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Thread: TD5 fuel pump issues

  1. #1
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    TD5 fuel pump issues

    As a newbie here, I'll start by saying that chances are my issue has been raised previously - in which case I apologise!
    I have a 2000 Discovery TD5. I accept that it's not a new vehicle, nearly 250,000 kms, and that things will go wrong. Over the past 18 months I have spent a lot more than ever anticipated on 'repairs' as suggested by my Landy specialist. I started getting a bit concerned when, after a major service in which brake pad wear was measured and recorded as I had reported odd brake noise, a wheel seized up 900 kms later when I stopped at lights and required backing up to get the brakes off. The pads were so worn that one had actually jammed between the caliper and the rotor and was lying in the road. Needless to say, that then cost me new rotors and pads all round! The comment made that I must have been braking hard. I don't; I drive very conservatively. There have been other cases where things have been less than satisfactory - and I've had to later rectify - but I do try to accept that the world is not perfect. The latest annoyance is the fuel pump. The car just stopped dead and after having had it towed in, I was advised that I needed a new fuel pump. These things can happen and $700 later I was mobile again. Two days later the fuel pump started screaming so back it goes. I'm told the pump is faulty so they will order a new one. It is fitted in due course and performs just as the previous one did; with a noise that could be heard half a street away. It was duly replaced and the car performed fine for about 1000kms - and then the screaming started again. Again I was told that the pump was faulty and had to be replaced. On taking the vehicle in, I got no pick-up call that afternoon, so went the next day to see what was wrong. I'm now told that the problem was dirt in the fuel tank, blocking filters in the pump and causing the bearings to fail(!), so they have had to remove the tank and send it off for cleaning and it will take about 10 days. Plus I have to pay for a new pump. When I questioned how it was that a dirty tank would not have shown in the previous 3 fuel pumps, I was told that the filters are internal and not visible. I also pointed out that my car had not been out of town for the past 8,000 kms, I had done less that 1000kms since a major $1,000 service and that I always filled at the same, very busy, servo. No answer to that, only to say that it was hard to prove when a servo had given dirty fuel.
    I really don't want to cast aspersions here, but I'd be interested in hearing comments from those more familiar with the vehicle than I am. I don't want to be unreasonable but .... I would also question why any manufacturer would install a filter in a pump so that it is a] Unable to be seen or cleaned and b]. the blocking of which results in the need for (I'm told) a $1,700+ repair bill.
    Sorry for the length but there is no point in asking if I don't give the full information. Thanks.

  2. #2
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    TD5 fuel pump issues

    Quote Originally Posted by Dee Haitch View Post
    As a newbie here, I'll start by saying that chances are my issue has been raised previously - in which case I apologise!
    I have a 2000 Discovery TD5. I accept that it's not a new vehicle, nearly 250,000 kms, and that things will go wrong. Over the past 18 months I have spent a lot more than ever anticipated on 'repairs' as suggested by my Landy specialist. I started getting a bit concerned when, after a major service in which brake pad wear was measured and recorded as I had reported odd brake noise, a wheel seized up 900 kms later when I stopped at lights and required backing up to get the brakes off. The pads were so worn that one had actually jammed between the caliper and the rotor and was lying in the road. Needless to say, that then cost me new rotors and pads all round! The comment made that I must have been braking hard. I don't; I drive very conservatively. There have been other cases where things have been less than satisfactory - and I've had to later rectify - but I do try to accept that the world is not perfect. The latest annoyance is the fuel pump. The car just stopped dead and after having had it towed in, I was advised that I needed a new fuel pump. These things can happen and $700 later I was mobile again. Two days later the fuel pump started screaming so back it goes. I'm told the pump is faulty so they will order a new one. It is fitted in due course and performs just as the previous one did; with a noise that could be heard half a street away. It was duly replaced and the car performed fine for about 1000kms - and then the screaming started again. Again I was told that the pump was faulty and had to be replaced. On taking the vehicle in, I got no pick-up call that afternoon, so went the next day to see what was wrong. I'm now told that the problem was dirt in the fuel tank, blocking filters in the pump and causing the bearings to fail(!), so they have had to remove the tank and send it off for cleaning and it will take about 10 days. Plus I have to pay for a new pump. When I questioned how it was that a dirty tank would not have shown in the previous 3 fuel pumps, I was told that the filters are internal and not visible. I also pointed out that my car had not been out of town for the past 8,000 kms, I had done less that 1000kms since a major $1,000 service and that I always filled at the same, very busy, servo. No answer to that, only to say that it was hard to prove when a servo had given dirty fuel.
    I really don't want to cast aspersions here, but I'd be interested in hearing comments from those more familiar with the vehicle than I am. I don't want to be unreasonable but .... I would also question why any manufacturer would install a filter in a pump so that it is a] Unable to be seen or cleaned and b]. the blocking of which results in the need for (I'm told) a $1,700+ repair bill.
    Sorry for the length but there is no point in asking if I don't give the full information. Thanks.
    Well firstly change your mechanic.
    The brake issue is reason enough.
    Next: the fuel pump has a strainer not a filter.
    If this were blocked it would be from diesel bacteria. Immediately noticeable on the first/ original pump.
    Non genuine pumps are known to be loud and inferior quality.
    If contamination damaged subsequent pumps it is fair to say your mech has been less than diligent.
    Fuel is continuously filtered through the external filter and if the mechanic were correct, the external filter too would be blocked.
    Changing another pump will not fix this.

    Quite possible to have leaking injector washers forcing combustion gas/soot into the tank.

  3. #3
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    Oct 2018
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    Thanks for the comment/confirmation. The manual tells me that there are two mesh strainers in the fuel pump but doesn't say if they are either visible or cleanable. I don't like the idea of suggesting that a mechanic is deliberately doing the wrong thing, but .... Unfortunately the time has passed when I would crawl around and do my own work so, like most I suppose, I have to rely on paying someone else to do it - and just hope they are honest! I rather doubt the leaking washers. No other signs and the car runs beautifully - when the fuel pump is working. Cheers.

  4. #4
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    The strainers are external to the pump and are clearly visible & cleznable when the pump is removed from thr tank.

    If injector washers/'O' rings were leaking you would experience an increased level of oil+diesel in the sump.
    Roger


  5. #5
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    TD5 fuel pump issues

    Increasing oil level with leaking o rings yes.
    But that isn’t the issue.
    The injector washers seal the compression gases which otherwise end up in the fuel system with associated soot and air/bleed problems.
    It would be great to see a pic of one of the “contaminated” pumps.

  6. #6
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    Its pretty certain that there is some fuel filter blockage that may be putting a strain on the pump and also pretty certain that your mechanic is buying $130 pumps ( no brand names here) & charging you $700 which is around what a proper VDO pump costs. The other replies have addressed the strainer description. These cheap pumps will under perform relentlessly. I went through what you have with a noisy pump & it all disappeared once I bought a VDO one.
    Simply put, a new fuel filter & VDO pump will fix it, the pump is easy peasy to install as there is a hatch in the Disc rear floor.

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