Lurching sportline problem.

[Meatpie]

Hi,

I seem to have a problem with my mk1 sportline, lurches when driving. There is also a squealing noise coming from where the fuel pump is, though this fuel pump is less than a year old. It makes driving not only a pain but also a little dangerous.

Car went in to a garage once for this problem already, they seemed to have sorted it but they did'nt know what was the problem, and since then I had some bad dealings with them so don't want to go back to them.

Can anybody advise?

Thanks in advance.

[rubjonny]

sounds like fuel starvation tothe main pump, being a sportline it should have a lift pump, perhaps that has died/is blocked or the reservoir under the car is clogged.  pull the plug from the main pump under the car and turn the key 1 click, you should hear the lift pump prime. if it sounds ok, remove the rear seat and take off the round flap under there, the lifter pump is under there.  pop it out (twist and lift) then check the straner on the bottom isnt blocked, if it is you have crud in your tank which ideally you want to clean out, check your filler neck isnt rusting thru

[Meatpie]

Thanks very much, info appreciated.

Took it to a more reputable garage, they had a listen and established that the lift pump was shot. Maybe a faulty part from GSF.

Going to have to get a new one and send old one back to GSF for them to inspect, might get my money back on it though im not holding my breath.

Cheers.

[rubjonny]

do you recal if it had a mesh filter on it?  if the filter fell off or was missing it might have sucked up crud from the tank and died?

[Meatpie]

not sure about the mesh.

Since last post, I have gone thru 2!! fuel pumps and a lot of money.

Car squeals under braking, nothing to do with the brakes tho as squealing coming from fuel tank/pump area. Local mechanic insists there is no lift pump, as was main pump he replaced last (he says that Injection models don't have a lift pump).

It's getting me down, can't make any progress at all.

Any ideas? Im getting desperate now.

[rubjonny]

he is wrong, later MK1 cabrios do have a lift pump. get it replaced:
18389 - FUEL PUMP-IN TANK - 21.50

what year is it?

[Meatpie]

K-reg, 1992/3. I have had the hatch off from the underside of the back seat, but havent gone any further as don't have facilities to do so(any work done would have to be at the side of the road :s).

Is the sender the item with the 2 hoses and plug into the top? or is this a pump?

I think I will have to take the plunge at some point and do the work myself. Just need confirmation before I do so.

[rubjonny]

100% that car has a lift pump. the pump and sender on these is all one unit, what you see with the 2 fuel pipes is the one
to release it you need to twist it anti-clockwise then it'll lift out of the tank.

[eyeletboy]

As rubjonny says there is a lift pump on your sportline.I remember checking mine about 3 years ago.

[Kevscab]

Check your filler neck and tank, once this breaks up the crap (rust) makes it's way into the tank and regardless how many times you clean the filter or replace the pump the crap will still get up and cause issues once again.

Solution is to drain the fuel, remove the sender and filter then get something in their to suck out the debris. I used a shultz gun fitted with tube, made easy work of it.