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General Information => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Patrick on April 07, 2011, 03:26:02 am

Title: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 07, 2011, 03:26:02 am
Just put it on the road last friday. Thought I had fuel in it when I picked it up for a safety, had to dump a 5 gallon can in to go home. Had been sucking air and quit, so it had a fresh fuel filter. Filled it up. Last night it acted like it was running out, could see it was sucking air again. Had only gone 620 kms. Filled the tank (only took 33 litres) and no more problem.

What's in the tank in a digifant 2 car? I'm thinking I need to pull the guage/pickup out of the tank and look for a leak....  might wind up swapping tanks to get the big fill neck too.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Quantum TD on April 07, 2011, 10:17:11 am
The digifant will have an in-tank pump. The diesel should just have a pickup that pulls from the bottom of the tank. So, you may need to leave the fuel pump relay in and working for the time being.

Get yourself a correct tank (should be easy enough in Canadia), with the sending unit and hoses.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 07, 2011, 03:32:29 pm
I've got all the right parts... Don't feel like pulling the tank unless I really have to. Car already ran more than 600kms (almost 400 miles) before the problem presented itself. Runs fine again full of fuel....
Removed one pump outside the tank. Is there another one IN the tank?
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on April 07, 2011, 04:46:24 pm
I've got all the right parts... Don't feel like pulling the tank unless I really have to. Car already ran more than 600kms (almost 400 miles) before the problem presented itself. Runs fine again full of fuel....
Removed one pump outside the tank. Is there another one IN the tank?

absolutely, a lift pump inside the tank on the sending unit.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 07, 2011, 05:25:52 pm
Thanks, I'll have a look at that this weekend.   

 I'm assuming it needs signal from the computer to run the way it's supposed to. Maybe I should just leave it....How much pressure will it put up if I hook it up so it runs all the time??
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on April 07, 2011, 09:12:26 pm
Thanks, I'll have a look at that this weekend.   

 I'm assuming it needs signal from the computer to run the way it's supposed to. Maybe I should just leave it....How much pressure will it put up if I hook it up so it runs all the time??

5-7 psi, would make for a good lift pump.

gets its signal from the fuel pump relay. dunno where the relay gets a signal from.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: fatmobile on April 07, 2011, 10:25:07 pm
 Supplying fuel from the supply line,..
or accidentally: from the return line.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 08, 2011, 03:02:39 am
Supplying fuel from the supply line,..
or accidentally: from the return line.

I thougth of that, didn't get the lines crossed though. I used an aftermarket electric pump hooked to the supply line to remove all the gas from thhtank, so I'm pretty sure I know which one is which.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 08, 2011, 03:06:15 am

5-7 psi, would make for a good lift pump.

gets its signal from the fuel pump relay. dunno where the relay gets a signal from.

Would the fuel pump relay be the one I pulled to plug in the glow plug relay?  I also unplugged one wire from teh back of the panel to plug in the glow plugs,  I think it's red/black.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on April 08, 2011, 08:07:09 am

5-7 psi, would make for a good lift pump.

gets its signal from the fuel pump relay. dunno where the relay gets a signal from.

Would the fuel pump relay be the one I pulled to plug in the glow plug relay?  I also unplugged one wire from teh back of the panel to plug in the glow plugs,  I think it's red/black.

i got no idea what relay goes where.. is your car an early mk2 or late mk2? cause im more familiar with the CIS/CE1 cars. if it had/has digi in it, i usually wont touch it with a 10 foot stick..
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 08, 2011, 12:56:52 pm
It's a '92, last year they sold mk2 cars here. Digifant 2....
Just pulled the cover in the trunk, four wires going to the top of the tank, so I'm pretty sure there's a pump in there. I know there's a plug ahead of the tank that had another pump....

Guess I need a wiring diagram to see how to make that pump run all the time. Or pull the sending unit out of the tank.
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on April 08, 2011, 06:36:55 pm
It's a '92, last year they sold mk2 cars here. Digifant 2....
Just pulled the cover in the trunk, four wires going to the top of the tank, so I'm pretty sure there's a pump in there. I know there's a plug ahead of the tank that had another pump....

Guess I need a wiring diagram to see how to make that pump run all the time. Or pull the sending unit out of the tank.

if you can make the original relay trigger from the key being turned on, that would be ideal. because right now, its triggered by an RPM signal, that is not there obviously ;)
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 09, 2011, 04:29:16 am
FOund the wire under the dash. Pretty sure the relay was plugged in where the glow plug one is now. Going to try powering the wire somewhere that goes hot with the key on.... Too busy working on next winter's wood supply, working on the car in between. Just started cutting last weekend, too much snow this winter!  
Title: Re: Running out of fuel? mk2 gas/diesel conversion.
Post by: Patrick on April 09, 2011, 07:40:59 am
Wire is live with the key, pushes fuel to the fuel filter. Guess I'll try it and see what happens. If it works I'll leave it alone. I did pullt eh sending unit from my diesel tank, not that big a deal to do if this doesn't work.