Fuel Pump Gasket Changed - Car Will Not Start

[SteveC123]

I've just changed the fuel pump gasket on my MY2000 1.6.

Also changed the spring clio on the top hose for a jubilee clip.

Everything is now all back together and checked but the car won't start - any ideas why?

TIA

[SteveC123]

I've checked fuses - nothing blown.

Pulled fuel pump back out of the tank, laid it on the back shelf plugged in and cycled the ignition - no whirring / buzzing if you turn the engine over.

All wires / connections on this look fine. :-S

[SteveC123]

Found the problem (and possibly the cause of the fuel smells I've been trying to eradicate).

The positive feed pin to the pump has melted the plastic around itself - when I've plugged it all back in, this pin has dropped down inside the pump meaning no connection has been made.

As the plastic around this has completely broken down I suspect fuel vapour has been passing through the hole and venting.

Hopefully Araldite will save the day else it'll be time for a different fuel pump!

[SteveC123]

And... it still reeks of fuel, urgh!

Will get the airbox out next so I can get a proper look at the connections on the fuel filler pipework but increasingly looking likely to be the tank is venting from elsewhere.

[Rob Bell]

OMG! Burning electrical contacts inside a fuel tank???

Where abouts are you Steve? I have a spare fuel pump/sender sat in my Shed for ages which you can have...

[SteveC123]

All back together now with no fuel smell.

I've gelled the pin back in with araldite and there's a lot of it in the tank side of the plug. Is there any particular cause for the pin to get that hot?

(I think it's just got hot - no sparking?)

I'm in Canterbury

[carlvk]

If the pin was loose, then it wouldn't make a good connection and it would arc. The arcing will generate heat and cause the discolouration. It most definitely isn't good.

[Rob Bell]

Let me know whether you need my pump assembly - it's yours if you want it: I don't want you blowing up!

[SteveC123]

Let me know whether you need my pump assembly - it's yours if you want it: I don't want you blowing up!

How much would you like for it, Rob? I take it it's the Mk2 assembly or are they, wiring aside, interchangeable?

[SteveC123]

If the pin was loose, then it wouldn't make a good connection and it would arc. The arcing will generate heat and cause the discolouration. It most definitely isn't good.

Indeed. Almost certainly how it ended up in the state I found it.

However... I didn't just bond the pin back into the plug when I used the araldite.

Rather than do as you would normally do and fit and lock the pump into the tank before then reconnect the wiring to it, I had the pump loose in the tank and pushed on the underside of the pins as I plugged it in.

An unintentional consequence of using araldite has been that you can now not remove the plug for love nor money but I guess it works and there is no chance at all the pins will come away again any time soon.

[Rob Bell]

It's from a 1998 MGF. It's the same pump used in the MY2000 MGF up to chassis number 522572

[SteveC123]

It's from a 1998 MGF. It's the same pump used in the MY2000 MGF up to chassis number 522572

No good then, unfortunately

Thanks for the offer though - seems like a really friendly community on here.

[Rob Bell]

Shame - but I am sure that we can probably find you one! Try dropping Tony (itsonlyme) a PM, or contact Martin Smith...

It's the community as much as the cars that have kept me in the MG fold all these years - it's an infectious mix!