Catty

New Member
Hope This Helps, as I have found some help from the forum, but with a slightly different tale... (Including ....Fuel Pump & Filter, In-tank Filter, BMW breather mod, Inlet manifold pressure & clean)

so back in Feb '10 I posted this...


Help !!!!! :)eek: please !)

Took the (54) TD4 to Italy Austria and Germany, on the way back I filled up at an ARAL fuel stop near Koln the station pump spluterred and coughed whilst filling up the Freelander... ( I had 1/3 tank to start with ) anyway 2.5 hrs. later I was losing power sometimes as low as 30mph then would clear again doing 70 mph, eventually was only doing 2,500 revs ( auto box so a bit difficult to slip clutch ! ) 25mph, No engine warning light !

Limped into Calais..... tried the hills of Kent... Warning light !!!!! low revs, wouldn't go up those hills ......then called the low loader !!

Last weekend.. changed the fuel filter and drained the tank fully ( was a very dark greeny coloured liquid that came out, smelt of white spirit) then filled up with new fuel.

Was absolutely fine for a day but again the light has appeared and will only rev to 2,500...

Before I start ripping things apart any ideas ...Please..
Catty .......


I changed the fuel filter again....( hid under the front of the driver side rear wheel arch.. ) and everything was OK.... 1 month ago bloody thing wouldn't start, low loader home again.. got home, it started but engine wouldn't rev past 3,750 -4,000 and the MIL light was coming on as the revs hit max. then going off when backing off the throttle. Suspect in-tank filter blocked (fuel starvation ).... so stripped out floor protector ( it's a van body ) and accessed the top of the fuel tank, removed the 6-7" retaining ring with a good tap ( blunt chisel and hammer ) note standard thread direction, and removed the pipes from this then pulled out the unit (careful with the fuel level arm! when removing ), there is a small gauze type filter covering the suction pipe from the pump ( also under the wheel arch with the filter, you will find a condense trap there too! ) this had a tiny bit of crap on it, I cleaned it, and put it back, note.. remove the sealing ring from in-tank filter and put this around the neck of the tank first and the in tank filter set up is really easy to put back, it's slightly sprung loaded so push down and gently do up the ring, tap home with hammer and chisel, reconnect pipes etc. This lead to nothing as it stll wouldn't rev. mmmmmmmmm.
I found from a previous thread about the oil breather could cause problems so I removed the old one to find it blinded with oil so replaced this with the BMW modification, also removed the inlet manifold..... this was covered inside in 3/8" of sludge, so the sensor wouldn't see correct pressure, I soaked this for a total of 3 days in petrol so ALL crap etc was completely gone.. yep you guessed still wont rev , light comes on....

I borrowed an OBD2 unit plugged it in no fault codes at all ! when the MIL light came on (as the engine revved to 3,750) NO FAULT CODE !!! arghhhh !

So back to Mechanical problem not monitored !?

Weak Fuel pump ? due to dodgy German fuel ?

I removed the Fuel Pump/Filter carriage again and disconnected the Fuel Pump pipes, turned ignition on and the remnants of fuel in pump spurted into a can ! then made a few noises and i turned ignition off . Then reconnected it.

I removed the feed pipe from the tank and replaced it with a plastic pipe, 4 Metres long ( bought from a local plumbers ) fed from a gallon can full of diesel, tied to my ladder raised to 4M, set up the cyphon, so this gave the Pump a good boost ! well it started there were a few noises and the bugger revved fully..

I had removed the abs sensor and this was disconnected when the trial was done and an abs fault has appeared which was cleared by OBD2 unit..

So my conclusion is weak fuel delivery which may have partially blocked?, a blocked filter ( changed twice ) all due to Dodgy Craut Fuel

This is my wife's wagon, was used to commute to London every day has done 80,000 miles (auto) main dealer serviced ! now retired, I look after it.. so the type of driving may have compounded the build up of sludge in the inlet and the BMW mod is much better.

My wife told me that she thought the pump was a bit noisier than normal and since the "can up my ladder boost" it is very quiet,

Well hope that helps someone, I may convert it to a car version now I haven't got the hump with it, I will however be listening to that pump !!!!

Cheers Catty
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There is a small gauze filter in the inlet to the high pressure pump. This may have become blocked and be causing your problem.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, is this gauze filter replaceable?

An update, I said I would be "listening to that pump" well 2 days later the pump was making no noise at all!!!! and the car wouldn't start , so I bought a new fuel pump which is made by Bosch ( BMW E38 diesel fuel pump ) and another new filter that sits alongside fuel pump.

Note to change pump or filter it is easier to remove the whole cradle containing the pump, filter and water seperator..... by, undoing the two 10 mm headed bolts holding the cradle to the car, remove the ABS sensor/connector, 2 fuel lines (connected by press clips) at top of the assembly, the earth spade, and 12v pump supply, the whole thing is removed and if like me.... will have to use some persuasion ( hammer blows ) to remove the filter from the housing , what a crap design !!!!!

When pouring the old filter contents into a pot I could see some metallic particles so obviously pump wear ...

The BMW oil breather fitted in previous text was "11 12 7 799 367" "Oil Separat" this won't bllind like the old one !!

Now runnning very sweetly!!!!:crazy_driver::crazy_driver:
 
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