Car not starting - Fuel Pump Problem?

[invisible]

Car decided not to start this afternoon

The walbro fuel pump is hard wired and usually every time you turn the key you can hear the fuel being rammed into the engine.

I'm not a fan of hardwired pumps and its been like this since I had the car and been rewired twice cause of poor wiring by the garge that sold it to me.

They did fob me off by saying it need to be hardwired because of the Clifford BlackJax 5 Anti-hijack system I have but don't know if thats true. I did plan to have the Blackjax removed given it has no effect on my insurance and is just a pain to keep having to put the code in each time you start the car.

Anyway, I digress!

I now cant hear the fuel pumping into the engine and because of this I assume thats why its not starting. I've had the back seats out and looked at the wiring and cant really see anything obvious.

And yes, I do have fuel in the car and does seem to currently be holding a good charge from the battery, just not firing.

Anything else obvious I could check?

If not its on a truck to the garage tomorrow

 

[fq-craigus]

if you cant hear the pump when you first turn the ignition i would say fuel pump

 

[B6lee]

Hard wired pumps are usually on early cars or 400+bhp cars as I did the one on my VII when I up power from 370-460

You should have a fused live feed running direct from battery to a relay which you should find in the offside rear passenger foot well. Just pull trims off and fold carpet back.

Check you have power supply to relay from battery. And that the earth is secure. You also have 2 other wires on relay. One will be the original live feed direct to pump which is now your switch wire. The other the other part of the which used to be main feed to pump which it still is but is now feed a good strong power supply

 

[invisible]

Thanks Guys.

I have a low loader picking it up at lunch time now anyway as not had chance to look at it this morning and it needs to go in for a few bits anyway.

So am I to understand a hard-wired fuel pump is not a bad thing?

My tuner suggested hard-wiring may be hiding a multitude of sins and was not needed but I thought if it had a constant supply it wouldnt do it any harm?

Especially as plans (other more urgent jobs needing attention) is to have it sitting in the 400/400 perfvormance mark?

Thoughts would be welcome.

One thing for sure however is the BlackJax 5 is coming out

I'll keep you posted and thanks again

 

[B6lee]

I'd say it's not essential at that power level. It is simple enough to put back to normal as its only the 1 wire to join back together.

And I don't see how it can be hiding problems as the injectors control the level of fuel going into engine. Hard wired pump just ensures the pump don't run out of puff

 

[invisible]

Thanks Lee,

As ever with me still learning and with little knowledge and hearsay can be dangerous!

Sounds to me like its not such a bad thing anyway

 

[Steve220]

I didn't think the fuel pump primed before starting on 7/8/9's? Mine never did until i had the Autronics fitted

 

[B6lee]

I didn't think the fuel pump primed before starting on 7/8/9's? Mine never did until i had the Autronics fitted

my evo vii did with factory ecu hard to hear it though, sounds like your sat right next to my 044 when it primes lol

 

[Steve220]

The only way i thought it didn't, as my 044 pump used to be in the engine bay and could hear anything it did and it never made a noise when you first turn the ignition on. Might just have been the wiring.

 

[invisible]

Well whichever way mine is wired up can defo hear it easily!

Which is why I have drawn the conclusion that's why its not starting as I can not hear it now

Hopefully a simple fix. I'm not against it being return to how they intended it to be from the factory as long as its not likely to result in fuel starvation.

Will see what they say, probably tomorrow now. They going to look at the gearbox too while they have it and one or two other niggles and then will see what's left for the nice to haves

 

[B6lee]

ive trailed through mlr and as i thought walbro will run 450 bhp and no issues with it not being hardwired to run 400 but can be done as a precaution if in doubt

 

[invisible]

Thats great Lee - Cheers

 

[invisible]

Small update;

Garage thinks the pump and relays are fine and so is the battery.

They seem to think its the Blackjax5 or the Cobra Ai606 alarm cutting the fuel.

Interesting though as the BlackJax5 accepts the code, illuminates the dashboard and allows the car to start albeit without the fuel kicking in?

Odd one.

 

[Simon@NTS]

Have you tried running a wire directly ?

 

[invisible]

Have you tried running a wire directly ?

The fuel pump is already hardwired.

I'm leaving it to them to sort as those electrical things go over my head!

Downside is last week I was going to book it in at a reputable car audio place I know to get the BlackJax removed and the Cobra serviced

Unfortunately these guys aren't mobile, damn

 

[Simon@NTS]

Yes I know but when hardwired the original power to the pump is used as a signal wire, I was saying about running a loose wire from the battery to pump power input directly to test the pump

 

[invisible]

Yes I know but when hardwired the original power to the pump is used as a signal wire, I was saying about running a loose wire from the battery to pump power input directly to test the pump

Thanks,
They have tested the pump, maybe that way unsure, but have said pump is working OK