CSR: Fuel Pump keeps blowing fuse.

[pethier]

I have a CSR 260.   I could not get it to keep running at start-up.  Discovered the fuel-pump fuse (Fuse M, 15-amp) was blown.  Replaced fuse.  Car started and kept running. 

 

Trailered to an Evolution school.  While an instructor was driving the car, it quit on-course.  We pushed it over to my rig.  I changed the fuse and the new one blew.

 

 

I suspect that there may be a transient that is blowing the fuses.  These are the blade-type fuses in the color-coded plastic housings.  Does anyone make slow-blow fuses in this format?

Edited June 28 by pethier

[7Westfield]

Can you find a schematic for the car?   Verify that 15 is the correct amperage

Maybe it just needs a 20

 

you can also buy auto reset breakers that plug in

[demoray]

I checked mine, and it matches the owner's manual I have, which says a 15amp fuse for the fuel pump.  I've had to replace other fuses, of which I now keep a suite of spares my traveling toolkit, it's been for shorts that I've found addressed.  None for the fuel pump as of yet.

 

I don't think I'd use an auto-reset on the fuel pump, but while you're tracking it down perhaps a Manual Reset fuse would save some frustration.  I know my fuse block is rather annoying to interact with, given its position underneath the scuttle.

[Scott_]

To test if  the fuel pump power wire chaffed to ground unplug at the pump and see if a fuse still blows (or check continuity).  

Absent a wire grounding out you might have a failing or clogging pump that is drawing more amps as it is used.   If the fuse is blowing after the pump is in use for a while you might try to use a clamp meter to track the current draw or just proceed to replace the pump.

 

Scott

[pethier]

I have not yet been able to locate the fuel pump. 

 

Is it in the tank?  If so, where does the power wire enter the tank?

 

If I must remove the trunk floor, there is a fire-suppression system mounted on the center of the trunk floor.  I don't know anything about these systems.

[7Westfield]

Pump in tank pretty common    Westfield uses a Ford unit I think

pump and gauge in common unit with some sort of twist ring retainer

probably 3 wires in a pigtail        pump,gauge,ground

 

What kind of fire system    pics?

the ones we use on FF are pretty simple

[pethier]

20 minutes ago, 7Westfield said:

 

 

What kind of fire system    pics?

 

 

[Croc]

It’s an in tank pump. Some rover unit from recollection - I have posted its part number on here at some point - a search could find it.   You can buy them (without the float mechanism - reuse old one) from Rimmer Bros in the UK.  It drops in the top of the tank, driver side.  You will need to remove the shroud around filler pipe, boot carpet, and boot floor to reveal.  

[Croc]

16 hours ago, 7Westfield said:

Can you find a schematic for the car?   Verify that 15 is the correct amperage

Maybe it just needs a 20

 

you can also buy auto reset breakers that plug in

CSR schematic is in Library - I put it there.  

[7Westfield]

I've not dealt with that brand of fire system, but it looks pretty generic

Appears to be liquid agent, that small cylinder looks like nitrogen or CO2 to push the fluid out

 

FIRST   on the pull handle, there should be some way of making it "safe" probably a hole crossways to put a pin thru

you don't want an accidental discharge--

 

 

After it's safe take off the 2 discharge lines, then the mounting straps, don't mess with the cable, just swing it all out of the way as a unit

consider replacing that line with the 180 bend, it looks pretty close to being kinked shut

[pethier]

1 hour ago, 7Westfield said:

 

consider replacing that line with the 180 bend, it looks pretty close to being kinked shut

I didn't want to be the first to mention that.

[7Westfield]

just for grins, see if that company is still supporting that unit

lots of those aqueous units are no longer serviced

you might end up just removing it all

without a gauge on it, how do you know?

Edited June 29 by 7Westfield

[7Westfield]

the sticker is WAY past it's certification date

it would be bad to show up at an autocross and be denied

wouldn't matter if it was in working order, without a current sticker it don't fly

[pethier]

5 hours ago, 7Westfield said:

the sticker is WAY past it's certification date

it would be bad to show up at an autocross and be denied

wouldn't matter if it was in working order, without a current sticker it don't fly

At an autocross?  Not likely. They don't check dates on seat belts, either. 
 

However, It is a good excuse to take it out and get use of the storage space again. I have never been to any kind of event that required a fire system.  I didn't count it as value added. 

Edited June 30 by pethier
The usual reason: Typos.

[pethier]

5 hours ago, 7Westfield said:

just for grins, see if that company is still supporting that unit

lots of those aqueous units are no longer serviced

you might end up just removing it all

without a gauge on it, how do you know?

I certainly noticed that it had no gauge, which really surprised me, but I suppose if it uses a one-shot cartridge, it mightnot  piece the cover on the cartridge until activated, so there would be nothing to measure until you pulled the cable.

[Croc]

Found the fuel pump wiring diagram

 

 

 

 

[Croc]

 

And part numbers plus cross match to original vehicles.  You can buy it cheaper knowing this.  

 

 

Look what 5 minutes of using the search function on this site can surface.  

 

 

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Meanwhile, back at the original concern

 

"I suspect that there may be a transient that is blowing the fuses.  These are the blade-type fuses in the color-coded plastic housings.  Does anyone make slow-blow fuses in this format?"

 

I doubt that this is a transient and somewhat cynically think that moving to larger and slow-blow fuses is a risky substitute for correcting the problem. The 15 amp fuse successfully supplies the pump in thousands of cars every day. It could be intermittent as in a bare wire touching the frame and hard to replicate, but tracing the hot wire looking for burnt insulation would let you find that problem. An ohm meter across the fuel pump could also detect the problem without your first disassembling everything. I guess my central recommendation is that you find the problem and correct it as a minimum standard for the repair. Best of luck chasing it down.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Here's the link to your fire suppression system.

 

http://www.essfire.com/2_3_liter.php

[pethier]

4 hours ago, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

Here's the link to your fire suppression system.

 

http://www.essfire.com/2_3_liter.php

Thanks!   I'm reading the "recharge instructions" to confirm my disarming protocol.