Hi everyone

My 2005 mondeo st tdci is refusing to start, took the fuel filter off and found that it is empty, filled it up, put back on and started engine which did fire up but only ran for 2mins until the fuel filter was empty again. 

Have found that there is no electric fuel pump only the mechanical one on the engine, cant understand why the pump will take fuel from the filter but not pick up from the tank into the filter.

Anyone got any ideas?!?!?!?!

There is fuel in the tank?

Only thing I can think of is there is a problem with the pickup in the tank. 

6 hours ago, twotone said:

pump will take fuel from the filter but not pick up from the tank into the filter.

Any air leakage into the fuel pipe from tank to filter will do it. Including the filter housing & cover gasket.

As some of this is above the fuel tank level, it is under suction, so is unlikely to leak fuel out, but air will get in.

These diesel pumps do not work well if they get air on the input side, so it might not need to be a big leak.

Fuel tank vacuum due to blocked vent, or a pipe or pickup blockage are other suspects. But if air is getting in to the filter, it must be coming from somewhere.

Peter.

 

Hi

Thanks tdci-peter, that might be something, because when i go to put fuel in i get wooshing/sucking noise when i take the fuel cap off.

Will have a look at the tank breather.

Tony

Hi

I found the fault!!!! A small split in the pipe from the pump to the filter where it was rubbing on the engine cover.

Thanks for your help

Tony

9 minutes ago, twotone said:

I found the fault!!!! A small split in the pipe from the pump to the filter where it was rubbing on the engine cover.

Great news.

Do you mean the filter to diesel pump pipe, or tank to filter pipe? But in either case air could get in.

Peter.

Similar case with my own Tony, the small bore pipe coming from the leak off pipes back to the filter has been rubbing on the side of the engine at some point and clearly has a flat section to it but its been like that 5 n a half years and hasn't got any worse but I think it may be caused by the filter not sitting in the correct position which in turn upsets where the pipes should sit. 

Hi

It was pump on the engine to filter. went to local ford parts dealer, £65!!!!!!!

found one on ebay, £9.50 delivered. 

Tony

1 hour ago, twotone said:

It was pump on the engine to filter

Sounds a good deal. But I can not track down what pump it is. Got a link to the item?

(Just for my interest, or future reference)

Peter.