Leak in the fuel pump housing

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:46 am

Hi!

The fuel pump housing is leaking from a small whole within the fuel pump cover. This whole is also shown in picture 4.6C "Showing the fuel pump sealing ring" in chapter 3.4 of the Haynes manual (#0813).
It's the whole on the left side of the arrow.

Surely, it looks that I have to replace the fuel pump after 22 years.

I was only wondering if someone knows what the whole is for and why it is leaking, now. (I haven't opened the fuel pump, so far.)

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:50 pm

dunno the answer but mine leaks too? but just randomly..some times it s fine

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:22 pm

Well, maybe mine leaks randomly, too.

I only saw that there was something leaking underneath the engine when I was shopping, leaving a spot of about the size of a palm. Keeping on shopping

, the spot varied much in size when I always came back to the car.

When I then examined the problem on the driveway, it took about 5 mins until it started leaking.

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:26 pm

well for safetys sake just replace it, id like to know why they do it as mine was a recent gsf cheapie (replacing it with the dearer one )

mine only does it on start up , can go weeks without it then leak..it leaks about a cupfull then stops

just get a new one though mate...cheaper than a car fire or break down...gsf want Â£10 for a cheapie ot Â£25 for a good un, vag are about Â£45

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:27 pm

Thanks for the prices! Didn't know that there is that much difference.

And anyone has an idea what the whole is good for apart from leaking?

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:19 pm

i figure the hole is there incase it leaks...at least that way a minor leak will let it still work

hypojam · Post by **hypojam** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:04 pm

Christ just replace it

I won my genuine VAG fuel pump of ebay for 7.50 delivered

omicron · Post by **omicron** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:02 am

Speaking as someone who's had a underbonnet fire in the last week. Replace it.

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:12 pm

just got my Â£25 jobbie from gsf, its pierburg brand....the case is now made from black plastic

hopefully its a improved version , i expect to get at least 18 years service from it

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:41 pm

Can someone give me a hint how to remove these two bolts? The fuel pump cover lets me use only a standard L-shaped Allen key as shown in the Haynes manual. And the bots are simply too tight after 22 years.

Because of the pump cover I can't use the bits and sockets with the different ratchet drives I got.

I don't know if heating up the retaining bolts with a blow torch would be a good idea, maybe after trying to remove the pump cover.

Anyone an idea?

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:49 pm

dont go heating a fuel pump mate..fires aint good

i used a hex key bit with a spanner on it....the type of bits that come in a screwdriver set, if you round them off hammer in a spline bit

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:25 pm

steveo3002 wrote:dont go heating a fuel pump mate..fires aint good

That's what I thought in the first place. I thought better you ask if someone has done that before.

steveo3002 wrote: i used a hex key bit with a spanner on it....the type of bits that come in a screwdriver set, if you round them off hammer in a spline bit

Good idea! I got plenty of hex bits. I'll try it tomorrow evening. In the meantime, I hope WD-40 is doing something, too.

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:46 am

mine werent that tight....needed a good crack with a decent spanner

one other thing..make sure the hex key is the proper size and not worn out, tap it in with a hammer if the bolts have grease n cr@p in em, because if you round them off its 10x more hassle

might be a idea to get new fuel hose too..some of mine was getting a bit spongy

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:39 pm

With a hex bit and a size-10-spanner, cranked and longer than the normal ones, the screws went off immediately.

The fuel hoses are still OK. One I have replaced about two years ago. This Polo seems to like leaking fuel ...

DaMeat · Post by **DaMeat** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:28 pm

P.S. They put holes in fuel pumps (and water pumps, etc.) so that when they wear out you can tell... I.E. They leak fuel, or water, and now it's time to replace them, as the seals have worn out!