fuel pump primes 17 times then stops, engine won't run
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:05 pm
Evening knowledgeable people,
My Ariel Atom (2011 supercharged) has developed a weird issue. I was at a track day yesterday and all was well. Parked up in a pit garage and put some fuel in and then switched ignition on just to get a reading off the dash fuel gauge. The fuel pump normally primes and then cuts out after 3 seconds or so, but for some reason it kept priming. Having investigated a bit further today, it primes 17 times and then stops. It does it 17 times every time you put the ignition on and repeat. If you try and start the car whilst it is doing this fuel pump priming/cycling it will start but idle very rough. After the 17 cycles of priming the engine dies. The engine will not start at all after this (the fuel pump is not running)
Here is a video I took today whilst investigating:
There is a relay at the front of the car that clicks/energises when the fuel pump activates; I swapped that out today and it makes no difference. At the back of the car near the ECU there is this thing which also clicks every time the fuel pump runs/cycles:
Googling the part number at trackside yesterday reveals its a "fuel pump module relay" and is from (amongst other vehicles) a Freelander. I found a localish Freelander breakers/specialist and they took one off a vehicle they had there. I got them to connect up the module from my Atom. Although I didn't see them start the Freelander, they said it ran but didn't sound "right". I was hoping it would make the Freelander cycle the fuel pump like my Atom and confirm this was the faulty part but no joy. However, they kindly let me borrow the unit they took off their Freelander so I took it back to the track and fitted it, it didn't make any difference. Today I also resoldered all the pads on the printed circuit board inside my original fuel pump module relay and again no difference. I'm fairly confident it has eliminated this part from being the cause.
If I turn the ignition on without deactivating the immobiliser, both the relay at the front of the car and the fuel pump module relay click 17 times but the fuel pump does not run. I don't think the immobiliser is causing the issue.
There is a quick release connection on the fuel line feeding the fuel rail. I disconnected this and aimed it into a bucket. When the ignition is on and the fuel pump starts cycling/priming fuel pisses out.
I've googled to see if the Honda K20 engine has a fuel pressure sensor incase that is the problem but it doesn't appear to have one.
I don't know if there is a fuel pressure regulator (maybe that red thing visible in the video?) or if a faulty one could even cause this issue?
I am at a complete loss now. I hate electrickery faults on cars. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?
Many thanks
My Ariel Atom (2011 supercharged) has developed a weird issue. I was at a track day yesterday and all was well. Parked up in a pit garage and put some fuel in and then switched ignition on just to get a reading off the dash fuel gauge. The fuel pump normally primes and then cuts out after 3 seconds or so, but for some reason it kept priming. Having investigated a bit further today, it primes 17 times and then stops. It does it 17 times every time you put the ignition on and repeat. If you try and start the car whilst it is doing this fuel pump priming/cycling it will start but idle very rough. After the 17 cycles of priming the engine dies. The engine will not start at all after this (the fuel pump is not running)
Here is a video I took today whilst investigating:
There is a relay at the front of the car that clicks/energises when the fuel pump activates; I swapped that out today and it makes no difference. At the back of the car near the ECU there is this thing which also clicks every time the fuel pump runs/cycles:
Googling the part number at trackside yesterday reveals its a "fuel pump module relay" and is from (amongst other vehicles) a Freelander. I found a localish Freelander breakers/specialist and they took one off a vehicle they had there. I got them to connect up the module from my Atom. Although I didn't see them start the Freelander, they said it ran but didn't sound "right". I was hoping it would make the Freelander cycle the fuel pump like my Atom and confirm this was the faulty part but no joy. However, they kindly let me borrow the unit they took off their Freelander so I took it back to the track and fitted it, it didn't make any difference. Today I also resoldered all the pads on the printed circuit board inside my original fuel pump module relay and again no difference. I'm fairly confident it has eliminated this part from being the cause.
If I turn the ignition on without deactivating the immobiliser, both the relay at the front of the car and the fuel pump module relay click 17 times but the fuel pump does not run. I don't think the immobiliser is causing the issue.
There is a quick release connection on the fuel line feeding the fuel rail. I disconnected this and aimed it into a bucket. When the ignition is on and the fuel pump starts cycling/priming fuel pisses out.
I've googled to see if the Honda K20 engine has a fuel pressure sensor incase that is the problem but it doesn't appear to have one.
I don't know if there is a fuel pressure regulator (maybe that red thing visible in the video?) or if a faulty one could even cause this issue?
I am at a complete loss now. I hate electrickery faults on cars. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?
Many thanks