Hello peeps. Dave here. 09 Kuga 4x4, needing some help.

I had air in the diesel system, that led to coughing and breakdown. I was told the pump wasn't sucking.

I swapped the hpfp for one from an s-max with the same part listed. It looked pretty clean, like a recon, but was from a wreck, with the fuel metering bit missing. I also picked another up from a focus, which unfortunately has a different inlet connection, and the fuel line was cut. It served to give me a metering valve though. I presume the valve just pushes in, and the pump does, without any special procedure such as timing. I also swapped the filter top, and in tank unit, which stopped the bubbles coming. I put a 12v (clark) diaphragm pump on, and got a clean flow going. Pulled from the tank, and pushed through the filter and hpfp clearing all the air. It didn't start though. Didn't even try. I opened the furthest injector pipe and nothing with this 12v pump, just residual fuel. So I give it a quick turn, nothing came out. I feel sure it should of been trying to pressurise the rail.

 I guess the pump from the wreck could be broke, or maybe I'm missing something. I have the obdlinkmx+ somewhere. Can't seem to find it, but could try harder. I know there is no rail pressure though, the pipes open. Is the most likely option that I fitted a dry pump, and broke it. I spent 30 seconds max cranking away in the hope it would pull from the tank without a proper prime ( I actually did in 3 hand pumps and an electric before this Clark one was the pump that managed it).

 

I must be missing something. I have had no car a few weeks now, unable to get to a yard to fetch a range of supplies. Unable to buy a new car as I can't get anywhere. Unable to work, as I drive the car for a living. It's getting a bit uncomfortable..  It taken till today to get this 5th priming pump and I hoped it would fire. I guess I still have my original hpfp but I can't plumb the focus one on, due to no inlet connector.

 

Can we offer money? I'm in Nottingham if anyone is actually local and on the ball

 

 

Edit: Looking at pics of the metering valve, it comes with some sort of mesh over it. What I moved across had no such thing. Perhaps it was taken from the pump I fitted without valve, and I left it in the pump I got the valve out of. It's 6am... I can't check right now

This is the focus pump, for some clarification

https://www.buycarparts.co.uk/vdo/7515465

• FORD Focus C-Max (DM2) ( 10.2003 - 03.2007 , 136 PS)
• FORD Focus Mk2 Hatchback (DA_, HCP, DP) ( 07.2004 - 09.2012 , 136 PS)
• FORD Focus Mk2 Estate (DA_, FFS, DS) ( 07.2004 - 09.2012 , 136 PS)
• FORD Focus Mk2 Saloon (DB_, FCH, DH) ( 04.2005 - 09.2012 , 136 PS)
• FORD Galaxy Mk2 (WA6) MPV ( 05.2006 - 06.2015 , 136 - 140 PS)
• FORD S-Max Mk1 (WA6) ( 05.2006 - 12.2014 , 136 - 140 PS)
• FORD Focus Mk2 Convertible (DB3) ( 10.2006 - 09.2010 , 136 PS)
• FORD Mondeo Mk4 Saloon (BA7) ( 03.2007 - 01.2015 , 140 PS)
• FORD Mondeo Mk4 Hatchback (BA7) ( 03.2007 - 01.2015 , 136 - 140 PS)
• FORD Mondeo Mk4 Estate (BA7) ( 03.2007 - 01.2015 , 136 - 140 PS)
• FORD C-Max (DM2) ( 02.2007 - 09.2010 , 136 PS)
• FORD Kuga Mk1 Off-Road ( 03.2008 - 11.2012 , 136 - 140 PS)

 

I can't quite figure out the volume valve.

It seems I have a vane type lift pump, that feeds the volume valve (the bit on top with duck tail power connector) and it decides how much makes it through to the three high pressure piston pumps driven off the cam like center shaft. Who's outputs join in the common 'ring' gallery that the high pressure regulator gets it's feed from.

What I can't figure, is the rest state of the volume valve. I'm surprised I can actually use this external 12v Clark pump to even get fuel through the vane style lift pump and return some to the tank. Perhaps I should change the hpfp based on that alone. However I have never bled one, to have expectations. Presuming I do have fuel to the volume valve, I don't know if it needs 12v to open, before the hp side gets anything. Hearing talks on valve testing, they seem to have that knowledge as background science/presumption. I have not seen it addressed directly. Contrarily though, people do seem to use these 12v pumps to prime, but I have no idea if the power is on, or engine turned. The general feeling from reading posts, is that my 12v pump should indeed get diesel through the vane pump, the metering valve, the hp cylinders and the high pressure regulator. Before coming out at the injectors.

 

I'm mystified.  

 

Edit: similar pump, showing most of the above, but lacking the fine details I need

Note, there is no return (to the fuel tank) in this video. The area I'm scratching my head over.

The more I look, the more I realise that video is useless. The opening line about the pump feeding a filter is probably not true. Beyond the bad terminology, I think that's a PRV. Ensuring the volume valve gets fairly consistent pressure.

 

I may have to open a pump and and do some testing, if I can't find a logical explanation surrounding bleeding. 

Doh. There it is, the return is by the high pressure regulator. Right or wrong, this tells me my metering valve is open and the high pressure regulator isn't sending everything to the rail, in response to it's pressure being low. When it wants to run the high pressure valve must close, and it's then I would see fuel at my disconnected injector. Thing is, I did try cranking. My battery didn't sound it's best though. Maybe below that 250rpm I hear about, the rail doesn't build pressure. For that moment, perhaps the high presure valve stays only on the return for a little bleed every time we start the car.

 

It's the only story that sits straight in my head, at 4:30am (I could be clutching at straws)

 

Nobody has anything to add?

Notice the ball bearings in the metering valve housing? I wonder if they assist bleeding.

Hi Dave, did you ever get to the bottom of this as I am having the same issue on a 2009 Ford Kuga 2.0TDCI and it's driving me crazy.

 

2nd hand pump, new fuel filter, everything checks out however car won't even start on easy start. 

 

When cranking I get the same rpm as yourself within reason 2.1bar at the rail which isn't sufficient however I have been told these kuga's need to turn over at the correct rpm for the injectors to open? 

I'm plucking at straws I hope you can help. 

 

Regards, Levi.