fuel pump wont prime

[pikey1986]

any ideas what could be the cause? if worst comes to worst what pump will i need to replace it or will a pump off another vaux be up to the job? ive got an e16 fitted if that helps

[CoolTiger]

Not all pumps prime.

[Iain]

Check the pump is getting 12v. If it is, the pump is knackered, if not, I'd check the fuel relay first.

[Mike]

Check the polarity on the pump :thumb:

[pikey1986]

if it is the pump thats knackered whats the best item to replace it with?

[Mark Sparks]

A pump!

helo jokos not dead.

[Will F]

Relay is more likely to be the cause.

Do you have an EML light on with the ignition?

[pikey1986]

hopefully sorted now, bin out and cleaned all the earths i could find and cleaned the connections on the pump itself, its primed every time since but their seems to be a click that comes from behind the dash or at the back of the engine bay after it primes, should this be something to worry about or am i paranoid?

[Iain]

The click is the fuel relay mentioned above, so nothing to worry about. I think it's mounted on the firewall in the engine bay?

[pikey1986]

now im confussed, just bin out and now it primes when it wants to, im still getting that click sound from the relay, this is the only problem ive had since i bought the car a year ago and its soon tested my patients(spelling) as i need the car every day, how do you wire a perenant live, just connect one end to the battery and the other to the pump?

[Iain]

If you wire it to the battery the pump will be running 24/7.

I've temporarily bodged the pump before by wiring it's +ve (red/blue) to an ignition live (black), so the pump runs when the ignition is on. Probably not a good idea to keep it like that though.

[Will F]

change the realy - and have you got an EML light on when it doesnt prime?

If not, its def the relay as it provides a feed for the ECU too....

[jimbob-mcgrew]

yeh stick it on the battery like ian said, then youll know if its working properly, it might be sticking or seized.

friend of mine had a similar prob on his nova, we pulled the pump out and shook it up poked a screwdriver down it to free it, works all good now.

[pikey1986]

i dont think its got an eml light wired in and i aint got a clue how id go about wiring one up, ive bin thinking about getting it re-wired because i think the lad that did the conversion hasnt done a very good job, where abouts on the ignition live would be best to wire into?

[mowgli]

leave the relay in. as long as it clicks, then it is fine. worry when the click stops

[mikey14sr]

ahh it's been converted to an E16, I'd check the wiring to and from the relay and the pump for chafage and breaks first (any of it been cut and re-joined?). If that's all ok it's most likely an issue with the pump.

MPI pumps are easily killed if they're not connected to the right fuel tank (carb tanks have no swirl pot to keep the pick-up covered in fuel, if the levels low the pump can find itself sucking air, which they aint designed to do).

[pikey1986]

connected the pump to the ignition live and the pump just makes a buzz as if its priming but doesnt stop and wont fire up but the relay still clicks:confused:, the wires all seem to be fine, i couldnt see or feel any cracks or splits, how do i know if ive got the right tank on?