1.6 TDCI 2010 cuts out at half tank ?

guys I cant get to the botton of this. I've replaced the tanks sender unit. but it still cuts out at the halfway mark. the gauge is fine. when it cuts out there is no fuel pumping through. When I top it up, I need to use easy start. any ides?

From memory I seem to think the 1.6TDCi Focus does not use a lift pump in the fuel tank. It relies upon the high pressure fuel pump on the engine to draw the fuel through from the tank. Perhaps @TomsFocus will know the answer about the pump(s)

Have you used FORScan to see if there are any stored DTC's, such as fuel rail pressure too low ?

Sounds as if there's an air leak in the pick-up pipe. Maybe a pinhole developed?

air leak when it gets to half tank ?

 

1 hour ago, Diesel67 said:

air leak when it gets to half tank?

The electric tank pump isn't powered on these*.  So when it runs out of fuel it needs to be manually primed again.  That should be done with a handpump in the engine bay to prevent the high pressure pump running dry.  But EasyStart will do the same job, albeit with more risk to the HP pump.

Was the complete tank sender unit replaced altogether?  Or just the electric pump swapped?

If it was just the electric pump swapped then I agree with Mike, there's a small hole or split in the pick up pipe around the height of half a tank.

If the complete unit was swapped then I'm not sure why it'd cut out at half.  Is there definitely half a tank of fuel in it?  Perhaps the gauge is reading incorrectly when it should be showing empty?

 

*I will caveat that by saying the odd member has claimed to have a tank pump replaced on this engine which fixed a non-running fault.  So far I have never seen a Mk2 Focus diesel that powers the electric tank pump though, so remain sceptical about that.

as i said boys I put a new sender unit in the focus

 

      pick up pipe hole or split on new sender ??

You'd have to be incredibly unlucky for two sender units to be broken in exactly the same way.

If there is definitely fuel in the tank (not a dodgy gauge reading) then I see no reason that it could cut out at exactly half a tank every time.  That is very odd.  Will have a think and post again if I come up with anything.

this is a tough one, but there must be an answer. appreciated

I have to admit I'm not clued up on these systems so my suggestion was just a guess.

Is you car fitted with the Easyfuel filler? If so my next guess wouldn't apply. If it's a conventional cap I wonder if it's possible a vacuum is being created in the tank causing a fuel hose to collapse or drawing in air through a really tiny hole or pipe joint.