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Peugeot fuel feed problem prevents car from starting

Hi

I have a Peugeot 309 "Look" (1.3L carburettor (carburetor) model)from

1989 that has been pretty well-behaved its whole life.

It did cut out once in the middle of an A road :-( and had to be restarted by the AA. The problem turned out to be the mechanical (diaphragm?) fuel pump. So I had this replaced, and along with it the inline filter. After which it behaved well for a while longer.

I've seen this same problem mentioned a few times over the years on this group. But my current problem is that the fuel is now going missing if I leave the car unused for a short while, so nothing at all is making the engine.

To start with, the fuel in the small reservoir was only halfway up from the lower entrance hole and the higher exit. I found that using wet start carburettor spray was enough to suck the fuel the extra inch or so. After which the car would run well, and restart easily (a brand new battery helped there), until the car was left too long.

The small reservoir between the pump and the carburettor is now totally empty, and so is the line the far side (from the engine).

If I understand correctly, with cars this basic there is only a pipe between the pump and the engine. So does this mean that I have a leak somewhere? If so, it must be tiny, as I've seen no wet patched under the car.

It has been suggested to me that if I manually top up the little reservoir I will be able to resuscitate the car.

Wondering if the car has met its end of the road?

Cheers

Andy

P.S. For those who don't know, a "Look" is just an L with a sunroof. The engine size is 1.3L, and it's a carburettor (carburetor) model.

Reply to
andy_westken
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sounds like a small leak , may be not large enouh to allow petrol out but it may allow air in check all your fuel lines for damage

Reply to
steve robinson

steve robinson wrote: .

And fuel pipe isn't particularly expensive either. It may just be worth replacing it anyway just to be on the safe side.

Reply to
malc

The message from "malc" contains these words:

Free, last time I needed any.

I sprang a leak not far from a Halfords and wandered in to buy a foot of pipe. The spotty oik behind what passes for a parts counter a) didn't know what I meant until I pointed to it. b) didn't know what a foot was until I waved my hands around. c) didn't know how to cut a bit of rubber pipe. d) couldn't find anything with which to cut it once I'd told him (not safe with knives, I guess) and then couldn't open a penknife I passed him. e) couldn't find out how much it cost per length f) once he found the price per meter didn't know how to calculate the price. g) gave up and handed it to me and told me to shove it in my pocket.

Reply to
Guy King

Thanks for your information.

It did, after all, turn out to be a small hole in one of the fuel pipes.

The problem pipe was the short one connecting the fuel pump to the small inline reservoir. It appears that the mechanic who replaced the pump used the old piping to connect it, and ended up enlarging the existing hole. There was a small hole at the point the pipe connected with the reservoir. As soon as this pipe was replace the car just started! Why the grotty old pipe was not replaced at the same time as the pump I do not understand. Needless to say, I have found a new garage to service my car from now on.

I would have posted a reply earlier, but wanted to give things time to go wrong again. Almost two months later the car is still behaving well. In fact, I think a small hole must have existed for a time before it caused serious problems, as my car now starts really easily!

As I was not sure of myself, I did get a mechanic to make the repair and check the car out, I learnt that the piping under the car is a lot thicker and unlikely to go wrong. So the only pipe to worry about is at either ends (into the carburettor, and from the fuel tank). He also fitted a clear inline filter this time, so I can check up on the fuel more easily.

Thanks again

Andy

Reply to
andy_westken

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