County Fuel pump help....

[county1985]

so went to the bank at lunch time...back into the old girl and she wouldnt start!!...battery sounds fine. Then!....I noticed, no whirring from the fuel pump!
Okay so to problem solve this:
1. Where is the fuel pump relay??...is that one behind the fuse panel??
2. Where exactly is the fuel pump located?!!!
3. Is there a fuse for it in the fuse box??

Thanks for the help!!

[rover-56]

Can't remember where the fuse is, but the pump is attached to the RH chassis rail just below and behind the drivers seat.
Terry

[county1985]

Thank you!....Will start there then :)
Its funny, driving her yesterday I had a lack of power going up hill, which i put down to her being cold...But it may have being a dying pump after all!!

[county1985]

How odd!.....Drove down there with the missus in her car...turned the key....Fuel pump whirring!!!...Bloody thing started and I drove her home!!!
Is this a common event??!!!....Any known causes????
Only thing I can think is maybe a short to the fuel pump that only happens when the car is hot....

[Wallaby Ted]

Did you have Gas on it? I had the same problem and the gas installer had put in a non waterproof fuse near the coil (and this had the bad connection).

From what it sounds like I would pull it off the vehicle, disassemble the pump, clean it and put it back together. I had a similar issue years ago and found that the pump was full of gunk and cleaning it out sorted it out.

Do you have a workshop manual for the County?


Richard

[BilboBoggles]

Check the wiring to the pump. There are likely all sorts of dodgy connections that can become intermittant. When its not working try putting a voltmeter across the pump to earth. If no voltage then its a wiring issue. If there is voltage its the pump.

If its a v8. Then its possibly got the old facet oscillating pump. These have contacts in them that drive tge oscillations. Once the contacts get a bit dirty the pump can just stop. It may start spontaneously or with a slight tap. I used to drive around with a wooden fuel pump tapper until I replaced the pump with a new one.
The beauty of the old facet is that you used to be able to fully rebuild them with new parts.

[county1985]

Thanks guys!...No she isnt on gas.
I will check the fuel pump tomorrow and see what the wiring is like!...at least she got home :) I was trying to figure out how I was going to tow her!!!

[EastFreo]

Had similar a few years back and eventually found it was the fuel pump.

That was an electronic one and it took a while to work out it wasn't dirty fuel, blocked filters etc because very time we looked at something it then seemed to work!

What finally triggered it was we realised it seemed to happen as the tank got closer to empty and it didn't have enough pressure left in it to pump the fuel up.

[county1985]

I am think the same thing!...Just so i am clear on it...the fuel pump should be up near the right hand side of the chassis???

Had similar a few years back and eventually found it was the fuel pump.

That was an electronic one and it took a while to work out it wasn't dirty fuel, blocked filters etc because very time we looked at something it then seemed to work!

What finally triggered it was we realised it seemed to happen as the tank got closer to empty and it didn't have enough pressure left in it to pump the fuel up.

[clive22]

Hi

In all probability it will be a blockage or a fuel pump failure. Note carefully how it stops, with the float bowls in mind: straight away or after the bowls have drained.

Check the fuel flow into the carbs, pull off line and turn on ignition, should let a litre out a minute if OK

If it runs OK at normal throttle say 60 km/k around town then falters, check behind the needle jets in the carbs for junk. You can test if one of these is blocked by borrowing a fuel air meter and if it shoots up to around 30:1 when driving then one needle and seats is blocked. Any backfiring would indicate lean mix and one blocked carby too

Check for tear in carby diaphragms too may not be lifting.

Check line into pump from tank, on mine flows under gravity its below th tank

Check fuel tank breather, leave cap off and drive, if Ok then it may well be a blocked breather.

I had the same problem on my '85 county turned out to a long human hair with a lump of silcone, stuck behind needle jet, only blocked up when fuel demand was high.

The facet pumps are very reliable when I asked around when sorting my similar issue, but the wiring may not be.


I spliced in a marine tank straight onto the carbs, when it run rough I knew for sure it was the carbs and not fuel. Worth thinking about if it resolves whether its fuel supply or carbs.

Clive

[county1985]

Awesome helpful post thanks Clive!...much appreciated.
Will get onto it today....
The mechanic replaced both fuel filters, so at least i think they are okay!
My money is on the fuel pump...either it is failing or the wiring is shot.
The way it looses power going up hills could be explained by a weak pump....

[rover-56]

I am think the same thing!...Just so i am clear on it...the fuel pump should be up near the right hand side of the chassis???

Yes attached to an outrigger with rubber insulators. There should also be an earth braid between the pump and chassis.
Terry

[county1985]

Yes attached to an outrigger with rubber insulators. There should also be an earth braid between the pump and chassis.
Terry
Found it....first thing is i have a black earth, but the braid earth, while there, is broken!....Does the pump have 2 earths, the black wire and the braid??
If so, where exactly on the pump does the braid go to?? The Black earth wire is intact and connected to the fuel pump, and I cleaned up the earth screw to the chassis....

[rover-56]

The black earth wire should be enough. Someone has bypassed the original broken earth braid.

[county1985]

Thanks mate. that is what I figured :)
Looking at the pump, I think its not the original....Googled what the original one looks like and this one is likely aftermarket....Looks super old!
The good news is that it is all working at the moment, so I will take the wait and see what happens approach...will buy a replacement pump any way, just in case :)
4-6 psi is correct from my google effort!

[clive22]

Hi

My 85 County pump has two earths as well.


I'd still be isolating whether its a blockage or the fuel pump before spending too much time or money.

In my experience losing power going up hills whilst OK on the flat is signs of a blockage. Unless it intermittent electric supply from the wiring fuel pumps tend to work or not.

The needle and seats are easily the narrowest part of the fuel supply system and need to be checked.
Clive

[county1985]

Good point!....She is booked into the mechanic again next week to adjust the timing after the new muffler went on, so i will get him to have a quick look at the carbys.
Any point running thru a carb cleaner?? used to work on the Lada Niva's :)