Fuel pump problems.

[maxxpump]

Hello all,

Yesterday my car broke down at sainsburys after doing a spot of shopping and we diagnosed it as a failing fuel pump (underbonnet type). I am going to get a new pierburg or bosch branded one a week on thursday, Grrr! (most probably the pierburg as I have heard this is the OEM one that is fitted to the diesel running power plants used on our cars! (R75's).

My question I have to ask is the following; what kind of damage can a fuel pump dying potentially cause from it unexpectedly dying while trundling along while getting from A to B, as I know on some cars and some engines, it can be very damaging and cost a slight bit more than just a new pump....

The reason I ask is because my flat mate that drives the car, doesn't want to listen to or even heed my warnings of not using the car and he is saying that he will not use the car only if it is liable to damage it in some way, (he believes that it won't hurt it at all, apart from cause mild inconvenience (apart from the fact that our jointly paid AA cover ran out about three months ago and we would be screwed as we would not even be able to be towed to a garage let alone to our flat. ))

So can a Under bonnet fuel pump suddenly failing cause any other damage apart from interference to our lives or is it something that we should really avoid, i.e: Like the plague! ( I don't believe I'm even asking this as I think that if a problem of this nature ever arrised I would personally leave the car off road until the problem was rectified and there was no known cause to be alarmed about! Unfortunately James is extremely stubborn and does not listen to me even though I did a apprenticeship as a car mechanic for three years and a car body fabricator and welder for nearly twice that time! )

Thankyou for any information regarding the type of damage that could possibly happen, should the pump suddenly go PLONK on him, while he is travelling down the A27 (dual carriageway) or subsequently blocks a road and needs the extremely expensive tow truck to come out and destroy our bank accounts!

P.s: I was under the impression that it could possibly cause a vacuum caused by the high pressure pumping system and that would in turn possibly damage the H/P seals and other items on the fuel rail! (I could be wrong as I know alot about unleaded engines, but not much about diesels, if im wrong on these points please don't hesitate to tell it to me straight! Maybe im just being pedantic, but I don't like breaking down, but unfortunately flatmate reckons im paranoid and need to see a doctor and he will drive me there on monday )

Thankyou and best regards, stu

[Heddy]

Haven't a clue. No, seriously, mine failed, AA man gave it a knock and it was fine for months till I changed it. I've had an aftermarket one too, changed that to a used Pierburg because it was much quieter. Someone more technically advanced will be along to tell you if other damage can occur.

[RogerHeinz57]

Hi, the under bonnet fuel pump failure if terminal, will prevent the engine running full stop end of the story, but they can offer a warning as mine did, it allowed me to break down at a fuel station, started, stalled re started and limped home a mile or so. The pump was noticeably noisey and the drive home was a bit clumsy. I would stop using the car till the fault is rectified as I did. Fitted new pump and all was ok. Unsure of the potential damages possible, but if your flatmate is a Bosch qualified technician and built like Geoff Capes and willing to push the car home when it totally fails, Its his call.
Not sure why people are unable to understand the risks of driving a car that has offered a warning of its illness and prepared to drive till it dies, not to mention the problems it will cause to other road users when it gives up totally !
Anyway rant over, but it will stop working sooner rather than later!
This post may be of no help, but worth showing the driver after it all goes wrong!
Regards John H.

[maxxpump]

Originally Posted by Heddycdt

Haven't a clue. No, seriously, mine failed, AA man gave it a knock and it was fine for months till I changed it. I've had an aftermarket one too, changed that to a used Pierburg because it was much quieter. Someone more technically advanced will be along to tell you if other damage can occur.

Did the same, tapped it with a screw driver and it was good again, just think it won't be good for too much longer and I don't want to be caught out!

[maxxpump]

Originally Posted by John H

Hi, the under bonnet fuel pump failure if terminal, will prevent the engine running full stop end of the story, but they can offer a warning as mine did, it allowed me to break down at a fuel station, started, stalled re started and limped home a mile or so. The pump was noticeably noisey and the drive home was a bit clumsy. I would stop using the car till the fault is rectified as I did. Fitted new pump and all was ok. Unsure of the potential damages possible, but if your flatmate is a Bosch qualified technician and built like Geoff Capes and willing to push the car home when it totally fails, Its his call.
Not sure why people are unable to understand the risks of driving a car that has offered a warning of its illness and prepared to drive till it dies, not to mention the problems it will cause to other road users when it gives up totally !
Anyway rant over, but it will stop working sooner rather than later!
This post may be of no help, but worth showing the driver after it all goes wrong!
Regards John H.

Thankyou, I think the message has got through now, I will replace it now a week tuesday and have her on the road by next tuesday's afternoon, thanks for understanding my plight (I have never understood why he doesn't understand that you can't run a car into the ground, but as it is also my car (we paid fifty, fifty for it I do have a good say in its overall service)) Thank god for the help that I have got from the forum so far, it has helped me and my flatmate more than I could ever quantify! and will be a treasure trove of knowledge and support until I am forced to make the decision to let the car go to the giant scrapper in the sky (it will be sold on here first for spares or repair rather than being broken as I do care immensely for british engineering and these cars that could unfortunately get rarer as users abuse them and scrap them instead of selling them for reconditioning.[I think that brought a slight tear to my eye ]

I thank you again!

[T-Cut]

Under bonnet pump failure presents exactly the same problem as running out of fuel. It varies from a minor inconvenience to absolute disaster, depending on where you are at the time.

Tc

[DMGRS]

If it's the original item, a quick tap usually gets them running again. Aftermarket quality varies significantly - we've done a lot of digging with regards to failure rates and settled on an item we've not had many problems with.
Ours are here: Fuel Pump - Under Bonnet - 75/ZT CDT
They're not OEM, but they seem to perform and last well.

If you're after OEM life-span of 10 years plus, then an OEM pump by Pierburg (now branded TI Automotive) is the way to go.