RustyDefender
Well-Known Member
sender or bad earth somewhere
Chalky.
Well-Known Member
I'd keep adding fuel I'm that case!! 
Have you ever replaced the in tank fuel pump? A mate did one in his 110 and I think set the level bowl thing up wrong so it showed a 1/4 full when infact it was empty. He hasn't bothered changing it (I would it would drive me mad) but keeps a 5 litre can with him just incase! He monitors his miles carefully per tank I think!
Have you ever replaced the in tank fuel pump? A mate did one in his 110 and I think set the level bowl thing up wrong so it showed a 1/4 full when infact it was empty. He hasn't bothered changing it (I would it would drive me mad) but keeps a 5 litre can with him just incase! He monitors his miles carefully per tank I think!
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I've only replaced it on a discovery not a defender, Discovery is easy as you can get to it under the boot floor I do not know about the defender.I'd keep adding fuel I'm that case!!
Have you ever replaced the in tank fuel pump? A mate did one in his 110 and I think set the level bowl thing up wrong so I showed a 1/4 full when intact that was empty. I hasn't bothered changing it (I would it would drive me mad) but keeps a 5 litre can with him just incase! He monitors his miles carefully per tank I think!
But I had exactly the same symptoms as you
Chalky.
Well-Known Member
I think to do it by the book you have to drop the tank down, but it's such a pain with the towbar brackets etc in the way, and getting your hand up and over the top of the tank to disconnect pipes, most just cut a panel between the rear tub support ribs and go in from the top, I think then rivet and silicone a piece of ally over the top, it can be done quite neatly and saves some faff!
My TD5 fuel gauge reads whatever it wants to, sometimes it gets fuller as the journey goes by. I can fill it up and it will show full but then almost empty itself and low warning light will come within 100 miles, it will then start to refill itself.
I think it might be an earth problem as the previous owner had a new pump fitted, didn't solve the problem.
I think it might be an earth problem as the previous owner had a new pump fitted, didn't solve the problem.
Waa181 thank you all for your help with this annoying problem. After following most of the advice I removed the pump, all the pick up filters were blocked. Dismantled the pump, cleaned filters and tank bottom with thinners. Ran the old lady down to the red for the first time in months, refueled her, all's good thanks again
Chalky.
Well-Known Member
Great result, well done!
I'm not quite sure how all the dirt gets in there. A couple of months after buying mine I decided to tackle the persistent leak from around the pump when the tank was full. It turned out that the retaining ring had been cross threaded so was on at a funny angle and was not pressing the seal down evenly all the way round. What was interesting though was the material stuck to the grille on the bottom of the pump. It appeared to be grass clippings. I wonder what they were doing in the fuel tank?
