Hello everyone,
This morning when I tried to use my car as I usually do, it cranked but didn't start. Last time this happened, the issue was because the very old battery could no longer store energy if not driven within a week, which was solved by replacing it with a brand new one.
After diagnosing with mechanic, spark occurred in the spark plug cables, meaning it's probably not an electrical issue (we think).
We disconnected the 2 small rubber hoses from the fuel pump unit, and verified that very little fuel "pumped" out of it.
Here's the problem: I replaced the fuel pump 5 months ago, for a new compatible aftermarket one.
During the usage of this fuel pump, I remember one punctual situation to which the car stuttered a bit - this only happened once, other than that, all good as usual during this time period.
Question: Is this really an issue with the new fuel pump that simply died after only 5 months?
I saved the old one just in case... and I will swap it back again tomorrow.
Here are 2 videos, from the day before, which gave initial symptoms:
Video 1: Engine starts but barely reaches 500 rpm before dying.
https://www.veed.io/view/a0a3cdc7-0576-4d0d-ad1e-e6fcca67f5e2
Video 2: I opened the hood afterwards, engine was now able to start but jumps to 2000 rpm before stabilizing (he never did this before), and I proceeded to drive normally to my destination.
https://www.veed.io/view/824b9211-ab75-417b-be74-8e644c2c80a2
1994 Opel Corsa 1.2i
I have a 2005 Camry and had a similar experience with yours. I changed the fuel pump on mine when it had like 250k miles. Nothing wrong with it I changed it because of the high miles. I swapped it to an aftermarket Delphi pump. After like 3 months the fuel pump died. Thankfully I saved the old denso origininal equipment fuel pump and when I put it back on the car runs fine. Lol. I learned my lesson on never to use aftermarket parts for fuel pumps and stuffs like that, anything that's electronic. Sure you can use aftermarket for starters and alternates. And I know denso can last a really long time. I currently have 335k miles on my Camry and still has the original pump. So I would say try replacing it with the oem original equipment. Or go to a salvage yard/junk yard and see if you can find an exact car of yours and swap the fuel pump. Also check the fuses and relays for the fuel pump. From my experience I think your problem has something to do with the fuel pump.
I have a 2005 Camry and had a similar experience with yours. I changed the fuel pump on mine when it had like 250k miles. Nothing wrong with it I changed it because of the high miles. I swapped it to an aftermarket Delphi pump. After like 3 months the fuel pump died. Thankfully I saved the old sensor origin equipment fuel pump and when I put it back on the car runs fine. Lol. I learned my lesson on never to use aftermarket parts for fuel pumps and stuffs like that, anything that's electronic. Sure you can use aftermarket for starters and alternates. And I know denso can last a really long time. I currently have 335k miles on my Camry and still has the original pump. So I would say try replacing it with the oem original equipment. Or go to a salvage yard/junk yard and see if you can find an exact car of yours and swap the fuel pump. Also check the fuses and relays for the fuel pump. From my experience I think your problem has something to do with the fuel pump.
Wow, thank you for the feedback! I wish I had known this before hahahaha
I really thought I was alone on this.
Yes, I went to a salvage parts and already got one from the same exact car. I will try it out tomorrow.
Denso brand, I will remember that 😆
@shone200 Please and thank you.
OEM fuel pumps are preferred when available, or at least from the original supplier which for most cars is Denso, Bosch, or Walbro. (You failed to mention what kind of car it is.) There are a lot of bad aftermarket pumps around so it would not be surprising if the new pump is bad.
Hello Chuck, the car is an "Opel Corsa 1.2i 1994 8 valves" with engine "C12NZ" having "mono-injection".
The fuel pump is a new one from italian brand ERA to which the store verified to be fully compatible, and also looked exactly the same (filter included) to the original one to which I still have.
I couldn't verify what brand was the original one, since there's no indication on it, and I couldn't find any documentation that specified that, online... 🙁
The fuel pump is a new one from italian brand ERA to which the store verified to be fully compatible, and also looked exactly the same (filter included) to the original one to which I still have.
"Compatible" != "Quality".
Most likely the OEM pump for that car would be Bosch but some European models have used Walbro. Either would be a quality pump if still made for that 29-year-old vehicle. (@dan might know what OEM is for that car.)
Have you verified the new pump is bad by checking fuel pressure? Did you get any kind of warranty from "ERA"?
Thank you for the swift reply Chuck.
I will ask my mechanic to check the fuel pressure, since I don't know how to do that myself.
The warranty is the default one by national law, 3 years minimum with the shop seller (not ERA directly), provided by invoice and original packaging which I saved.
Considering I changed the original fuel pump for the new one, for preventive measure, should I just put back the old one and if it works simply stick with it?
If the old one is original that's kind of pushing it due to age, but if it develops sufficient pressure and volume and is not making any bad noise you could try that.
Thank you for the reply Chuck.
Do you know a database where I could check for the OEM part in particular, to check such specifications/numbers from the original fuel pump?
Another question - the gas in the tank is not transparent and has a blue and greenish color. How do I verify if it's dirty at the bottom?
I don't know where you'd check that. That's an old car but even when that was built European-made Opels had not been sold here in the U.S. for a couple of decades. If there is crap in the bottom of the tank, which is likely in a car that age, you'd have to remove the tank to properly clean it out.
