I think my fuel pump is shagged, how to test?

[amadain]

So my car wont start, it's turning over but just won't fire. it started for about 2 seconds there a while ago but just petered out, kind of spluttery.

I lifted up the back seat and had a mate turn the key but not start it. Isn't the pump supposed to make a sound when you turn the key? I didn't hear a thing. Does that mean it's fecked?

I have a 98 1L ibiza.

 

[GTV]

you could try using a voltmeter and see if you have supply there, if you do and the pumps not running yes it sounds like the pump.

 

[hopkinsgm]

Dunno what kind of Ibiza you have but mine (2.0 8v, AGG engine code) tends to leak a little pressure from the fuel system if it's been stood for a few days. It seems to start better after allowing the pump to repressurise the system. Insert key, turn to first stop and the pump repressurises the system for a couple of seconds and then it stops (trips out on over-pressure I guess). This is the noise I guess you were listening for when you got your mate to give you a hand. If you've been trying to start it fairly regularly, then the fuel system will probably be at pressure anyway.

Back in the mists of time when K-Jetronic injections ruled the earth, there used to be a test that Bosch advised for testing injection pumps that involved unhooking the main fuel feed and pointing the end of the pipe into a plastic bottle and cranking the engine for about 30 seconds. It's a fairly basic test, but a useful kinda check. You've got to know what kind of flow the pump should be delivering of course.

 

[robreidmotors]

First you want to make sure it is a no fuel issue.

Id take a spark plug out, attach it to its lead, rest it on the engine. If on your own wind down drivers window, with the car in neutral make sure you can see the plug and crank the engine over and look for a spark. If you have a spark, then smell the plug hole for petrol, if no petrol then its definately a no fuel issue.

You should get three clicks from the fuel relay, one when you first turn the key, second a few seconds later (this builds up fuel pressure), then a third as you crank the engine over to start. Its a safety feature to stop the pump when the engine isnt running ie accident etc

Incidentally there is a 'check valve' in the fuel pump, this is a one way valve and is designed to stop the fuel pressure dropping when you turn off the engine. You can check if this is faulty by turning the ignition on, then off, then on a few seconds at a time about ten times, if it starts straight away you most probably have a good fuel pump but bad check valve in the pump.

 

[amadain]

My model is a 98 1L.

I have fuel in the car about a tenners worth, shoud be plenty to start the car.

Could it be the battery? The light indicates that it needs charging. Green means good, grey means needs charging and I think yellow is faulty. its at grey.

 

[hopkinsgm]

As a general rule, if there's enough power in the battery to turn the motor over on the starter, there ought to be plenty enough to give you a decent spark. This does, of course, assume that all is well with the ignition circuit. Try turning it over with a spark plug out - preferably testing for a spark as you go to rule out ignition problems (as suggested by robreidmotors above). Have a sniff around the spark plug hole straight after - you should get a fairly strong smell of fuel, if not then something is not right

Which light are you talking about?