Help please with Escort TD

I can't see how a fuel pump costs a grand. Have you been to the Ford dealers and Auto factors to get prices? It's only a diesel so I can't see that swapping it can be that bad - it doesn't have the same propensity to raze you, your car and your house to the ground. If a fuel pump does cost a grand, get another car...

It's a diesel fuel pump, the phrase fuel pump also covers the entire fuel injection system. But going to a diesel specialist sounds way more like the right answer.

Yes, you are right that it is the whole injection thing, all contained within one device.

I have been to a Diesel specialist and it was he who said that it should be sent off to yet another specialist for further tests. Cost of this would be another £150 on top of his £100 so far and the £50 of the first garage I went to who said that I needed to go to this specialist in the first place, as their computer kit was not sufficient.

It is an R reg 1998 estate and I am so reluctant to throw too much money at the car when it is not worth that much.

I get especially worried when the 'specialist' says he has not seen anything like it before. Hence me coming to the list for help.

I asked the Ford dealer but they want £70 just to plug it in to their computer. I already know what the issue is and suspect they will just recommend a whole new pump/injector.

What I hate is when these people keep doing all these 'tests' and running the bill up then tell me that it is either not repairable or the cost to repair is as much as a replacement (ie £1000).

My instinct is to swap it for another part if possible though I accept that the scrap part may have a fault too. Most yards are fine about it if their parts are faulty.

I'm hoping someone has seen something similar and can at least point me in the right direction.

Thanks. Rob

Tricky one, assuming the timing really is random then that does sound like the death knell for an epic pump. You might need the car keys as well as the pump but the immobilisers after my time.

The Pump has a module within called a RIM (Remote Immobiliser Module) which in turn has to recognise the PATS module (Passive anti theft system) which in turn has to recognise the Keys !! Now the good news....for you...is that it CAN be by-passed...I have done so...not so handy but it is possible... so fitting a S/H pump is not as big a problem as many make out. The downside is that obviously the Theft circuits no longer exist..... in fact an ordinary Non-Chipped key will start the vehicle.

JK

Thanks for the reply Duncan but not really sure what you mean about the immobiliser. ???

Rob

Thanks for your advice. I am not concerned about the theft circuits being bypassed. Where I live, chances of theft are not too high and a risk I would willingly take.

My concern is that the engineer who diagnosed it said that he had bypassed the theft circuitry on Bosch pumps only and that he did not know if it would be possible on a Lucas pump. In fact, he stated he had never seen a Lucas pump on the Escort before, but there must have been enough of them about given the number of Escorts that were sold.

It also makes me laugh that cars still get stolen if these circuits are so complex that an engineer cannot bypass them.

At the moment I can still drive the car and the fault is intermittant which means that it could be something sticking within the pump I guess. In any event, I cannot afford £1000 for a new pump so will have to persevere.

Rob

To be honest it sounds like you need a different mechanic then as yours obviously doesn't know about these pumps.

Yes ... both the Lucas & Bosch RIM and PATS can be by-passed.

JK

Yay! That's the exact information I wanted. Now I can set about finding another Lucas pump from a scarp yard and finding someone who knows how to bypass the theft circuitry.

Some more questions, if that's ok :-

1. Are there many different types of Lucas pumps for this model or can I just ask for a Lucas pump when I ring round?
2. Any ideas on what I should be paying for a scarp-yard one?
3. Any alternative suggestions for sourcing a replacement?
4. Does the anti-theft bypassing/reporgramming need to be done by a Ford dealer or just someone who knows what they are doing?

Thanks sos much for all the help you guys are giving - it really is appreciated.

Rob