Gabby is broken, fuel pump leak

[daviemck2006]

As the title says Gabby is broken. This is entirely due to myself. It is 99% likely to having done over 4000 miles without ever buying diesel, running 100% veg. Yes, the fuel pump seals have given up and its losing its fuel, probably contaminating the timing belt while it's at it. She also has a knackered engine mount. This was all discovered when my newly found Citroen man lifted it up to adjust the height corrector, which is not done yet as that area is too filthy to work on. There is also weeps of lhm in the rear suspension, and the exhaust to manifold joint is missing one spring so is blowing a bit. That will be the end of running anything but diesel in her. The mechanic won't touch her until the covering of oil is all cleaned up.

So, biggest question is, how difficult a job is it to replace the seals on a Bosch fuel pump? I know the timing belt is not old, but if it has a covering of veg oil then would it be prudent to change it? Would it be easier to source a fuel pump and just change it?

The first job will have to be a dose of degreaser and power hose to see what I am faced with.

[lexi]

You used to be able to get Viton seal kits for these pumps. Maybe ask on the Bio Diesel and veg forums. In winter, it is safer to run 50-50 if you have no separate heated veg tank. Especially given your location Davie. It may have been extra pressure on seals, with thick veg, or they may just be broken down,because of veg itself.
You got another car to use?

[van ordinaire]

So glad you admit to it all be your fault (never an easy thing to do) but the last thing we want is Jim setting off on some downward spiralling guilt trip. So, time to gather round, close ranks & do we can to get you out of schtuck.

Can't say I'd fancy rebuilding a pump nor do I even have any idea what's involved in changing one but I think my approach would be to find & fit another pump, then investigate reconning (or, at least, resealing) the old one at my leisure.

[Michel]

I'm sure I've read somewhere on here over the years that doing the seals on a Bosch pump isn't overly hard to do. My idea would be to get a pump off a known runner, get the seals done on that and replace yours with It, then get yours done at your leisure. I'm sure I've also read you can get veg-friendly seals for them ...

[Michel]

So glad you admit to it all be your fault (never an easy thing to do) but the last thing we want is Jim setting off on some downward spiralling guilt trip.

Quite right! However, I think we all know damn well that anyone buying a 20 year old car, then blaming the previous owner when it breaks is a total cretin, and despite our failings, non of us here seem to be that bad.

When I picked up the 207 from Jim on new years day, as I left he made some comment about hoping it got me home and that I wouldn't be back in 10 mins complaining.

My reply "well, Jim, if I am, please feel free to tell me to go and *@$& myself.. and I meant it too!

[daviemck2006]

It's quite probably mostly my fault for running 100%veg coupled with the fact it's an old car with 217000 miles covered and doing over 500 miles a week mostly stop start. My hands are too bad right now to fiddle with things, so a mate, who has more mechanical knowledge than me is taking the pump off on Friday. A seal kit has been ordered, it's only just over £16. Once the pump is off we will look at the timing belt. If it has been swimming in oil then that will get changed too. I know that it is quite recent so will just get a bare belt, not tensioner and water pump too. An engine mount is not much either, so this won't cost that much to sort out. The car has done over 7000 miles since I bought it from Jim so there is no way on earth that he can in any way be moaned at, and if I did, his correct response would be to tell me to go away, in stronger language though lol. I'm actually surprised that she hasn't broken before now! I can't really say one fused indicator and one slack battery terminal were breakdowns. In fact she is not broken down, she is still running beautifully, just depositing a trail of veg everywhere she goes lol. At least it's cheaper than diesel to pour over the road! If the pump has never been touched, then maybe it would have leaked anyway after its age and miles. Who knows?

One problem is that I don't have bigpug running yet, I have a sneaky feeling it's ecu is knackered going by the codes it's giving now, p1693, so the 205 will have to brave the winter weather for a while, and the pizza runs at the weekend. It guzzles petrol doing only town stuff, it only does about 250 miles a tank, and £50 to fill. It's nearly as gutsy as the activa was!

[KennyW]

Davie,

Lawson diesel in my neck of the woods used sell the pump kit. They even do strip downs and rebuilds. Worth giving them a call.
This is where I got my kit to do my pump a few years back ( Bosch Pump)

Kenny

[daviemck2006]

Davie,

Lawson diesel in my neck of the woods used sell the pump kit. They even do strip downs and rebuilds. Worth giving them a call.
This is where I got my kit to do my pump a few years back ( Bosch Pump)

Kenny

Did you do the pump yourself Kenny? If so does it present any real problems?

[MikeT]

Did you do the pump yourself Kenny? If so does it present any real problems?

Is this thread any good to you? I tried to detail my first time experience.
viewtopic.php?p=198754#p198754

[CitroJim]

Sorry to hear this Davie As you say, it's likely the veg that's killed it... It's pretty notorious for making the old-school (non-Viton) seals harden and leak...

It'll be worth doing but the pump will need de-armouring...

Just be aware that if you do go down the road of swapping pumps that it will be necessary to swap the immobiliser modules between pumps and to reset the static timing...

Mike's link to his pump rebuild is an excellent source of guidance... Mike knows an order of magnitude more about rebuilding these pumps than I ever did - he's the Guru

I'm happy to offer as much advice as I can but I'm in no position to be able to rebuild the pump for you unfortunately... I no longer have the fine motor skills or eyesight required

[KennyW]

Davie,

MikeT and myself did a strip and rebuild at the same time. Jim is being very modest about is knowledge as we both used Jim's guide to help us.

Kenny

[CitroJim]

Kenny, you're too kind...

Davie, for completeness, here's the link to my web pages on the subject...

http://www.eastment.net/boschpump1.htm

[daviemck2006]

Thank you gentlemen. The pump will be getting removed on Friday and we shall take it from there. My mate can have a look of these procedures and see if he wants to attempt the repair, if he doesn't fancy it then I will need to find someone else to do it. I would try, but the arthritis I have and cramps I suffer in my hands makes fiddly things nearly impossible for me to do.

[CitroJim]

I would try, but the arthritis I have and cramps I suffer in my hands makes fiddly things nearly impossible for me to do.

Unless your hands and ability to do fine fiddly things are fully up to scratch Davie, then don't even try... The possibilities of doing harm are endless with a pump...

I'm hoping your mate can come good and do the job for you...

[daviemck2006]

I see some of the sizes of the bits on the photos and there's just no chance of my great big spades managing, even if they worked properly! A 4lb hammer aka otterchops is a delicate tool for me