No start........fuel pressure?

[nsr250]

Hi all. I'm new to the Elan as well as this board. Just purchased a '91 Elan that needs some help. Towed this one home and am having troubles getting it started. I feel like I'm not getting any fuel. The relay for the pump is clicking on. What's the easiest way to check for fuel flow? Disconnect the fuel filter line? Should I actually be able to hear the pump running? Right now I hear absolutely nothing. How common is it to have a bad fuel pump if the car has not been run in some time?

Sorry for the quick questions but I'm growing impatient waiting for the shop manual to arrive.

Thanks
Don

[tweetdriver63]

Welcome to Lotus ownership....really....

Where are you? Which side of the pond? Which side of the car did they put the steering wheel on?

I'll bet if you describe the car or give the VIN (is it OK to do that?), maybe just give the color and who you bought it from, somebody on here will probably be familiar with your car.

When you first turn the key to the run position, you should hear the fuel pump come on. I know this is obvious, but have you checked the fuel pump fuse? It's in fuse block A, on the wall just in front of the passenger door. Fuse #3. I would definitely check that before anything else.

[nsr250]

I'm in Atlanta, GA (USA). The car is red & black interior w/ only 41K miles on the odometer. The car has spent most of it's life in Atlanta with a few years in Ohio.

I used to own a '91 Isuzu Impulse RS so I'm familiar with the engine itself even though it's been SEVERAL years since I owned that car. I've checked the fuse in the passenger foot well and it's fine. Relay clicks when turning the key but I hear absolutely nothing coming from the fuel pump.

Don
'91 Elan
'91 318is
'87 Milano
'93 NSR250

[rip]

Hi Don,

As Chris mentioned, you should hear the fuel pump prime for a couple of seconds when turning the ignition on (and should really wait for it to finish before starting the engine ).

The fuel pump is under the roof stowage compartment. Nearby is the fuel cutout switch which can be accessed via the battery cover. Maybe this has been activated?

Finally, workshop manuals are available as .pdfs on this site. Not as good as having an original paper copy, but still a very valuable asset.

Good luck, I hope you get it sorted soon.

[Marcus_uk]

Hi Don,

as well as the fuel cut off switch, has the car been fitted with an imboliser? .. I came to start the car after a HG change and got that heart sinking feeling when nothing happen... then the girlfriend asked "had i switched off the imboiliser? " ...

good luck

[nsr250]

There is an alarm system installed (aftermarket) but I'm in the process of pulling it out because it seems to have a mind of it's own. I think that it's an alarm only though.

I guess the next thing to do is to check and see if I actually have power getting to the fuel pump. I would imagine so since I can see and feel the relay working but stranger things have happened. The fuel cutoff is behind the drivers seat on mine under the speaker compartment. I've already checked that one out.

Don

[Marcus_uk]

I will try and remember to check on mine to see if I can hear a relay when the immobiliser is on. Might be worth googling the model of the alarm to see if it is a combined alarm/immobiliser.

[bobbrown]

It could well be the alarm/immobiliser as mine cuts the supply to the fuel pump, as it does not run when the immobilser is active.

Bob

[nsr250]

Good point about the alarm. I'll check that out tonight and see.

[Ade]

Hi,

Just a thought when I purchased a new engine that had been standing for a while it would not start, turned out to be injectors faulty through lack of use.

Ade

[nsr250]

I know what you mean there. My present Alfa stood for 15 years without being started and the injectors refused to budge. In this case though I can't even hear the fuel pump. I could also need the injectors cleaned but I don't believe fuel is even reaching the engine. The car did sit for some years but not really sure how many or if it even got occasional starts or not.

[dapinky]

The fuel pump is under the roof stowage compartment. Nearby is the fuel cutout switch which can be accessed via the battery cover. Maybe this has been activated?

The fuel pump is immersed in the tank as part of the pick-up/float assembly (so it sort-of is under the hood stowage area.....)

The cut-off inertia switch is near the battery.

All good advice so far, about the imobiliser possibility, but as a further check, if you open the roof stowage area, undo the screws and remove the plastic tray, then there is a plate on the left hand side (passenger UK, driver USA) which is held by 4 screws (machine bolts, actually ), and is just behind the stowage cover catch.....

.....remove this and you will see all the stuff at the top of the petrol tank (including the wiring conectors for the guage/pump).

You should get voltage at the connection when the ignition is on, and the inertia switch is in the correct possition......

If it is good, and the pump is working, then there is a check you can do on the injectors (other than taking out the plugs to see if they are wet!) - see here

[nsr250]

Used the link to the other thread and read how to diagnose the injectors. Never heard that one before and will try it tonight.

I've already gotten down to the tank. I'll pull the plug tonight and check for voltage to the pump. If I have it there, I'll move on and check the injector firing.

[nsr250]

OK, just got home and checked things over. No noise whatsoever from the pump. Put the voltage tester on the pump and I have voltage with the key on and none with the key turned off. Still no noise. Disconnected the fuel lines and no fuel even dripped out. So, I guess I'm needing a new fuel pump unless I've missed something?

Don

[bobbrown]

good earth?

[nsr250]

Yes, good earth too.

The only thing I've found online as a replacement is a Walbro 255. Is this what is generally used?

[dapinky]

Undoing the collar on the top of the tank and lifting out the pump/float assembly is quite straightforward - then it can be tested on a bench with a spare battery (or battery charger) connected directly to it without risk of a (big) explosion!

To remove the fuel line connectors on the tank, the manual states that a special tool is required, but the connectors will release easily with a couple of stiff metal wires (coat hanger/ MIG wire etc) pushed into the 2 holes on the flat face - they just take the pressure off the seal inside the fitting, and it will slide off - do not be tempted to pull the plastic pipe off the fitting - It'll never go back on (i know from experience, and had to change the whole length for rubber hose with jubilee clips )

As a tip, ensure you mark the relative position of the top of the pump housing before undoing the knurled collar - that way you can get it back in the same place and the fuel guage will still work accurately.

[nsr250]

Yup, took the pump assembly out and hooked it up directly to a spare battery. NOTHING.

[dapinky]

I've never bought one, but looking on e-bay, this one is listed with a postage option to USA.

I would imagine that they would also be availlible on your side of the pond anyway, but if not, and you can locate one over here significantly cheaper without the international shipping option, feel free to contact me by PM and I'll happily take delivery and forward it on to you.

Or put a 'wanted' advert in the appropriate section of LEC, as someone may have a working OE unit sat in the shed somewhere??????

Edit :-
Just done a google on the part and it appears to be a fittment on a Subaru Impreza, so should be fairly easy to find in USA anyway......

[tweetdriver63]

SJ's list the fuel pump for 165 GBP, and they ship here. Surely there's a less expensive option, though. You might try to find one for a 91 Impulse RS and compare. The ones I see pictured for it at Rockauto look a lot like the Walbro on ebay.

See if this one looks right. Maybe somebody knowledgable can also look at the specs to see if it's right.