The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - From wondering about Jack pads to the car not starting :(

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- - From wondering about Jack pads to the car not starting :( (https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=309580)

From wondering about Jack pads to the car not starting :(

Hi guys/gals,

Well as the title suggests a few hours ago I was wondering about jack pads and now I have bigger problems. The car won't start. I took a 40 minute drive to Ikea and when we came out the car wouldn't start. The car was cranking so I assumed the battery and starter were fine. Luckily after cycling the ignition off and on several times the car started and got me home.

Left it for an hour and a half and went down to test it. The car started first time. I then switched off and turned the ignition on and heard a constant "brrrrrrrrrrr" sound that continued on and on and only stopped when I started the car or turned the ignition off. I had not heard this noise before. It was very noticeable and new. Repeat the above with hearing the "brrrr" but now the car wouldn't start. Eventually the noise disappeared completely when turning the ignition on and now the car definitely won't start.

My guage is reading a quarter tank of diesel and although I'm sure my guage is dodgy I'm fairly sure I don't have an empty tank...

Could anyone point me in the right direction?

Many thanks.

Give your under bonnet fuel pump a few sharp taps. I think it’s on its way out.

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Sounds like the in tank pump is goosed, this means 1/4 of a tank is effectively empty, and the brrrrrring noise was air gurgling in the pipework

Put a gallon of juice in, and see if that helps, and if it does, then keeping the level above the quarter mark until the ITP can be checked.

Alf

Would it be the case then that the car has an in tank pump and an under bonnet pump too? I'm showing my ignorance here but I hadn't realised that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewJames (Post 2851377)

Would it be the case then that the car has an in tank pump and an under bonnet pump too? I'm showing my ignorance here but I hadn't realised that.

Yes, your car will have both pumps, mine is a 2004 and has both ;)

The later cars have only one pump, and that is in the tank, but on the twin pump models if the priming valve on an inoperative ITP is exposed, then air is drawn into the fuel line and the car will cut out or not start.

Alf

Thanks Alf, would getting the air out be a diy/one person job or quite complex? I've just put five litres in and no change. My friend has said it will be air locked too.

5 ltrs may not be enough, I’ve heard of people having to put at least 10 ltrs in before the under bonnet pump would suck it through.

Also, you may have to switch the ignition on several times for a few minutes each time before you try to start it to get the fuel through.

Before doing anything else, take the electrical connection off the top of the under bonnet fuel pump. Get some Vaseline, not grease, and put some on the connections in the top of the pump, and smear some on the electrical connector that you have removed. Replace the connection onto the pump, and push it up and down into the top of the pump. This will distribute the Vaseline onto the connections. Then see if the car starts? If it does not start, then there is a possibility your pump has packed up. What you can do is take the pipe off the top of the u-b-pump and get a container. Put the pipe into the container, and get someone if possible, to start the engine. If diesel comes out, then your pump is working. If not, you need a new one. The other side of the problem is that your in tank pump could have packed up.You know the answer to that.Another problem could be that the fuel filter has not been changed and is in need of changing.Always do the cheapest options first.

Thanks for all the replies. I will have to give up for tonight and resume reading and trying things tomorrow as its very late now... I've put ten litres of diesel in now, gauge reading half a tank. I tried sitting and priming the thing on and off for ten mins but no luck. I can hear the mechanical whizzing of what I assume is the under bonnet pump from the front end of the car about six seconds after I put the ignition on. I also then hear a solitary sort of gurgle noise from what seems like under the car... Fun times!

No air locking on our cars, they self bleed.