Hey guys. 

I'm hoping this is a quick one.

I had a really bad fuel smell in the cab, checked my fuel lines and pump, turns out the, (original,) pump leaking. 

Changed that and also changed length of hose from fuel filter as it was too small to fit. Don't know how it got on the old pump, but it did.

Also, trying to get that section of hose off the old pump, i actually pulled the inlet tube off the original pump! Kinda easily. 

Anyway, fitted the new pump and hose, checked for leaks, all good. 

Since then i can hear gurgling from the fuel tank when i stop at lights and i've had issues with the engine nearly cutting out on roundabouts. 

Are these related as it's a mechanical pump? Is it possible i've fitted the pump wrong?

Sounds to me like you may have a partial blockage in the fuel lines somewhere, or an air leak pre-pump.  Either of these could lead to less fuel being delivered by either restricting overall fuel or introducing air bubbles into the fuel line. 

 

Gurgling sounds like air introduction to me, and you mentioned the old pump inlet hose seemed too short and then the tube (too) easy to remove.  But if you replaced this hose and it is tight then this should already have eliminated this as an air sucking-in point.  It could possibly be a blocked tank fuel pickup strainer.

 

A few thoughts:

 

1) Where was the original pump leaking from?  Was it on a spur to the pipes or had the body itself sprung a leak?  I'm thinking an intermittent or partial blockage up or downstream could have worn the pump out causing it to leak, if it's pushing/pulling against a (somewhat) dead end continuously..

 

2) How full is your petrol tank?  If low, worth topping her up with a jerry can incase concentrated crud from the bottom of the tank is getting sucked up. Fill her up and either drive around, or bounce your body weight sitting on the boot sill to slosh the tank, hopefully washing your fuel pickup with fresher petrol, then wait a few minutes (to settle crud) before starting her up.

 

3) If you take the air filter housing off (do you have an AAU or AAV engine - I don't know abut GT's) and fire her up does the injector look like its giving a decent spray?  Should spray visibly more when you open the throttle by pulling the linkage.

 

4) Is your fuel filter in good condition?  And the weird square "filter/accumulator" thing that is under the car body near the cylindrical filter.

 

5)  Long shot, but is the pump receiving correct electrical signals?  I don't know the specs to test this, but just thinking, if you've put in a new pump and the symptoms are unchanged.... is the pump getting a bad power supply?  Is there an earth to body nearby you could clean?

 

Regarding if you could have fitted the pump wrong - is it definitely the same as your old pump in shape and spec?

 

ETKA shows the electrical connector at the end nearest the filter

https://volkswagen.7zap.com/en/rdw/polo+derby+vento-ind/po/1991-120/2/201-22001/

 

6) Long shot #2.... Haynes says the fuel tank level sender, in the top of the tank, has an integrated lift pump (in addition to your main pump) and ETKA concurs

https://volkswagen.7zap.com/en/rdw/polo+derby+vento-ind/po/1991-120/9/919-97050/

 

Is any noise coming from this?  This could be blocked/defective?

 

Cheers,

 

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