the trim!
It saves you a lot of trouble when something goes wrong

That bolt was a nightmare to get out! - I wont bother putting it back!

The problem with the car is if you omit replacing difficult and inaccessible bolts then very soon you end up with a car with nothing it holding it together

[TStevens]

Any got any tips on getting the big plastic nut off that holds the pump/sender assembly in the tank?

I've chucked some WD40 on it, I've used some wood and a hammer, but I can't get ANY movement out of it at all. It would seem that after being on for 24 years it's reluctant to give up now.

Getting the flow pipe off was nice and easy, but the return was quite a bitch as well, but I did manage that part.

[Enright]

Maybe get another piece of wood, another hammer and a friend to hit it at 180 degrees to where you hit it at the same time?
That's all I can think of other than cutting through the ring and then replacing it.

[dapinky]

Have you got a ratchet strap?

Or an oil filter wrench?

anything which can be wound round the cap like a torniquet to give some rotational leverage.

[lotusflasherman]

I got mine off easily with these 'big shifters'...

agp.JPG

Proper name is Adjustable Groove Joint Pliers, some with curved jaws are known as water pump pliers.

Also useful for gripping exhaust pipes to pull systems apart after you've removed the clamps and found they weren't needed as it's still solid as a rock...

Happy to lend them to you if you fancy a trip to south Suffolk...

[dapinky]

As a bit of development of my thoughts.....

..... If you have an old timing belt, altenator belt or similar lying around, you could wrap it round the big nut, grip the overlap part with a pair of mole grips and use the leverage to turn the nut.

0613tr_35_z+101_garage_tech+belt_oil_filter_remover-500x375.jpg

[lotusflasherman]

Dave,
It's a bit tricky trying to improvise a strap wrench as you're having to work through an access hole that's only slightly bigger than the plastic collar that needs undoing... so the strap will be on the skew...

Collar has lots of 'teeth' around it so if I hadn't got the groove pliers I'd be thinking about a long piece of wood or dexion with a couple of long bolts through to engage in the 'teeth' each side of the pump retaining ring - think an 'over-sized version of an angle-grinder spanner' to get the idea.. also think torque is required rather than impact as teeth are likely to get knocked off.

[GeoffSmith]

Given the propensity of the the tank to crack, I wouldn't twat it with anything.

[lotusflasherman]

Given the propensity of the the tank to crack, I wouldn't twat it with anything.

I was removing pump from mine to change tank that was cracked (split seam near top) when I bought it. Couldn't get car high enough to get tank out so put it all back together and local garage did it for me, but I'd loosened all the stuck fixings for them.

This may be the easy solution... www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-Pump-Plier-20in-Double-Dipped-Handle/131476225194

[dapinky]

It's been a while since i did mine, so can't remember how much room there was to work in.

I have one of these toolmakers clamps which i made many years ago at school which may work - fit it vertically and then use a bar to turn it????

KEN5184400K_0.jpg

[epipete]

Mine came unstuck with a short sharp blow from a rubber mallet via a length of 2x2. - didn't break the tank!!!

[HJ2]

It's been a while since i did mine, so can't remember how much room there was to work in.

I have one of these toolmakers clamps which i made many years ago at school which may work - fit it vertically and then use a bar to turn it????

KEN5184400K_0.jpg

Haha! I made the same one in school, many moons ago!
Can't remember you in my class anyway

I got the darn lid off with an el cheapo, adjustable oil filter plier.
It took some hammering with a plaatic hammer though. Tap gently and switch side each tap. Take your time, use a little WD40 or other thin lubricant and you'll getting there!

[TStevens]

Thanks for the pointers!
I shall be having another go today.

[TStevens]

After 2 weeks of swearing at it.
I finally have it off!


Had to fabricate a turning device, but my god it was on tight. I'm undecided on whether it's been off before or not. Now I just need to swap the pump itself out and hope that's what's stopping her from running.

[Enright]

Good idea, and very nicely done. So the big question is, did a new pump do the trick?

[TStevens]

Well that in itself is a long story...

Old pump has a pair of spade connectors, new one has a proper plug and a pair of wires. We cut crimped and heat-shrunk in the new pump and used some cable ties to old it all in place nicely.

We put 12v into the old pump and it just hums, so it was definitely dead (nice to know after the grief I had getting it out).

Then came the 'issue' I noted the old wiring had some existing joins, so out of curiosity, cut open the heat shrink in the joins to find it wasn't a join, it was some form of resistor! - showed my neighbour and he confirmed it was some sort of arrestor the intention of which is to stop the tank exploding if the pump goes wrong. So I've had to cut up the wires again and reinsert it.

As I've got 2 car shows this weekend (Abridge Village Show and American Speedfest at Brands) it wont be until next week that I get the pump back in place and hopefully run the old girl up. Still plenty of other work to do to get her through an MOT but I'm hoping that I'll have her back on the road for the summer period.