I have a 2011 VRS that has just had all 3 fuel pumps replaced, new fuel lines, and common rail. Car still refuses to start so I am left with no alternative but to "scrap" and get back what I can. Interior, bodywork, and wheels are all sound. Can anyone recommend a salvage company who make decent offers for non running cars?

What exactly is the problem? I wouldn't be throwing it away if I'd spent that load of money on it really, there must be summat not right (most likely human error somewhere) which will be a simple fix.

Any fault codes?

I have a 2011 VRS that has just had all 3 fuel pumps replaced, new fuel lines, and common rail. Car still refuses to start so I am left with no alternative but to "scrap" and get back what I can. Interior, bodywork, and wheels are all sound. Can anyone recommend a salvage company who make decent offers for non running cars?

You wont get a lot for scrap at all. Maybe £100 if you are lucky as scrap has gone down in value. Have you checked all the fuses are working or scanned it for fault codes? Having done all that work and it is beyond your skills, I would take it to a specialist and let them have a look.

Edited 27 October, 20169 yr by Ecomatt

I'd be interested

If you really want rid, sell it as a non runner, because scrap will get you nothing.

I do agree though, it's going to be something simple that's been overlooked if you've done that much and no fuel is flowing.

You are seriously thinking of scraping a 2011 car!!!  Extremely high mileage?  Accident damage?  If not surely it is worth the fault being rectified even if you then sell it.   Probably worth over £7K in a private sale? 

Given the work mentioned it sounds like it was misfuelled?

I'd be getting VCDS on it to see whats wrong.  What's pointed you in the direction of fuel pumps?

Thanks to all the responses - I'm looking at using a company like "Motorwise" and "Selling" it to them as a non-runner. The quote I got from them seemed reasonable. It's been with a VAG trained mechanic for 6 weeks who admittedly has experience with PD engines rather than CR but he has been left completely stumped by this. It was code read when it broke down which pointed to the issues with the fuel pump and fuel pressure. I'm not technical whatsoever and to cut a long story short (6weeks) when the car was recovered back to his unit he found iron fillings in the fuel filter housing. He has replaced all 3 fuel pumps (Some of them more than once) starting with the HP unit but each time the car is started it fails after a matter of minutes and the iron fillings re appear. It has definitely not been mis-fuelled. The tank has been flushed out and new fuel lines fitted and this week the common rail?! was replaced. The one thing he was struggling to find out was at what point this particular engine is supposed to be primed with fuel?

At the minute it's not cost me anything because if it isn't fixed I don't pay (The mechanic is my brother in law!) It's now got to the point where I think we are going to have to admit defeat and I need to get rid of the car. I'd rather not go down the route of ebay selling as a non runner having had no experience in selling anything on e-bay never mind a car. Suppose I could tell him to put it on ebay and he can handle the calls/viewings..............

I'd take it to a VAG specialist or even Skoda, lets say it's costs you a bit to fix, I'll bet what it costs you to get it running is less than what you would lose on selling it as a non-runner compared to what it's worth.

 

To me it doesn't sound terminal at all, you really need a professional with experience with the CR engines to diagnose it properly and with live data measuring fuel pressures and the likes.

 

 

P.S, if the above is not an option you want to explore then give me some details of the car, mileage, history and whatnot and what you're looking to get back from it, I could be interested!

Edited 28 October, 20169 yr by Muzza80

Thanks to all the responses - I'm looking at using a company like "Motorwise" and "Selling" it to them as a non-runner. The quote I got from them seemed reasonable. It's been with a VAG trained mechanic for 6 weeks who admittedly has experience with PD engines rather than CR but he has been left completely stumped by this. It was code read when it broke down which pointed to the issues with the fuel pump and fuel pressure. I'm not technical whatsoever and to cut a long story short (6weeks) when the car was recovered back to his unit he found iron fillings in the fuel filter housing. He has replaced all 3 fuel pumps (Some of them more than once) starting with the HP unit but each time the car is started it fails after a matter of minutes and the iron fillings re appear. It has definitely not been mis-fuelled. The tank has been flushed out and new fuel lines fitted and this week the common rail?! was replaced. The one thing he was struggling to find out was at what point this particular engine is supposed to be primed with fuel?

At the minute it's not cost me anything because if it isn't fixed I don't pay (The mechanic is my brother in law!) It's now got to the point where I think we are going to have to admit defeat and I need to get rid of the car. I'd rather not go down the route of ebay selling as a non runner having had no experience in selling anything on e-bay never mind a car. Suppose I could tell him to put it on ebay and he can handle the calls/viewings..............

 

Being in Manchester I'd be half tempted to see if derv-tech can get it running, although I've not got any idea if do much with common rail TDIs.

I've heard good things about these guys on the R32 forum, well regarded by many in the area

 

https://www.facebook.com/vag.specialist.manchester/

 

http://www.car-service-manchester.co.uk/

 

Give them a call, explain what's happening and what's been done so far and see what they have to say, cant do any harm! 

Edited 28 October, 20169 yr by Muzza80

Again - thanks for the advice guys. Bit more information for you, The issue is the HP Pump is running dry and failing as soon as the engine starts running. Fuel is getting through the system no problem under diagnostics. Does anyone know if the primer pump inside the fuel tank activates when the ignition is switched on or when the engine is actually turned over? I've even heard some are activated when the driver door is opened.

 

I bought the car from a local franchised dealer with service history. Since then I haven't been back to them as my brother in law has always looked after all the cars in the family. He changed the cambelt and water pump last year and did the last service with no issues. I'm not sure what they would say if I tow it back to them after he has replaced all 3 pumps, fuel tank, common rail, fuel lines, and return pipes and say "Any chance you can have a look at this car I bought from you 18mths ago?" Main dealer repair costs are always extortionate and I will be giving them another excuse to charge me even more.

