car help Blanch

poindexter

can anyone recommend someone good. ford focus decided to stop working tonight. when i turn the key it sounds like it wants to start but just won't kick in/over. a guy i know tried a diagnostic test but it wouldn't read/register
he looked at fuses and they were ok. he said he thinks it's a fuel pump problem.


HELP. what do i do, where do i turn???????????????????

Hal1

Can you hear any noise from the fuel pump when you turn key in the ignition? I.e. turning to position II, not starting the engine. The noise you should hear is the fuel pump being primmed. If you hear it, then fuel pump might be ok. It could be dirty petrol, and an fuel flush additive might do the job.

poindexter

Hal1 wrote: »

Can you hear any noise from the fuel pump when you turn key in the ignition? I.e. turning to position II, not starting the engine. The noise you should hear is the fuel pump being primmed. If you hear it, then fuel pump might be ok. It could be dirty petrol, and an fuel flush additive might do the job.

one of the boys who was with me at the time said that noise wasn't there. he started his car to let me hear the difference:(


the pesky thing is now sitting in a carpark in Blanch, need to get it towed to somewhere decent today, any suggestions please.

Muckie

How old is your focus, if its near the 10year mark. Could be the pump.
Get a helper, find the pump, tap it as someone turns the key.
Some times works, if no buzzing, pump is dead and needs replacing.

poindexter

Muckie wrote: »

How old is your focus, if its near the 10year mark. Could be the pump.
Get a helper, find the pump, tap it as someone turns the key.
Some times works, if no buzzing, pump is dead and needs replacing.

it's an 02, though there is a fair few miles on it (140,000+).
after looking at fuses and immobiliser and whatever else, he told me to turn the key and he checked down at the back wheel on drivers side. it's then he said it's the pump

Seperate

Pumps should be a lifetime part.

Have you a spare key you could try to rule out immob. issue?

Similar thing happened me before, stranded in a car park. After replacing my fuel pump (and a few other bits too), it turned out to be alarm/immob related. I couldn't hear the prime noise either.

A garage should be able to give the pump power with a 12v source anyway, to confirm it is alive/dead.

poindexter

Seperate wrote: »

Pumps should be a lifetime part.

Have you a spare key you could try to rule out immob. issue?

Similar thing happened me before, stranded in a car park. After replacing my fuel pump (and a few other bits too), it turned out to be alarm/immob related. I couldn't hear the prime noise either.

A garage should be able to give the pump power with a 12v source anyway, to confirm it is alive/dead.

the wiring was a bit messed with the immobiliser recently. would lock ok, and then would turn immobiliser off when i wanted back in car but doors would still be locked (if you know what i mean). been like that the last week or so, but why would it just decide to not go last nght??.

Seperate

I don't know why, but my car did exact same thing. It sounded like it was trying, but just couldn't turn over. There was no fuel getting to the engine, because the immob was stopping the pump from supplying/priming.

As for the dianostic test - mine was the same again - but that turned out to be because i had almost fully drained the battery trying to start the car a few times. As soon as i hooked up a set of jump leads to the car, the diagnostic worked fine.

Hal1

What about the fuel cut off switch to the right of the drivers footwell? Would pressing that reactivate it as such? I'm just clutching at straws here.

poindexter

Hal1 wrote: »

What about the fuel cut off switch to the right of the drivers footwell? Would pressing that reactivate it as such? I'm just clutching at straws here.

i wouldn't even know where to begin looking for this mate:(

Hal1

It's to the right of the accelerator pedal. You can reach it with your right hand while sitting in the drivers seat. I'll try and find a pic for you, but it's the only thing on the plastic trim panel immediately to the left of the drivers door.
Added pic.

poindexter

Hal1 wrote: »

It's to the right of the accelerator pedal. You can reach it with your right hand while sitting in the drivers seat. I'll try and find a pic for you, but it's the only thing on the plastic trim panel immediately to the left of the drivers door.
Added pic.

great stuff mate, thanks. the car is parked up where it stopped last night, i'll go check it soon and hopefully it's something as simple as that

johndaman66

Seperate wrote: »

Pumps should be a lifetime part.

Perhaps they should be but are not always Seperate. I drive a Vectra and they do croak it in them. The reson they give in the Vectras anyway is that there is a small fuel filter under the vehicle which should be replaced every so often but seldom if ever is by most owners. I just would not rule the fuel pump totally out of the equation if I was OP.

poindexter

if it is fuel pump, how much should i expect to be outta pocket??

johndaman66

poindexter wrote: »

if it is fuel pump, how much should i expect to be outta pocket??

The time it went in my Vectra I was out about 480 EUR as far as I recall poindexter. I was unfortunate in that it happened at work and I needed to get the car towed to the garage which probably bumped up the price by 100 EUR so I was probably looking at 380 for the job itself. I have learned a bit since though and have changed one for a friend in a Vectra also. He picked it up from a breakers yard for well under 100 EUR as far as I'm aware. If it is similar to the vectra set up and you are anyway half savvy or have any friends who are ye could attack it yerselfs.

For my car it just involved taking a fuse out to release the pressure in the fuel system and then disconnect the neative battery lug. Lift base of back seat, pull of plastic cover and then metal cover. Undo some fuel lines and and wiring. Take out fuel pump, drop in new one and redo the wiring and fuel lines as you found them. Had to stick a jubilee clip on one of the fuel lines. Its was by no means a difficult job. Most difficult part was putting back on the metal cover properly. I got instructions from a Halfords manual but I'm sure there are Ford forums where you would get instructions. Also the smell of petrol does get a bit powerful! Might be best to wear a mask.

Also if buying one from a breakers yard you are taking a bit of a chance in that you could get a good one or a bad one also that hasn't much left in it either.

Muckie

Breakersyards is a bit of a gamble when it comes to theses parts,
but if you do, get a pump out of a car up a few years on yours,
should set you back €60, half hour job to replace, take your time and try
not damage the rubber fuel line,they can be tight enough to get off.
Changed a few,can be done. Good luck.

Busta Hyman

is the car turning over at all?

does the flashy red light on the dash / under the clock fgo solid red / turn off or does it flash real fast?