Fuel pump

[Riley26]

Should a fuel pump buzz/vibrate when trying to start the car/is running?

[paintman]

If you gave make, model, year & fuel type of the car in question you might find someone who can give you the answer.

[Riley26]

Thanks it's a Suzuki swift GLS 2001 model, petrol engine

Edited by Riley26 on Saturday 5th July 12:22

[Huzzah]

I've never noticed a fuel pump noise in any car, except sometimes when priming.

[Riley26]

Thanks car went dead when driving and now won't start engine turns over but won't start. The recovery mechanic mentioned a possible fuel pump issue

[s p a c e m a n]

It's got an in tank pump. Lift up the rear seat and put your ear to the floor whilst someone turns the ignition on, if you don't hear a buzzing then it's probably not working.

Check the fuses.

Check the inertia switch, apparently it's behind the glove box

[Riley26]

Thanks I'll do that it should buzz when the key is turned/engineer trying to start?

[sherman]

It should sound like a slow drill type sound.

[Riley26]

Thanks it should make that sound when the ignition is on or just when turn the key to try and start?

[Riley26]

s p a c e m a n said:

It's got an in tank pump. Lift up the rear seat and put your ear to the floor whilst someone turns the ignition on, if you don't hear a buzzing then it's probably not working.

Check the fuses.

Check the inertia switch, apparently it's behind the glove box

Thanks any idea were the fuel pump fuse is?

[P2KKA]

See if it runs whilst spraying brake clean (or proper starting fluid) into the intake. If it does then its a fuel suply problem.

[sherman]

Riley26 said:

Thanks it should make that sound when the ignition is on or just when turn the key to try and start?

If your fuel pump isnt running. Your engine wont be running.

[Riley26]

Thanks can sort of hear fuel pump humming when turn key maybe something else

[E-bmw]

Riley26 said:

Thanks car went dead when driving and now won't start engine turns over but won't start. The recovery mechanic mentioned a possible fuel pump issue

Unfortunately, it could be any one of lots of different things from a fuse blown to a snapped cambelt.

Unless you are the one doing the diagnosis you just need to get it in somewhere for diagnosis.

[Decky_Q]

The safest way to check is to take the line form the tank off the fuel filter in the engine bay, turn the key to the on position (not start) it should pump for around 10secs to prime the system. If fuel comes out then you low pressure pump in the tank is fine.

There is also a high pressure pump before the injectors, but I'd reccomend getting your mechanic to check that

[B'stard Child]

Had a similar issue years ago - fuel pump was running (could hear it) and there was fuel to the injector rail seemed like a good flow rate but the car wouldn’t start - it would try but not fire.

In tank pump and the clip holding the hose from pump to fuel tank outlet plate had failed - hose was being forced of the outlet plate and nearly all the fuel was just recirculating in the tank - when we had removed the schrader valve on the fuel rail it flowed well because there was less pressure to force the hose of inside the tank

Took me a while to work out what was going on…….

[paul_c123]

Decky_Q said:

The safest way to check is to take the line form the tank off the fuel filter in the engine bay, turn the key to the on position (not start) it should pump for around 10secs to prime the system. If fuel comes out then you low pressure pump in the tank is fine.

There is also a high pressure pump before the injectors, but I'd reccomend getting your mechanic to check that

The safest (and least intrusive) way is to use a diagnostic computer to show fuel rail pressure as the engine is trying to be started. There may also be a "desired fuel pressure" value too, which would be handy if you don't know what to expect.

[Riley26]

Thanks it was an intermittent issue. Removal of the cables that go on to the spark plugs and cleaned solved for abit so I thought was this. But obviously gone again

[s p a c e m a n]

I agree that the next step for you is to either get a cheap code reader like a Carly to check for fuel pressure/fault codes or to spray something flammable like brake cleaner into the engine whilst someone turns the key.

If the engine starts then it's fuel delivery, if it doesn't then it's ignition. Make sure that what you spray is flammable, not all brake cleaner is.

[Riley26]

Thank my friend had a look yesterday who's a mechanic he needs to come back with his toolset from work. He put the fault reader on. No fault codes