W210 fuel pump

[djcheung]

Has anybody had a problem with their fuel pump.
Mine started about a week ago when it had higher pitch noise for two mornings and then louder humming noise after that.
On Thursday night, got home from work and then had to go out to do a bit of shopping. Starter motor turns but would engine not start and also could not hear the fuel pump kicking in. Left the car standing for about an hour then tried again and it started with no problem.
On Friday night after work travelling to Brentwood to pick up somebody and came up to some traffic just after junction 27 on the M25. The engine stopped and cannot be restarted. I was stuck on the 2nd land of the 4 lane section and nobody stopped to help me to push the car onto the hard shoulder - they just laughed . It is quite scary when you have cars TRUCK and LORRIES passing you left, right and centre. Only after about half an hour a kind recovery truck offered help. Has anybdy tried to turn the steering wheel when stationary with the engine off . Yet again, managed the start it once again after about an hour.
Replaced the fuel pump yesterday and no more getting stuck on the M25 though the new pump is a lot more noiser than the old one.
It is a long post but what an experience!

David.

 

[djcheung]

It looks like the fuel pump replacement has not actually fixed the problem. The car refused to start again last night 20-30 minutes after I have stopped the car.
Anybody has any ideas?
I have tried putting a new pump relay but didn't make any difference at all.

David.

 

[guydewdney]

doesnt sound like it is the pump...

fuel pressure regulator?

one way valve / pressure 'holder' (to hold the pressure in the fuel lines when pump isnt running)

filter i assume has been replaced - unlikely thats the problem given circumstances

pressure regulator was repalced with a later part number at some point. obv a failing in the original design. located on fuel rail on engine...

evap control valve stuck open?

try turning ign off and on a few tims to build up pressure before next trying to start?

good luck....

 

[catgate]

I had problems with loss of power and stopping etc. which were not cured by pump rebuild (C220 diesel), nor by renewing the pipework, and which were eventually cured by a new tank. The plumbing in there is weird.

 

[djcheung]

Hi guydewdney,

Thanks for the advice.

The new pump I had replaced on Tuesday worked perfectly for 1 day and then it became very noisy in operation and a lot of vibration(which can be felt through the carpet) and the same problem appeared on Wednesday.
Do you know if there is any build-in thermal protection on the pump to cut the power when it gets too warm?

Thanks,
David.

 

[guydewdney]

i doubt it...

just wondering if there is loads of crap in the fuel lines thats blocking the fuel pump?

take off pump again, new filter - and pour a pint of fuel from tank and lines if possible into a clear container and inspect.

to get fuel out of the lines to the engine, you might have to release the lines at the engine end (to release vacuum)

it will be a bitch to start next time - so ign off / on cycle for a dozen times to make sure fuel is right through the lines..

also try running fuel pump directly off a battery? (well away from car / fuel cos of sparks) - does it still vibrate?

does fuel pour easily out of tank? if thats blocked then pump is trying to 'suck' really hard and will get noisy.

which makes me think of the evap / recirc fuel vapour system. is this working? iirc the tank should be slightly pressurised? if the system is down, then it will vacuum the tank and the pump will give up.

theres a valve in the engine bay and one above the tank to control this. no idea how exactly it works... but basically it lets in air when the engine is running, but blocks it when stopped.. try loosening the fuel cap (but i think this brings up another error)

 

[djcheung]

Hi guydewdney,

Thanks very much for all your opinions.

The MB of Hertford looked and felt the pump and decided it was a warranty issue so they replaced the pump with a new one free of charge - but I had to wait for more than a week - which is not bad in MB terms.
All problem gone and no more cutting out and driving in silence as the faulty pump was making such a nose like sitting in an aeroplane.

I got stuck on all sorts of road conditions and some I just closed my eyes and preyed nothing would hit me. All of this week it had been taking me 4 hours each evening to get home which normally takes just over an hour. It is embarrassing when other drivers just make rude/funny gestures when they drive pass a broken down Merc.

At least it is fixed now.

David.

 

[dodgered]

Christ Dave, reading your "journey" has really brigthened my day! I can't agree more about being stuck in a broken-down fu?king bastard Merc, korean and taiwan cars roaring past, drivers sneering. I have a similar "extra" engine bay noise that I'm just try'in to ignore. I find if I just hum real load and turn the music up (I even listen to the news now real load) it takes my mind off the "problem".

cheers