Focus 1.6 TDCi won't start, diesel pump???

[Dinoff@me.com]

Hi everyone,

my missus has a 2009 focus 1.6 TDCi. We bought it about 2 months ago with 50,000 on the clock. Has been driving faultlessly until she went to start it one afternoon and it wouldn't start. I wasn't home so she called for recovery. The car turns over fine but just won't start. The engine management light has also come on. The recovery guy plugged his phone into the obd2 port and said it was the fuel pump but didn't give her the fault code. He then proceeded to feel around near the fuel tank on the drivers side and got my othe half turn the ignition on and off. He confirmed the fuel pump wasn't working.

I returned home and investigated a little. I presume the fuel pump is at the front of the car and fuel filter where the tank is?

Anyway not sure is this guy knew what he was on about and if the code was maybe showing due to the fuel filter perhaps being clogged?

Any help would be amazing

[isetta]

you need to get a code reader on the OBD socket to see what the error code (s) is/are and then should tell you what the engine thinks it has a problem with .

Code readers are cheap on eBay etc.  many people on this forum reccommend the Tunnel rat code readers:

http://www.spanglefish.com/tunnelratelectronics/

I have one (the USB type with the switch on)

 

I had a fiesta 1.6tdci (not focus). the fuel filter was on top of the engine  on right hand back corner of cylinder head (taken from you facing the engine standing in front of car with head under bonnet).  I don't think it had any fuel pump other then the high pressure pump driven from the timing belt on the end of the engine. and that meant that if any air got in the fuel pipes it was a complete b*****d to bleed the fuel system.    Bear in mind Focus might be different from Fiesta - I just don't know

[Dinoff@me.com]

Well he said fuel pump and to that extent I think mine is belt driven like yours but like I said this guy was feeling round the back by the fuel tank I presume the fuel filter? But would he be able to tell if the fuel filter is priming with fuel just by touching it??? I know you could do that years ago with older electronic fuel pumps

[markjw]

the pump on the tank that is fitted on the 1.6 TDCI is for the Eolys additive (used for the DPF) and this is only fitted on vehicles built within a certain date range - yours being 2009 is likely to be a Euro IV vehicle and have this fitted - you can check by opening the fuel filler door and looking for a little silver magnet on it. (should't think this being faulty would stop the engine starting)

The 1.6 TDCI relies on there always being fuel in the tank, fuel lines and main pump - if the car runs out of fuel or air gets in then it will not start until the system is re-primed manually - had an issue on the one I used to own where an 'O' ring had a split in it allowing fuel to drain back to the tank when the car was parked facing uphill.

Check for any sign of leaks, worn pipes etc - also when was the fuel filter last changed as I've been told these can also be an issue?

[Dinoff@me.com]

Well saying what you just said the car is low on fuel (73miles) to empty and is also on a slight incline uphill

[Martink13]

On 7/4/2017 at 3:09 PM, markjw said:

the pump on the tank that is fitted on the 1.6 TDCI is for the Eolys additive (used for the DPF) and this is only fitted on vehicles built within a certain date range - yours being 2009 is likely to be a Euro IV vehicle and have this fitted - you can check by opening the fuel filler door and looking for a little silver magnet on it. (should't think this being faulty would stop the engine starting)

The 1.6 TDCI relies on there always being fuel in the tank, fuel lines and main pump - if the car runs out of fuel or air gets in then it will not start until the system is re-primed manually - had an issue on the one I used to own where an 'O' ring had a split in it allowing fuel to drain back to the tank when the car was parked facing uphill.

Check for any sign of leaks, worn pipes etc - also when was the fuel filter last changed as I've been told these can also be an issue?

Hi.

What had the o ring failed on. My fiesta 1.6 diesel 2009 has same issue. Only a problem with half tank and left parked on an incline.

[Lanem19]

I've had the exact same problem with my 2011 1.6 focus. If my fuel was less than around half and my car was parked facing up an incline it won't start. I keep a small vaccume pump in my boot and i pull fuel through the rail on the fuel return line to the tank and reconnect the line fast as i can and she'll start up fine and run away for days possibly even weeks. My heart is broken from it and this all started after i first changed ghe fuel filter. Would the fualty o ring be on the clips that go too the filter?

Edited June 24, 2021 by Lanem19
Misspelling