KJ Fuel pump failure. Solution needed quickly.

[indiedog]

Hi Guys,

CRD KJ died this morn. RACQ have checked and there's no fuel coming through the filter. He's saying it's most likely the fuel pump. About to get it towed to local garage who've done work on it before and he seems to know diesels. Will get him to check if it's just a blockage, let's hope.

Now I'm scared, very scared of what the dealership will charge me for a new fuel pump. I may call a wrecker to see what they've got. Any and all advice appreciated. Note this car is our only car and daily driver so need it back asap. So may have to cop the big hit if it means speed in repair time.

I know others have installed electric fuel pumps and I'll search on here for that. Speed is needed here.

Cheers, Indie.

[glend]

Excuse me but you don't have a fuel pump that supplies the filter assembly, well if you do your one of the very few in Australia that have installed a lift pump from the tank to the fuel head. I suggest your problem is something minor like a damaged fuel line, blockage in the tank pickup, or even just air leaking into the fuel head that stopped the suction. etc.

Now you do have an injection pump that pushes filtered fuel onto the fuel rail but if the filter is dry then that's not the problem.

If might be something as simple as air in the fuel system caused by a loose bleed screw on the fuel head (where the filter screws onto the bracket on the firewall). There is a black button there that you can pump to draw fuel from the tank. If you open the bleed screw fitting and pump the button and eventually fuel comes out then you likely don't have a line or tank blockage.

Relax

[Pipeliner]

The fuel pump is an integral part of the injection pump. You can check whether this pump is OK by performing a vaccuum test on it (refer section 14-32 of the service manual): if the pump produces a vaccuum of as little as 3" (around 10kPa) then the pump is fine and your problem lies elsewhere.

[indiedog]

Glend, I knew the pump set up was different to standard, but couldn't remember the details. I'll scoot down now and try pumping.

Okay, did a pump and I could feel the suction kick in but no fuel. Tow truck turned up at this point so only got one go at starting it. Slight kick but no go. So up to the garage. The mechanic pumped it (with fuel cap off) and commented on the amount of air in the system. Took a few goes but eventually it kicked to life.

Bit of a load off I can tell ya.

Thanks guys, beer's on me.

[gregb1]

Just on the subject of fuel pumps, while at the mechanics the other day we were speaking about the apparent extra power of the new Colarado 2.8 (VM) CRD.
He commented that they have an updated fuel pump and higher rail pressure, which gives more power. I wonder (and it doesn't really matter right now) if that fuel pump would fit the KJ CRD? Not knowing anything about fuel pumps or the CRD really, it may just be a silly question.

[bgbazz]

there aren't any silly questions gregb 1..only silly answers!

[glend]

I believe the updated Colorado engine is much like the current VM engine in the JK, in other words it has a completely different head to the KJ CRD and the injection system is different (which would include a later generation rail and pump). Interestingly the latest generation engine uses a gear system to keep the valves in time, one cam gear drives the exhaust cam through a gear set. The block architecture is pretty much the same with perhaps slight changes to accomodate the new head design.