406oc.co.uk

Right guys, im typing this at 4am. Earlier this evening i set off for a night out, went to the filling station and inadvertantly lifted the wrong pump and put £20 of petrol into my HDi. I drove a few miles unknowingly but then noticed the car running funny, the diesel in the lines had been used and the engine was now getting petrol I was picking up my mate at his house and luckily I turned off the engine to investigate under the bonnet, couldnt see anything wrong and went to restart the car, it wouldnt start. Knew straight away what I'd done, went and stuck my noise into the fuel filler cap and sure enough...petrol. We disconnected the fuel line were it exits the tank and drained nearly all the petrol into some basins. Then drained the filter and poured £20 of diesel into the tank. I replaced the fuel filter housing a while back and expected it to prime itself, it didn't. After turning over the engine for a bit we've had no success, just won't start. Fuel isn't making its way to the filter so it must be air locked. I've been defeated and had to get my mate to leave me home. My question is: WHAT DO I DO NEXT?? (Its an HDi 90 with a Bosch pump)

Gah! It's a Bosch so it still has a lift pump, I'm not sure if the lift pump will push fuel through the HP pump but what about disconnecting the filter feed, running it into a bucket with some tubing, and turning it on? (Short bursts perhaps, I've no idea how powerful it is)

steve_earwig wrote:Gah! It's a Bosch so it still has a lift pump, I'm not sure if the lift pump will push fuel through the HP pump but what about disconnecting the filter feed, running it into a bucket with some tubing, and turning it on? (Short bursts perhaps, I've no idea how powerful it is)

we've had the fuel feed line off where it enters the engine bay, the fuel isn't even making it that far

But it does have a lift pump?

Yeah, as far as I'm aware its in the tank

Is it running though? It doesn't sound like it (And, just so we're not overlooking the obvious - inertia switch)

steve_earwig wrote:Is it running though? It doesn't sound like it (And, just so we're not overlooking the obvious - inertia switch)

I don't know, out of my depth a little here. Why wouldn't it be running? Inertia switch??

Some 406s have an inertia switch, standing at the front of the car with the bonnet open it's on the right-hand suspension turret.

Not sure why it wouldn't be working but Welly always reckons ruuning petrol through an HDi's lift pump kills them. If it's not running, well, I guess check for power.

CountryPug wrote:

steve_earwig wrote:Is it running though? It doesn't sound like it (And, just so we're not overlooking the obvious - inertia switch)

I don't know, out of my depth a little here. Why wouldn't it be running? Inertia switch??

Is the inertia switch the 'BIG RED BUTTON' in the engine bay, if so this has been pressed a couple of times...

steve_earwig wrote:Some 406s have an inertia switch, standing at the front of the car with the bonnet open it's on the right-hand suspension turret.

Not sure why it wouldn't be working but Welly always reckons ruunning petrol through an HDi'2 lift pump kills them. If it's not running, well, I guess check for power.

OK, thanks, this sounds like i'm in a spot of bother then. Although for the little time the petrol was in the tank i'd be shocked, we're talking maybe 5/6miles of driving and drainage starting straight-away after that. Expensive effort to fix and fit a new one, i'm guessing it is..?

GSF have:
183PC0120 FUEL LIFT PUMP(IN TANK) MOST HDI MODELS 67.50
+ VAT etc.

HTH

and a doddle to fit, hour job tops even if the rings a tight squeeze

check its running first though, but i believe they use the diesel as a lubricant for the pump and if its been basically degreased with petrol then it may well have seized up as they are prone to doing anyway around the 8-10 year mark.


good luck buddy.

Would it hurt to try using "Easy Start" or the delightfully named "Start You B***ard" until the engine fired? In the winter, we have started many reluctant engines that would otherwise have remained dead.

Thanks for the replys folks, just a quick status update: I was able to work at her for a while today but ran out of time before I got her going. I got hold of an engine oil extractor pump and connected it onto various fuel pipes in the engine bay and have managed to suck diesel through from the tank to the filter, then to the pump and as it stands Im getting some bubbles and fuel at the injectors when turning over the engine. Hopefully a little more tinkering tomorrow and I'll get her going, fingers crossed

Just a word of caution. If the system were working correctly you'd have over 200 Bar at the injectors, that's enough to be dangerous, never mind messy.

Also. prolonged cranking without fuel pressure is likely to kill your HP pump, (which relies on the fuel to lubricate it). Changing a lift pump is relatively cheap, an HP pump is a different story unless you're real lucky and pick up a second hand one your car will talk to.