Suppose the same could be said if an independent specialist looked at it - they could also tell me it would cost "X" amount to undo all that has been done already and then they have to start again which will be another "X" amount. It's something I will consider before ebay or Salvage though.

I think a phone call to one of the recommended independents is a good shout and as said by previous poster - it can't do harm.

 

Be honest and explain what is happening and the extent of what has been changed.  I doubt they'll want to re-instate everything that has already been done for the sake of it, unless they suspect a fault with it.  It sounds like the same fault has existed throughout the duration of it non running and it hasn't really altered?  

 

You will be able to gauge their attitude and helpfulness and enthusiasm to sort the problem before making a commitment to towing it there. Explain that you have already thrown £££ at it and there is a limit to how much more. 

 

Or you could do the same approach with a dealer if you have a relationship with them, like most engineering / repair type jobs, a lot can depend on the quality of the actual guy working on the car.

 

Thinking out loud, has you brother in law got any mechanic contacts he has tried to talk this through with?  I've been at independents before with more than one branch where if they are really stumped they'll try a master tech at another branch to see if they have missed anything or recognise anything from what has been happening....

 

Edit: PS. If you don't get a response on priming method, maybe start a new thread asking that as it is a bit buried now and the thread title is about something else.

Edited 29 October, 20169 yr by TheClient

I had a similar issue on a common rail Renault a few years back (warranty). They replaced the pump and it failed again, twice.

They eventually had to replace the whole fuel system from the filler cap right through to the injectors including all pipework.

It ran OK after that but was gutsy on fuel since.

The issue seems to be a have a go hero mechanic.

Take it to someone who knows what they are doing.

Changing the oil and general servicing does not make you a mechanic.

Edited 29 October, 20169 yr by tubbytommy

Thanks to all the responses - I'm looking at using a company like "Motorwise" and "Selling" it to them as a non-runner. The quote I got from them seemed reasonable. It's been with a VAG trained mechanic for 6 weeks who admittedly has experience with PD engines rather than CR but he has been left completely stumped by this. It was code read when it broke down which pointed to the issues with the fuel pump and fuel pressure. I'm not technical whatsoever and to cut a long story short (6weeks) when the car was recovered back to his unit he found iron fillings in the fuel filter housing. He has replaced all 3 fuel pumps (Some of them more than once) starting with the HP unit but each time the car is started it fails after a matter of minutes and the iron fillings re appear. It has definitely not been mis-fuelled. The tank has been flushed out and new fuel lines fitted and this week the common rail?! was replaced. The one thing he was struggling to find out was at what point this particular engine is supposed to be primed with fuel?

At the minute it's not cost me anything because if it isn't fixed I don't pay (The mechanic is my brother in law!) It's now got to the point where I think we are going to have to admit defeat and I need to get rid of the car. I'd rather not go down the route of ebay selling as a non runner having had no experience in selling anything on e-bay never mind a car. Suppose I could tell him to put it on ebay and he can handle the calls/viewings..............

This makes no sense at all to want to scrap/get rid of a 2011 vrs without letting a professional  skoda indy or main dealer look at the car even if it cost £1000 to fix its resale value would be around £5000+, this sounds to good to be true someone will ethier get the deal of a lifetime or conned out of there money . 

I was thinking about starting a new thread re the primer pump question so thanks for the advice TheClient. As a relatively new member not sure if I can start a new thread - according to the message I see I can only comment on this thread until 14.35 then I have to wait until the 10th of November?!?

 

Fatbloke Vrs - sounds exactly like what my brother in law was told when he sought advice from other mechanics in the trade including a contact at Skoda "replace the whole fuel system from the filler cap right through to the injectors including all pipework" which is essentially what he has done except the injectors which have been away for testing and have been found to be working fine.

 

Willy0329 - Believe me I am not taking the decision to get rid of this car lightly having invested 10K in it 18 months ago. I suppose I could eat humble pie and contact the dealer but I am absolutely convinced this will end up with a massive quote from them based on what I have been told and even read on this forum. New Fuel System @ Main Dealer = 8K!

Looks like this will be my last post on this topic until 10th of November at least due to restrictions on my account.

Thanks for all the suggestions. At the moment I am thinking of contacting one of the independents reccomended rather than going back to the franchised dealer.

Also just to clarify by "Scrap" I mean contacting a salvage company and selling it to them as a non runner as previously stated. Last offer I had was just over 3K.

Unfortunately I haven't got the time or expertise to break it myself for spares

The one thing he was struggling to find out was at what point this particular engine is supposed to be primed with fuel?

How has he been priming the new fuel pumps? Has he used the lift pump to prime / purge the system? Running the high pressure fuel pump dry without first priming / purging the system will likely destroy it / cause the iron filings as it relies on diesel for lubrication.

This page gives the relevant instructions. Look particularly at the section with the vcds instructions and the video just below:

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/fuel-filter-replacement-2009-vw-jetta-golf-jsw-and-audi-a3-tdi/

This reminds me of a couple of similar mystery fuel starvation problems I encountered many years ago.

In the end the problem was finally identified as a piece of rag floating in the fuel tank which would get sucked towards the fuel pickup and block/restrict it. When the engine stopped, the rag would float off and things would be ok for a few minutes upon restarting.

I would hazard a guess you have similar problem in your tank.

Hi Xman - not a foreign body in the tank issue as the tank has been replaced.

Technical side is now being discussed on the following thread:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/415497-vrs-cr-diesel-primer-pump-activation/

 

Any advice much appreciated.