[dizzidip]

Hey everyone,need lots of advice and in as simplified terms as possible as am not in any way experienced at fixing my own car.
I own a 52 plate Corsa 1.7 tdi sxi, it`s done 60k and I`ve owned it for 11 months
On Monday, whilst doing speed on a main A road, it juddered and then it slowed until it cut out. I basically had to ditch it as nowhere near a layby and ring the police/AA. Everything following this is a haze of getting rained on,partial lane closure and being towed to a garage...until yesterday when the mechanic rang me to break the bad news.
Please excuse me if this doesnt sound right to you but this is the way I interpreted it- he basically said laptop saying "fuel pump". He explained that if he replaces the fuel pump this will be £1500 parts and labour (genuine parts) and a tiny bit less for non genuine parts. He then said that in alot of cases he then has to replace the fuel pump ecu (??),again he said this is ££££. The total (before I switched off/collapsed) was around £2500, essentially if this is the case the car is a write off.
Knowing nothing,(but knowing someone who in a previous career was a diesel fitter),I did some dotdom research and have read that this is a common non-running fault with Vauxhall 1.7 tdi`s, it advises to change fuel pump ecu. I know I can pick these up for less than a couple of hundred. However, if it is the fuel pump,fitting this looks complicated.
Basically, I`m asking what do I do? Do I get him to look at the fuel pump ecu and hope it`s just that. Is it likely to be just that or does it sound like a fuel pump problem? Is it worth doing any of it? The car is worth little more than the garage are quoting for the repairs, so I dont have alot to loose. The sad thing is though, before this it was great! Just wondering what everyone`s experience is with this.
Cheers in advance, any help/advice much appreciated.

 

[les mason]

1700 diesel

i may not have the right answer to the problem, but the pump ecu is a common fault. it is bolted on the back of the engine block drivers side by 4 10mm bolts. it is easy to get from underneath.
the common problem is poor solder joints caused with the heat from the engine.
worth taking off ans sending to ecu testing .com should cost approx £120. ish.
if i was a betting man i would say this is the cause.
i took mine to bits and soldered it up myself, but would recommend anyone doing this to use silver solder. i used a cheapy and had to do it twice.
if ecu testing .com find out its not your ecu, they will only charge a fraction of the cost and send it back to you.
if you are not good at soldering then your best bet is to send it to them in case you burn the board out.
good luck and post back your findings.
meanwhile ive got my problems trying to locate th dreaded crankshaft sensor as ive got probs too.!

 

[Delbert]

Recall reading something in the newspapers the other day about certain Vx cars suffering sudden fuel pump problems. Think it also said that there's to be a BBC dogwatch program featuring the problem.

And as les mason says that if it's simply a dry soldered joint or two, then it's a simple DIY job I'd say and not £1,500!

 

[greasemonkey]

In addition a recon pump from diesel bob or other vendor will not be that price and along with fitting by a good independant you are not looking at much over £750 at the most -
regards
Steve

 

[Delbert]

...you are not looking at much over £750 at the most -

And if the problem is in fact a dry soldered joint, even £750 seems a tad expensive for what is possibly a relatively simple DIY re-soldering job!

 

[dizzidip]

Thank you all, much appreciated x
After reading all your advice and taking into consideration what we read last night,this morning my partner took the fuel pump ecu off and soldered it (used silver solder), it took him about an hour and thirty and he said that he could see several areas that needed soldering. The good news is it now starts!
More questions though- would you advise me to get another ecu as it was a crude job really just to diagnose the problem and do you think that we`ve got the cause, its not likely to be both fuel pump and fp ecu?
To be honest, at the minute because of what happened to me,now its a runner I`m thinking of getting rid, dont know if I`ll have confidence to drive it. What would you recommend?
P.S Delbert, I read that too & ironically there was a dogwatch programme on Vx fuel pumps on Monday night as I was sat warming up and drying off, it was about the 2.2l ?Vectras? The symptoms of the problem were similar to mine and the prices for repair £££££
Big thankyou`s again people, wouldn`t have a runner now if wasn`t for advice x

 

[RobsVaux]

There is a known issue with fuel pumps fitted on a select number of Vx's but you've sussed yours for the cost of a bit of solder and time, (well done) then hang on to it. Maybe worth stocking up on some bits, but isn't that just tempting fate???