Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

Your OUT bolt could be clogged. Very tiny hole in it but there is supposed to be a screen to keep things from plugging it.
You could put a regular banjo on the output and see if fuel flows,... it should flow like crazy with no restriction. You can't drive with it like that,.. lots of bubbles.
If the flow is still low ,..... the vane pump is probably stuck.
Sometimes high RPM will set them free,.. other times an electric helper pump is needed.

Good day,
Blew air through the return line and with the gas cap off and the supply line off the filter, fuel and air went back into the tank bubbles heard and with a bit more air fuel and bubbles came out the supply line going to the filter. Blew air and cleaned out the IP out bolt.
I then bottle fed the IP taking the line off the filter and put it a clean bottle of diesel.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6jti3gm7yNY
I have lesson the idle screw by 3/8” when fuel adjustment screw is at factory setting otherwise it sounds like I have the gas floored at idle.
As you can see in this video the air bubble in the supply line to the IP has zero movement. And the return line from the IP that being feed onto another bottle has low flow. A few ounces A minute.(bottle was partially full when video started.)

Stuck vane’s?
Is this common on a newly rebuilt pump?
Any remedies?
Any other thoughts?
I appreciate you guys taking the time to diagnosis this with me.
I’m Starting to get pretty worn down by my mounting failures with this project. But going to keep at it!

There is a (very) slight possibility that you could fill the pump with "diesel purge", or ATF, or B100, etc.... let it soak for a few days and hope it frees the vanes up.

Aside from that you should contact PP and tell them the problem you're having with their pump. You have good evidence that something is wrong with that pump. They should send you a new pump and pay for the return as well. Nothing wrong with going ahead and getting that dialogue started on Monday, then decide what you want to do. You certainly can't take the pump apart without voiding any warranty.

https://youtu.be/oYttzGdKgM0?t=34
This is the vane/feed pump, those blades slide outward with centrifugal force. Just a little bit of gum or crud can interfere with them.

One of the reasons why pumps need to stay clean inside - speaking of that, if there was not a filter in-line with that bottle feed video, that's a no-no.

So I contacted PP and gave them a run down of all the things I have done to trouble shoot this rabbit and they said it sounds like somethings wrong with the injection pump. they said it’s unusual but has happen given the amount of these they sell.
So I’m shipping it back and they are sending another.
Will update you after I got to be new one up and running.

They should offer you some compensation for wasting your time (like free glow plugs or something), lest you give them the bad review they deserve.

Ya know Jack, here on vwdieselparts.com has good prices on rebuilt injection pumps.

https://www.vwdieselparts.com/
X2 , lot's of experience too.

I've heard PP is under new ownership (some have said they're rep has gone down since). I don't know, never bought anything from pp.

Just wanted to give an update. On my progress or at this point it feels like digression.

So I got the New Pump in from PP and installed it basically with the same problems. No power lots of smoke.
Scratched my head some more and ordered new injector nozzles. So following V waldons recipe I cleaned and rebuilt the injectors.
The nozzle next to the timing belt had chunks of carbon on it(pic 1) And the rest looked normal. Turn on the ignition to check the glow plugs while I had the injectors out and noticed that the one on the other side of the engine was blown out (pic 2). So I replaced the glow plug with a new Bosch plug. I then Got it all put back together and primed the lines and fired it up. And it runs worse then ever before. Barely idles, rpm fluctuates up and down. Smokes a ton, grayish white in color.
Feeling somewhat hopeful after discovering the dirty nozzle and blown glow plug. I was pretty demoralized when it didn’t run at least better than before.
Not sure where to go from here. Advance / retard the pump? Pop test injectors? Start over timing the New pump and belt? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. If anybody is Near western NC I’ll by you a BBQ sandwich to help me troubleshoot!

Wow, I have never seen that happen to a glow plug.

Is there still a bubble in the line between the filter and injection pump?
How's the pump's return line output with the new pump?
Fuel should be flowing fast enough to move any bubbles in the fuel line.
Maybe an electric fuel pump might help.

There is one dime size air bubble that lives closer to the filter that I can’t seem to get out.
What do you think caused this glow plug blow out?

I’m going to replace lines between injectors with clear today now that I found a source for that diameter tubing.
Does anyone have a trick to prevent the hard injector line nut and the top of the the injectors from cutting the lines that run between the injectors as you prime the lines ?This seems to happen often. Could this be where some of my problem lies? I try and replace them when I notice them leaking but could they be sucking in air if there’s a small cut?

I will check the return line flow today and let you know.

Thanks

The dark nozzle looks like it got cooked. It's important to ensure that new or reformed heat shields are installed each time the injectors are removed/replaced.

Timing must be reset each time the pump is changed or altered.

You're getting close... once the air is purged from the fuel lines, it will probably just be a matter of precise timing.

You don't need to loosen the injector nuts to prime the lines.

That air bubble should be moved by the flowing fuel.
It should be flowing fast enough.

Good to know.
There must be something restricting flow somewhere. Because the bubble between the filter and the pump doesn’t budge. And there is very little flow from the IP out bolt back to the tank when I feed it to a bottle.
I finally replace all my lines between the injectors with clear. And there was air hanging out. I connected a spray bottle trigger to the right most injector bypass and purged that air.
Engine runs better but not quite right.
Lots of grey smoke coming out of the tail pipe.

Sounds like a fuel flow problem.
A vacuum gauge on the fuel line in front of the pump would tell how hard the pump is pulling.

If it was a restriction in the fuel line you would get air in the fuel when revving.

Did you try swapping the out bolt for a regular banjo bolt? It could be restricting flow. Lots of fuel should flow with a regular banjo bolt.

Will do.
Any recommendations on fuel pump and vacuum pump or will any Napa store pumps do?
Also where can I get a new OUT banjo bolt for the top of the injector pump.

Thanks