I am unsure what's the exact model (looks like a '93 - '97 Corsa?) , but usually on Opel you can get Denso parts.
Try looking on the Denso catalog: https://www.denso-am.eu/catalog/pv
On older Opels, I think it was ACDelco? as they used the same crap as GM.
Also I'd like to add that Italian != Quality either.
We need all the formation requested in the opening paragraph to help you. Did you replace the fuel filter too? Thanks.
Hello Doc, yes, fuel filter was replaced 2 years ago. The previous one came out clean.
The fuel I use is only 98 octane with additives, from BP.
This situation happened with no obvious pre-symptoms... only the ones shown in the videos from the day before.
From this info, it's possible to trace what brand it is?
I really can't tell. It's difficult for those of us in the U.S. to provide specific help on this because Opels have not been sold here for so long. There is no information on 1990s Opels available here that I've been able to find. Making things more complicated is that there have been so many different vehicles that Opel labelled "Corsa" from vans to hatchbacks.
I did find this to fit 1993-2000 Corsa hatchback from Hitachi, which I normally would not think of for fuel pumps but at least the company is a credible Japanese manufacturer. (Then again they might be importing the pumps from China and slapping their name on it.) For the aforementioned reasons though I have no idea if it actually fits your car:
https://www.123spareparts.co.uk/car-parts/hitachi/p-8959008
(Of course I know nothing about that particular vendor either.)
Thank you @chucktobias
Quick question, I've noticed on Autodoc multiple compatible fuel pumps which do suit.
But they all have different pressures and bar numbers.
Does it matter if the "new" has a slightly different value, even though it is compatible?
You want as close to original factory specification as possible.
Can a fuel pump die while the car is driving, and after a few minutes being off, the car is turned on again successfully and continue driving normally?
Please post all your vehicle information per the instructions. Thanks.
Hello @mmj, my question is purposely made to be as generic as possible, as I'm seeking from people's individual opinion or perspective on this. Thank you!
If you're trying to solve a problem, then start at the beginning, provide all the information, and the symptoms you are experiencing. We can't help you if you start backwards, guess what the problem is, and ask us if your hypothetical solution will work. It's like going to the doctor,refusing his diagnosis, and then asking if pomegranate juice can cure genital warts. Don't be surprised when you don't get the result you're actually after.
When you are trying to solve a problem , do NOT ask generic questions.
You need to be as SPECIFIC as possible. Thanks.
Can a fuel pump die while the car is driving, and after a few minutes being off, the car is turned on again successfully and continue driving normally?
Sure. It's called an intermittent connection.
You've never seen an electrical device with a broken wire, and when you jiggle it, it turns on and off?
Thank you @mmj, it makes sense yea.
Could such intermittent connection be originated only from a faulty or old, fuel pump fuse and/or relay?
it can happen in anything that has wires or connections
Yes I know wiring itself can go bad, gradually.
But do fuel pump fuses or relays, can also fail in the same fashion of 'intermittent' as u described? Or once they fail, they die for good without recovering on their own?
No, not just gradually. It can happen suddenly. Maybe it gets pinched.
Like I said ... any connection.
fuses plug into a socket ... that's a connection. The socket can be loose or corroded or whatever.
Same thing with relays. Plus, relays have moving parts inside.
Yeah, almost anything can fail intermittently.
die for good? recover? ... I don't know ... what is the point of all these questions?? Please just spit it out already.
Thank you @mmj I will consider that.
I'm just trying to see what it could potentially be the root cause.
Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it.
I think I found the source of all these questions. Merging topics.
Hello everyone,
Unfortunately the old pump doesn't work...
What should I do now?
Is there a way I can try to obtain the original fuel pump brand and specifications?
Will it mention in a vehicles manual?
Hello everyone,
Hello @chucktobias @doc @dan
Firstly, thank you for your amazing feedback.
Secondly, I've verified Denso website, and unfortunately they don't sell fuel pumps...
I've looked at Bosch's, and I couldn't find the section for car spare parts...
As a last desperate attempt, I contacted Opel directly in my country, and they said they had a few compatible units of new fuel pumps from their warehouse in Germany and it would take a few weeks to come. But the problem is the price is around 230 something bucks, and that's just way to much... the car itself costed me close to that.
I've asked on the phone for the individual to send me details, such as the brand, but unfortunately he was clueless of what brand it was, as he wasn't even sure if this was the right one. He sent me this screenshot from his PC, which looks exactly the same:
From this info, it's possible to trace what brand it is?
Soon I will meet up with my mechanic to swap back from the new faulty (I think) fuel pump, back to the old original one. And if it works, I will leave it like that, since I changed it for preventive measure in the first place...
Hello,
On petrol Volkswagen Golf 1.6 2006 how to verify if there's dirt at the bottom of it, via the fuel pump entrance.
Fuel is not transparent, but has a blue/greenish color most likely from the additives, blocking view.
How would one verify if there's dirt at bottom, without removing the entire fuel tank and having to empty it out?
how to verify if there's dirt at the bottom
Like Chuck told you above, you would have to empty it.
But where would dirt come from?
If fuel pressure is ok then you don't need to worry about dirt.