[jackyg]

Hi, can anyone recommend a mechanic who would be interested in working on a 1988 zook with a Baleno conversion - having problems with the fuel pump...

[alien]

Suzistore, talk to Brian =)

[MrRocky]

Whats wrong with the fuel pump

[MrRocky]

This is the pump i use
https://goo.gl/images/xHkMz8

Pierburg pump.
7.21287.53.0

[jackyg]

Well.... what is wrong with the fuel pump.... I have no idea. It is 17 year old daughter's first car - a 'must have' and 'I'll learn and do all the work'.....
When we test drove the car, it ran well - no issues. Get the car home - doesn't start in the mornings at all - discover 'Start you Bastard' which worked beautifully, but car was still missing around 60k's (not sure of revs). Then, it just conked out - RAC reckoned the fuel pump was broken but maybe a blockage somewhere in the filter, lines... the possibilities are endless...

[jackyg]

thanks for the recommendation alien - will give Brian a call at Suzistore.

[bumstein]

If your way over your head dealing with this then Brian would be the go. But if your keen to learn I’d try a few things first.

Things to try (this is just off the top of my head though) are;

Replace fuel filter, it’s cheap and if you’ve just bought the car who knows how long it’s been since it’s been changed.

I’d check the diagnostics codes. I imagine the wiring has been left to include the diagnostic socket and hopefully a check engine light, but depending on who did the conversion anything is possible. Basically you bridge the diagnostic pins and the check engine light will flash, count the flashes and match the fault code. Here’s a full description on how to do it

http://www.rhinopower.org/diag/cel.html

It may just be a cam angle sensor or something easy to fix like that.

Select your own method of checking the fuel lines. I disconnect the lines at intervals such as where it attaches to the fuel filter. Put a 60ml syringe in and draw back the plunger. Allows me to feel if there’s any resistance or blockage and see what comes out of the lines. Might have some crap in there. I work my way from the fuel tank toward the motor to narrow down which section if any are blocked.

To test the fuel pump (this is how I do it, others might have other ideas. I’m not promoting my method for reasons I’ll explain) I disconnect the fuel line as close to the carby, or in your case the injectors, as possible poke the end into a beer bottle or other appropriate receptacle and get the pump pumping.

Assuming you’ve got an electric fuel pump (I can’t see any way a Baleno can run without an electric pump) it should turn on with the ignition. If it starts pumping fuel into the bottle then the fuel pump pumps fuel.

^big disclaimer on this!!!! If you spill fuel doing this it can drip onto electrical things like the alternator, wiring contacts or any other bloody thing and can catch fire!!! That’s why I don’t promote it as a method. Please don’t set your car, yourself, your garage, your daughter or anything else on fire. I don’t recommend it

If anyone else wants to chip in with how they test a fuel pump please by all means tell us a better way.

Beyond that I’d start googling troubleshooting guides and narrowing down bit by bit what does and doesn’t work until you find the problem. Having said that wiring issues can take forever to find and depending on the quality of work completing the conversion it can be bloody hard to find!! If it’s all getting too hard or beyond your comfort zone/skill level, Brian is the guy

Good luck!!

[MrRocky]

Where abouts are you located ive done more than a few baleno swaps now

[jackyg]

thanks for the replies Mr Rocky and bumstein. We are in Samson - Freo way. Good diagnostics Mr Rocky - we will go and stare at the engine for a bit longer before calling Brian.....

[bumstein]

Any of the diagnostic codes coming up with the bridging method?

[jackyg]

bumstein wrote:

Any of the diagnostic codes coming up with the bridging method?

Sorry Bumstein - its in the too hard basket

[bumstein]

Ah that’s ok!!! Better to get help than pull all your hair out

Always worth a try though!! The more you play the more you learn

[MrRocky]

Take some pics of the fuel pump setup.
Its pretty easy to get the pump setup wrong with carb to efi conversions. The pump i reccomended has been proven to work and be very reliable.
If you are prepared to do some work then we can walk you through steps to diagnose and fix, these motors are very simple.
As soon as the car goes to a workshop to diagnose an unsuccessful conversion done by someone else im gunna say costs will be $1000+