Fuel pump help needed!!

[tomm]

My fuel pump had been sticking on startup, so this evening I swapped it for a replacement purchased from a bloke on here.

The car won't start.

I've checked the power lead: the pump power cable provides good voltage on turning the engine over. I've removed the fuel pipe and cranked the engine over, and no fuel comes out at all.

Am I missing something, or have I replaced a dodgy pump with a totally knackered pump?

[johnna]

Hi Tomm,

the pump was working well.

Are you getting a good Earth too? Try testing the other terminal in the loom for continuity. (Beep function on Multimeter).
Test the pump using two wires directly to the battery. If it won't work, remove it and I'll refund you mate. I'm not into ripping peeps off.

Bugger!

[tomm]

Hi John

Don't worry - that's not what I was getting at It's just a ball-ache as I need to get to work in the morning!

I'll go and test the pump in a mo...

[tomm]

Earth was good. Not a peep from the new pump on testing whereas mine intermittantly squirted petrol at the missus I wonder if it's got an internal problem, as there's absolutely no resistance between its terminals?

[old_skool]

Thump it! It's likely just stuck. That normally gets them going again.

[SPADGE]

Thump it! It's likely just stuck. That normally gets them going again.

Kick it in the gonads if thumping it doesn't do the trick

[johnna]

Refund made

[Brianmoooore]

I've found this before. Perfectly good fuel pumps that refuse to work when rehoused in another car!
Must be something to do with a surface layer of corrosion forming inside the pump when it dries out.
I've taken to running some light oil up inside pumps when I take them out to store them, and haven't had the problem since - but that may just be coincidence.

[johnna]

I'd go for that...

[tomm]

It's a bugger. Someone on another board got three E30 pumps from a scrappy, and only one worked - it may well be a 'feature' of these pumps. If I try and get one from a scrappy, I'll have to take the battery with me to test it!

Alternatively, someone suggested trying to stick any other brand's cheap pump in there instead, but I'm having trouble finding anything small enough! Any suggestions?

[SPADGE]

Tomm
I have a pump here that only yesterday i removed from an E30
The car was running yesterday so it hasn't been standing 'dry' for any time really.
Its from a 90 318i i don't know what car you have?

[tomm]

It's a 320i with an in-tank single outlet pump. I'm not sure if they're compatible?

[fuzzy]

Its from a 90 318i i don't know what car you have?

i might be mistaken but i was told all 'i' e30's use the same pump.

[SPADGE]

Not sure either to be honest although i see from your wanted ad your after one with one outlet and mine has 2.
I have a 320i touring here that i could sell you the pump off but it would mean making it immobile so i would need a decent offer

[Brianmoooore]

Its from a 90 318i i don't know what car you have?

i might be mistaken but i was told all 'i' e30's use the same pump.

they do, but there are two different mounting brackets.

[Brianmoooore]

Not sure either to be honest although i see from your wanted ad your after one with one outlet and mine has 2.
I have a 320i touring here that i could sell you the pump off but it would mean making it immobile so i would need a decent offer

You can use a two outlet pump (actually one is an inlet) in place of a single outlet pump, but the spare pipe will need to be blanked off. Easiest way is with a short length of fuel hose, two clips, and a short piece of steel rod shoved up the end.

[SPADGE]

Not sure either to be honest although i see from your wanted ad your after one with one outlet and mine has 2.
I have a 320i touring here that i could sell you the pump off but it would mean making it immobile so i would need a decent offer

You can use a two outlet pump (actually one is an inlet) in place of a single outlet pump, but the spare pipe will need to be blanked off. Easiest way is with a short length of fuel hose, two clips, and a short piece of steel rod shoved up the end.

Cheers Brian keep the knowledge coming i'm soaking it all up like a sponge

There you go then Tomm either way i have a pump for you

[tomm]

Thanks Spadge. You have PM...