Hi all. I know this is a widely pre discussed topic, and having gone through the archive I'm now stuck.

Got a 2001 Auto Td5 with 78000 on it.

We've had a new head, and all's been well for 12 months or so. We've had a new fuel pump in this time as well.

But I had a SMALL prang. and it came back from the garage all well, and took it for a spin 40 miles for work, and it died when I came back. Looked like air in the system, the way it was lumpy.

1st thing, tried the fuel cut off switch, didn't make a blind bit of difference.

Tried the purge process - both injector and fuel gallery as greatly detailed on here - No luck.

Tried a new fuel filter, checked for the 'spare' o ring, all OK, refitted - Also did a new water sensor on the end of it, also double checked for 'spare' o ring and again all good. re purged and nothing. Not firing.

Tried a new injector harness, cleaned out the plug on the head side, and also reseated the red and black plugs ECU end. No oil visible in the plugs at ECU end.

Went down the injector washer / seals route. Replaced with GENUINE ones. Repeated purge processes, fired lumpy as, then got a little better, running for about 10 mins happily on 5 cylinders, gave it a rev and it died again.

Changed the FPR for a new genuine one, repeated purge process. Lumpy again, then stopped. Hasn't started since.

Also changed the air bleed valve on fuel filter assy and fuel pump relay.

All it does now is just turns and turns, then it sounds like its about to fire then it doesn't.

Changed fuel filter again just in case there was anything in it, refilled with a selection of flammables as I didn't have enough diesel kicking around.

Before long I'm gonna see me burning the starter out.

Almost forgot, battery constantly charging throughout all of this.

Wanting to get to the local 'specialist' for diags, but he's booked up 8 WEEKS in advance, then he's 60 quid an hour and the nearest main stealer is 50 mile away

The accident was enough to crack the plastic casing that holds the battery / ECU but not damage much else in that area, is there a possibility that I've damaged the ECU? tho it seems to be doing the things I ask of it with regards to purging etc etc.

Running out of money and patience. Any help gratefully received.

if you remove filter does fuel pour out when ignition is switched on

Interesting question, I'll have a glance at that, It'll have to be 2moro night as working this eve. I assume that'll prove the fuel pump? If it pours its working, and if not its not. I whirs away to itself when you do the prime / purge process. How long is it meant to keep going for after you turn the key?

Further to the above, tested this morning, and yes, I can confirm there is fuel coming out at quite a rate when I remove the filter.

So... After much jiggery pokery I think Ive sorted it.

Here's what I did - It may help someone else in the same situation.

It didn't break my truck. It COULD break yours. You decide

After much clutching at straws I decided to work from the bottom up.

1. Can I start it (VERY QUICKLY - don't give it too much, as much of a bad thing as it is and should really not be done) started on easy start.

Fine I thought, looks like fuel delivery is an issue.

I had lying around an old fuel pump (inline) off've a Golf GTI from years past, a couple of lengths of hose, few jubilees, and old battery and a can of red - and some imagination.

Firstly I took the high pressure feed off the FPR and attached a feed from my donor pump - do the jubilee up TIGHT.

Then took the return off the fuel cooler, so I wasn't putting red back into the tank. I attached another piece of hose to the OLD quick release that I'd taken off the OLD FPR and attached to the return off the fuel cooler, this then went into my doner tank (can of red)

I connected the suction hose to an inline filter and dropped into me can of red, and connected the pump up to the separate battery.

IMPORTANTLY - I took the fuel pump relay out, so the pump didn't prime when the ignition it turned.

At this point I've essentially bypassed all of the built in fuel delivery, to prove the fuel system in the engine itself. FPR, injectors etc etc.

I turned on the donor pump for a sec just to purge any air out, so when fuel was coming out clear I gave the ignition a spin. She fired straight away and ran a bewty.

SO, I thought I'd take the fuel pump out (new 1000 miles ago) give it a clean up etc and just make sure alls fitted up OK.

Refitted, ran through all the bleed procedures and nothing. Not firing. So I'm thinking, gotta be fuel pump related.

When I prime, fuel comes out when I remove the HP feed to the FPR. So fuel pump is working it would seem.

To eliminate / prove the fault, I rigged up my temp pump again, this time connecting the feed from the pump, to the GREEN pipe on the top of the fuel pump (pop it out of the fuel pump and attach with jubilee) It's important here to make sure you're as clean as possible. Also pop the fuel pump relay back in.

I then took the return feed to the pump from the filter housing (FROM REAR OF VEHICLE - right hand side - front quick release pipe) and attached my return to my donor tank.

I thought to kill two birds with one stone and eliminate the fuel sender, I'd use the wiring for the fuel pump to power my donor pump.

I used 2.5mm household cable to connect the pump up as this fits nicely inside the bottom of the multiplug terminals on the fuel pump connector. Connect the -VE to the BLACK and +ve to the WHITE thicker wires. (Diagonal corners on the block) The thinner ones only carry a 5v signal for the fuel gauge sender / earth for it.

To get it primed in a speedy manor I ran off my 'other' battery until the fuel ran clear then connected up 'properly'

Turned the key, waited for the pump and it fired on the button, and ran sweet as a nut.

Long winded, but diagnosis - High Pressure part of the fuel pump toasted. New fuel pump arrived and fitted, she runs a treat now!!! :amen: