Problem with low pressure fuel pump - Espace JE0K05

[seanj]

Hello all.

This is my first post to the forum, so I hope that I set the right tone and give the correct level of detail. If not, then please let me know. I have read through several topics and run some searches; there has been lots of interesting information but I haven't found the specific knowledge that I need.

The vehicle is a 2188CC Espace Expression DCI, first registered in 2001.

The problem is that no fuel is being delivered to the engine.

The history is that my wife drove the kids to school and the car would not start when she got back to it. The engine was cranking fine but simply not starting. We called the RAC and their engineer spent an hour or so in the pouring rain trying to find the problem. His conclusion was that the low pressure pump in the fuel tank was not functioning - there was no fuel coming out of the fuel line under the bonnnet (the one with the green connector). He could not detect a voltage at the connector by the fuel tank. He gave up and towed the car to our usual garage (Halfords).

Halfords looked at the car for a couple of days before giving up. I paid for the car to be taken to a Renault garage for diagnostics.

Diagnostics showed nothing, so the Renault garage did some digging around with the electrics. They replaced a couple of relays and the car started to work fine. Sadly, it cut out again fifty miles later. The RAC came out again, diagnosed a fuel supply problem and then towed me home.

I have tested the two relays that Renault blamed and I get 12V on the NO connectors when I switch on the ignition. However, I get no voltage at what I believe to be the connectors to the lift pump by the tank.

1) Any general advice is appreciated. I used to do a lot of work on my old Skoda but that was some years ago and a rather different beast!
2) Can anyone point me at some relevant information in the documents in the vault? I have been browsing through (and have found some useful information in NT3919A.pdf) but I am sure that there is more that I have either missed or not found yet. A pin-out for the electrical connectors by the tank would be good.
3) Is it OK to test the low pressure pump by just connecting a 12V supply to it? Any advice on where to make the connections? Should I see fuel coming out of the fuel line under the bonnet without switching on the ignition?
4) Are there any other components involved between the relay and the fuel pump? Should it just be a continuous wire?

Thanks for your patience in reading what has turned out to be a rather long post! Also, thanks to the site owners for providing such a great resource for owners of Matra vehicles.

Cheers,

Sean

[seanj]

One further question - is there any way to access the low pressure fuel pump (aka "lift pump", aka "charge pump", if I understand correctly) without dropping the fuel tank?

Other vehicles seem to have an access panel to get to the top of the fuel tank from within the car.

[Martin Tyas]

Hi Sean and welcome.

After switching on the ignition but not starting the engine the low pressure fuel pump only runs for approximately 30 seconds after which time it automatically switches off when there is no demand for fuel.
Not that it necessarily means that the low pressure fuel pump is delivering sufficient fuel but a quick check to determine if it is getting an electrical supply and operating at all is to stand outside the car on the driver's side in your case, with it being a right hand drive, and switch on the ignition. You should then hear the pump running for half a minute before it switches off.
Martin

[renaultbiler]

This pump is located under the car, approx right under the right hand front seat (UK drivers side) - its a BOSCH pump and these do have a history of failing on 150.000km +/-

If it does not run when ignition is switched on, try to knock on it with a wooden piece or even gently with a hammer. If it then starts, it needs to be replaced.

This problem does not trigger any fault codes visually or stored for the diagnostic tool.

Pump data:
Bosch EKP3
2.5-4 bar
Renault p.n: 7700426361
Bosch p.n: 0580464076

[seanj]

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to do anything with the information for a few days or so. Our house was broken into yesterday while I was at work. The culprits made off with both sets of our car keys in addition to a selection of cameras, cash and electronics.

I assume that they plan to come back for the car. They won't have a lot of luck in driving it away!

a quick check to determine if it is getting an electrical supply and operating at all is to stand outside the car on the driver's side in your case, with it being a right hand drive, and switch on the ignition. You should then hear the pump running for half a minute before it switches off.

It's almost certainly not operating. I am now trying to determine whether it is the pump itself that is at fault or whether there is a problem with the electrics. The main problems are the poor access to the wiring and my ignorance - for example, I'm not clear what role the fuel cut-off might play in this.

these do have a history of failing on 150.000km +/-

It has done 170000 miles!

Cheers,

Sean