Disco 2 Td5 fuel problem

Hi all,
this is a long one to explain.

I had a fuel leak as one of the pipes (the famous green one) at the tank worn through.
I replaced all 4 pipes at the tank to the fuel filter and the green one.
While doing that I also replaced the rubber ring at the fuel pump. My fuel gauge was never working properly (never went to full and always showed empty at 65 liters) and it seemed that one of the ribbed hoses was stopping the arm with the floater. I moved that out of the way.

All put back together again. All working fine, fuel gauge worked and all.
The Fuel light came on while I was driving. Car driving fine still.

Suddenly the Disco stalled and would not start again. I tried purging but it would still not start. I get a friend for a tow. While towing I thought I try the bump start and that worked. It went straight away.

I thought that it must have been an airlock and didn't think of it again till my fuel light went on again and bam it stopped again!! same story, would not start not matter what I tried. Tow start and it started straight away again.

It has happened a 3rd time now.

I obviously don't let it go down that much again, every time I get about 75 liters in so there should be at least 15 left in the tank. And because it starts at a tow start I am a bit puzzled what it is.

Any ideas??

Did you straighten the float arm at all ?

Dippypud said:

Did you straighten the float arm at all ?

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no didn't touch the float arm, just positioned one of the ribbed hoses better.

tulipandthistle said:

no didn't touch the float arm, just positioned one of the ribbed hoses better.

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Was the ribbed hose holding it so it could not come up as far ?

Dippypud said:

Was the ribbed hose holding it so it could not come up as far ?

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Yes

May have been bent before you owned it, try checking electrically to see if it works over full range ...

Dippypud said:

May have been bent before you owned it, try checking electrically to see if it works over full range ...

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Yep will do that, although that would still not explain why it does start when I get a tow but not on the key?

tulipandthistle said:

Yep will do that, although that would still not explain why it does start when I get a tow but not on the key?

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Might be a electrical thing that shuts the pump off to save it scavenging air or crap?

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/attachments/fuel2-jpg.2112/

Dippypud said:

Might be a electrical thing that shuts the pump off to save it scavenging air or crap?

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/attachments/fuel2-jpg.2112/

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Cheers for that link.

It could well be bend as it isn't normal that the hose sat the way it was.
If there is a shut off in the pump it would explain it.

towing wont have any effect on fuel delivery,only a higher cranking speed , how good is the battery, a poor battery can lower voltage too much whilst cranking and it wont start, whereas you can drain the tank you will need a couple of gallon to restart it

tulipandthistle said:

Cheers for that link.

It could well be bend as it isn't normal that the hose sat the way it was.
If there is a shut off in the pump it would explain it.

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there isnt, you can hear pump

jamesmartin said:

there isnt, you can hear pump

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OK that stops that idea. LOL

Indeed I could hear the pump and I let it purge.

jamesmartin said:

towing wont have any effect on fuel delivery,only a higher cranking speed , how good is the battery, a poor battery can lower voltage too much whilst cranking and it wont start, whereas you can drain the tank you will need a couple of gallon to restart it

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Battery is one year old. I checked the crank speed with nanocom, if memory serves me right it was around 300rpm but it didn't start.
No codes either.

tulipandthistle said:

My fuel gauge was never working properly (never went to full and always showed empty at 65 liters)

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that makes me think somebody fitted a defender fuel pump which is a bit shorter

sierrafery said:

that makes me think somebody fitted a defender fuel pump which is a bit shorter

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I came across that before when I was researching the cause of the faulty gauge. Would that also mean that the pump might be above the diesel? I mean it might not be reaching the last 15 liters in the tank?

Thinking of it, 2 times the car stalled in front of a traffic light, and once when I bumped off my sloped parking spot.
It would also explain the diesel not reaching when stationary but when towing it might be raise the level as the diesel is pushed backwards?

tulipandthistle said:

I came across that before when I was researching the cause of the faulty gauge. Would that also mean that the pump might be above the diesel? I mean it might not be reaching the last 15 liters in the tank?

Thinking of it, 2 times the car stalled in front of a traffic light, and once when I bumped off my sloped parking spot.
It would also explain the diesel not reaching when stationary but when towing it might be raise the level as the diesel is pushed backwards?

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Is this going to be a wet stick moment ?

Dippypud said:

Is this going to be a wet stick moment ?

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I say so!! LOL

Those are plausible suppositions

sierrafery said:

Those are plausible suppositions

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Cool, as the disco is fine as long as I keep the tank topped up

Sounds like the defender pump is quite possible, before the gauge worked, how much fuel was you putting in to fill it up?