Please stop me from scrapping it!

[Harry1212]

So my problems with the Fabia are now back! i had issues with the fuel pump relay and the engine cut off a few times while driving and wouldn't start up again, i had the relay replaced with a new one (the old relay was very warm when it was removed, mechanic said this was strange) and then the fog lights and AC/blowers stopped working, but the car ran fine

 

I covered around 400 miles in 2 weeks without any problems starting up or running, now it's not starting up again and it's the same one fault code showing up (17932/P1524/005412 - Fuel Pump Relay (J17): Open or Short to Ground), it started up after a while today but then shut down after around 3 seconds, won't start up again, this happened 3 times within an hour or so

 

The AA came back out again, had a little fiddle under the dash by the relays and it eventually fired up

 

It's been at an auto electrician since yesterday and they have put it on the computer and found no fault codes apart from very code ones which they wiped

 

Also no loose or damaged connections, no signs of water leaking into the area (as read on here in a old thread) and it's starting and running fine again

 

The only fault code that shows up when it stops running is the same fuel pump relay code

 

Anyone on here got any ideas??

 

Could just be me over thinking now but most of the time this has happened the fuel display has shown below 100 miles left in the tank and it has been on a hill?? i also only ever fill up with Asda diesel, **** fuel??

[Skoda_Saint]

Crap fuel is possible, have you changed the fuel filter?

[Alexandru]

I'd check all the relays. When the old one died, it might have just 'locked' a different one, causing all this trouble. Have them all re-seated and also checked. I'd look for F129 and the fuel pump as well.

[Harry1212]

It was changed at last service about 6 months ago but I've got a new one at home so mite as well do it

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[Breezy_Pete]

I'd try another fuel pump if I were you. If that's failing it may be pulling a higher current than the relay can handle. I bet someone'll have one out of a car they're breaking.

[Harry1212]

Cheers guys, I'll try a new fuel filter tomorrow and then next step is fuel pump itself

Got it back now and it's running fine, just filled up a full tank of diesel so will see how it goes

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[Jon_woo]

Run some fuel cleaner through it as well

[Harry1212]

Shell?? BP?? i've always used Asda and Sainsbury's fuel tbh

[Jon_woo]

shell of BP but get some of the fuel cleaners that you tip into the tank

[munstaar]

I'd avoid supermarket fuel mate. You generally get what you pay for with that. Cheap leftover rubbish. BP and Shell aren't really that much dearer, especially if you consider the extra miles you can get and how kinder it is to the car. As said above, get some cleaner in the next time you fill up and replace the fuel filter. Hopefully saves the car from the scrapyard!

[Harry1212]

Nice one, gives me some hope now, been driving it all day and it's been fine so far, i was joking about scrapping it haha, but it was driving me wild

[sepulchrave]

Snake oil is NEVER the correct answer FFS!

 

It's not the bloody filter or the gearbox oil either, it's the fuel pump like Wino said.

[Taylor93]

15 years ago maybe, but now all fuels meet a minimum requirement which is alot better than you may think. Not like in the US where fuels do vary alot (where alot of these rumours come from)

You have an electrical fault as proven because replacing the relay temporarily fixed it but it has clearly burnt out and needs to bd replaced along with the fuel pump.

Id be surprised if it is the fuel filter as the lift pump is relatively low pressure until it gets to the tandem pump on the camshaft so i wouldn't expect the issues that you sre having to be caused by a bad filter

As wino and sepulchave said

[Alexandru]

I've got a friend of mine with a similar issue as the OPs, on a diesel Mk IV Golf and after checking and re-seating all the relays everything got back to normal. I'm questioning the fan blowers which stopped working (which sounds like a problem with an AC sensor, F129 to be more precise), along with the front fog lights. Fixing the fan blowers should be done asap, you wouldn't really want to get that engine overheated.

Edited 10 July, 2015 by Alexandru

[Harry1212]

Another day and 30 miles covered so far and no issues as of yet, went back to a garage regarding the fuel pump but they said if the fuel pump had failed it wouldn't start up at all

Replacing the filter later and will run it on V Power for the next few months and see how it goes

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[Breezy_Pete]

Who said it had failed?

Failing is different.

 

Time will tell.

[fireballxl5]

Open or short to ground? Maybe the answer is right in front of you, try checking your earth/ground brown wires to the body, remove the holding nut and pull the brown terminal from the body stud, clean terminals with sand paper and check around the stud to the body and clean if there appears to be rust or oxidation around stud area.

[Harry1212]

Been done mate, had electricians check all of the connections down there and no faults, that fault code only comes up while it's failing to start, once it starts up again the code is gone

[Taylor93]

Just an extra thought.

I have had dealings with some DC electric motors (similar in principle to those found in the fuel pumps) and when at ambient they may buzz out fine with a few ohms of resistance as you would expect.

But after some use they heat up and expand. Over time the enamel on the copper windings can crack and allow if your unlucky for turns to short out after a durationof use because the copper slowly expands. Then shorting turns

1 not only will this cause a lower resistance and allow for more current to flow, 2 it will reduce the efficiency of the pump/motor and wont move it as much.

Your fuel pump is burning out and will fail.

[Updown789]

Just an extra thought.

I have had dealings with some DC electric motors (similar in principle to those found in the fuel pumps) and when at ambient they may buzz out fine with a few ohms of resistance as you would expect.

But after some use they heat up and expand. Over time the enamel on the copper windings can crack and allow if your unlucky for turns to short out after a durationof use because the copper slowly expands. Then shorting turns

1 not only will this cause a lower resistance and allow for more current to flow, 2 it will reduce the efficiency of the pump/motor and wont move it as much.

Your fuel pump is burning out and will fail.

This guy. This guy knows his motor theory