I pulled all the fuses i could see today, they were all fine. i have no idea where the Relay or the Fuse is for the fuel pump, i'm searching online and have seen references to the Plen Chamber near ECU but i dont know what to look for, any help would be appreciated.

The humming noise has definatley got louder over the last month or two.

What would it cost for a new fuel pump and is it a job i could do, fingers crossed.

Thanks for the replies.

I can't upload the attachment- it's just over 2mb & max here is 1mb...try googling "2002 Polo 1.2 fuel pump fuse". It was the 4th one down on the list when I searched...hope it works!

Have you checked any fuses?

Thanks for that, it doesn't show the location but its a good document all the same.

Ah well, enough for one day, back at it in the morning.

Ok, i can confirm I HAVE SPARK at the plug, the plugs were dry and there was no smell of fuel at all after the car was turned over.

I am now checking the Relay box under dash, there are 3 relays.

They are numbered as follows - 429 - 18 - 167.

I have no idea which one may be the Fuel Pump Relay, if someone could point that out it would be a big help.

Thank you

I'd go with the 167, it's certainly used as a fuel pump relay on some other VAG models. 18 is x-relief I think, not sure what 429 might be, but I'm sure a search engine could help.

Believe it or not google has always helped, not this time though. not many results to go off. Thank god for this place

Thank you for replying.

if there was no petrol smell, it seems as if no fuel is getting into the bores. Fuel pump failure is no unheard of, but rare, does it still make the whirring hum when you turn the key?.

No, it doesn't make any sound now, thats why i suspect the pump.

Is it a job for a novice or will it need to go in the garage ?

Thanks for the reply.

No, it doesn't make any sound now, thats why i suspect the pump.

Is it a job for a novice or will it need to go in the garage ?

Thanks for the reply.

The pump is situated inside the fuel tank...if you're not comfortable working on it, or don't have decent garage facilities, it's best left to a garage.

Especially given the higher risk involved with petrol. I changed an in-tank fuel pump on my old Passat but I did it outside, in summer time, so it was well-vented and I had a small hand-pump to completely empty the tank etc.

If you have a grasp of electrics and a multi-meter, you could test for continuity/voltage at the pump connections, where they enter the fuel tank, before you order a new pump? Like a previous poster stated, for a pump to fail is unusual; usually they get weaker over time until they cannot provide sufficient flow at the required pressure.

I have pulled Relay Number 167 out, which i think is for the Fuel Pump, taken the cover off and checked for any signs of failure, it doesn't smell overheated and all solder joints are ok.

I have no idea how to test a relay but i'm willing to buy a multimeter and have a go.

Need to look for a how to guide, if there is one.

The humming noise has got louder over the last month or so, enough for others to hear it. I can't make my mind up if the noise was near the tank or under the dash. I'm guessing now, but if i had to bet on it i would say the noise getting louder was the sign that the pump was failing. i think it would be a good idea to replace the fuel filter and maybe the fuel pressure regulator at the same time as the pump.

Thanks for the reply

i think it would be a good idea to replace the fuel filter and maybe the fuel pressure regulator at the same time as the pump.

The filter, yes but the pressure-regulator is just a pressure-relief valve which lifts when the fuel pressure reaches the high-limit for the system...unlikely to need changing. A relay will be a lot less expensive than a pump, so get these checked out first? One way (if it's possible), is to hold the relay & get someone to switch on the ignition. If you feel a "click", as the relay energises, it's good.

Might be an idea to check out any scrappies near you & see if you can get some relays.

Relays are just switches which are energised by a signal voltage and can handle heavier loads...not too complicated. The check for power/continuity at the pump- connections will help a lot to test if it's a power-supply issue or pump-failure?

Edited 2 January, 201313 yr by gt-cri

Problem now fixed.

It was a faulty fuel pump. The garage replaced the fuel pump and i asked them to change the filter aswell, he showed me the filter when i picked the car up, it was full of black gunk.

Total cost for the pump and filter inc labour was £200.

Thank you to everyone who replied, the help was invaluable and much appreciated.

Glad to hear you're back on the road! Thanks for the conclusion too! It's good for everyone- all adds to our experience & I'm thinking your "humming" fuel pump was singing it's death tune!

Just for info, you might find this site handy for reference- it's been very useful to me for part numbers & locating things etc etc:

vagcat.com

If you sign up, you can access the "online parts catalogue".

Cheers,

gt

I know what you mean, the times i have read different threads without a final conclusion this last 7 days, it's drove me mad, so close, yet so far.

Thanks for the link, cant afford to get rid of the car yet so i will be needing that site. not too soon tho.

Thanks