Peugeot Partner 1.4 running badly. Advice needed!

[Tim M]

I’ve got a Peugeot Partner 1.4 petrol van (same as a Berlingo) which is curently suffering with the following problem. Whilst driving along, all of a sudden it will stutter, then usually die on me. It sounds like some sort of fuel starvation problem; if I take it out of gear then pump the throttle some times it seems to clear it and will carry on running, other times it will just die. When it dies I have to turn the engine over for 10 seconds or so along with some revs to get it going. As you can imagine it’s less than ideal, especially when you’re driving along the M27 where the roadworks are and there’s no hard shoulder! So far I’ve changed the plugs, fiddled with various bits under the bonnet (as per Haynes manual) and removed the fuel pump. I was hoping to find some sort of blockage/broken something on the fuel pump, but it all looks fine. Whether or not it’s working properly is another matter.

So, I’m after some advice. Is it likely to be the fuel pump? Does this fuel pump look healthy? How do I test it (something about hooking a fuel pump up directly to a car battery worries me slightly!).

Any advice much appreciated!

[codprawn]

Have you checked the tank breathers and fuel filters?

[Tim M]

Yes - replaced the filter. I assume the breather will be on top of the tank somewhere?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Tim M

Yes - replaced the filter. I assume the breather will be on top of the tank somewhere?

The hose outlet for it will be. The other end may be near the filler cap.

[Tim M]

I ended up taking the pump apart, cleaned all the bits and blew air through all the fuel pipes/breather pipe. Put everything back together, and now it runs fine! Many thanks for the advice.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Tim M

I ended up taking the pump apart, cleaned all the bits and blew air through all the fuel pipes/breather pipe. Put everything back together, and now it runs fine! Many thanks for the advice.

You mean you're not camping on the hard shoulder anymore?

[Tim M]

Not for a week or so, but then it broke again. Same problem has returned. Had to get a friend to come and tow me off the hard shoulder. Someone I know reckons it might be the clutch? If it was realllyyy worn could that cause it to stall somehow? I know the clutch is knackered but had a feeling this was unrelated.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Tim M

Not for a week or so, but then it broke again. Same problem has returned. Had to get a friend to come and tow me off the hard shoulder. Someone I know reckons it might be the clutch? If it was realllyyy worn could that cause it to stall somehow? I know the clutch is knackered but had a feeling this was unrelated.

Try blowing the breather through again.

It's not the clutch.

[Chris]

Maybe some water in the tank that is getting dragged through occasionaly.

I had a golf once that had a hole in the fuel filler pipe that let water in when I drove it in the wet.. Took me ages to figure that one out.