A4 2.5 TDI SE Auto, fuel pressure problem

[a4dude]

I'm not having much luck. After sending off and replacing my ABS control module and fitting it yesterday with success today another problem arose..

My car lost power on a dual carriageway with no hard shoulder, ground to a halt, engine turning but not firing.

Not being a member of the AA I called them in an emergency to be charged £150. After towing me to safety he quickly realised it was a fuel pressure problem, he noted air pockets in the fuel lines? He tried everything an couldn't do a fix.

Towed to my local garage and I have no idea was this new problem is, possibly fuel pump? Engine seems fine, plenty of fuel.

Can any experienced members here help me with possibilities? I thought my abs module install may have caused something but the AA man and the garage manager said it was unrelated and the job I did was fine.

When it rains it pours! Any pointers, thanks

[yaman]

Do you know what fuel-lines the air bubbles were in?

Try and get any fault codes from the garage,
and yes it could be the pump, but its too early to say.

Regards
Jim

[a4dude]

Hi,

The garage told me the worst today, they said my fuel pump wasn't delivering enough pressure to the injectors and that I would need a new fuel pump. He said the one at the bottom of the boot was working ok. (I'm afraid I'm still learning about the car.)

Any advice on the cheapest route to take? Perhaps this will be uneconomical to repair? I must have spent over 2.5k on it over the last 18 months and need some help to decide the best way forward as I'm currently out of work.

The garage didn't give me any specific fault codes. I've told them I'm going to sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow.

Thanks

[yaman]

Its fairly common for these pumps to go, and a small
industry has built-up repairing them, the going rate
seems to be around £700 for the pump, then labour
for taking it off the car and putting it back on.

You don't have to be Einstein to see a figure in the
region of a grand, but check around as many pump
repairers as you can, here one to start you of with.

http://www.dieselpumprepairs.com/#/bosch-vp44-pumps/4533360090

Regards
Jim

[a4dude]

Thanks Jim,

After thinking about the costs of the fuel pump, labour, work needed for MOT (2 CV joints, rear discs and pads) I've decided it's going to be uneconomical to repair. It's been a hard choice to make.

My car will be towed from the garage to me tomorrow. Would it be best to sell the car as a non runner needing a new fuel pump and parts for mot or sell the individual parts. Car has done 127000 and before the fuel pump problem drove faultlessly.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[yaman]

I would sell it as complete unit, for parts or repair. Some people
will be sitting on a fuel pump, just waiting for a car like yours to
come on the market. A working auto-box is quite valuable.

If you sell the parts bit by bit, people will cherry pick, expect you to
strip it, or if they strip it, they will damage the part or other parts
around it. They will ask you endless questions about will this fit
that, and request detailed measurements and sizes and colours,
and then decide to not take it.
They will ask you for guarantees and then return (broken) parts
of their own car. Its a lot of hassle, unless your a professional
dismantler.

On paper it will break into a lot more money, but it
might take 6 months to get rid of everything. It takes time, space
and energy.

Regards
Jim

[a4dude]

Thanks Jim that's a great help, I 'll sell the car as a whole for spares or repair.

Do you think it's best to auction this? I bought the car for £2900 in 2008. Must have spent over 2.5k on it, what's a realistic price for this being a non runner as I genuinely don't know what to expect?

Thanks in advance

[yaman]

Thanks Jim that's a great help, I 'll sell the car as a whole for spares or repair.

Do you think it's best to auction this? I bought the car for £2900 in 2008. Must have spent over 2.5k on it, what's a realistic price for this being a non runner as I genuinely don't know what to expect?

Thanks in advance

That's over 5grand it's cost you in 2 years, so be prepared for a big hit.
Even with the new ABS module, your looking at £1200 max,
hope you get more, but I'm trying to be realistic.

Get the car as clean as you can, take lots of photos, and put it in all
the free sites you can find, eg: gumtree, piston-heads, local rags.
Personally, I'd give e-Bay a go too. Good luck!!

Regards
Jim

[a4dude]

Thanks for your help Jim,

It will be on ebay in a few days time, let's hope I get enough back on it to buy a banger!