WAA181can anyone give an idea way my TD5 fuel gauge shows quarter tank but will not start. Added fuel and it runs with no problems thanks

Can anyone help with the problem. My TD5 shows quarter of a tank of fuel but symptom feels like I've run out of fuel, added fuel, guage show's over half tank now and started after fuel purging

Lift pump is knackered?

sender or bad earth somewhere

In tank pump filter meshs blocked

I'd keep adding fuel I'm that case!!

Have you ever replaced the in tank fuel pump? A mate did one in his 110 and I think set the level bowl thing up wrong so it showed a 1/4 full when infact it was empty. He hasn't bothered changing it (I would it would drive me mad) but keeps a 5 litre can with him just incase! He monitors his miles carefully per tank I think!

Chalky. said:

I'd keep adding fuel I'm that case!!

Have you ever replaced the in tank fuel pump? A mate did one in his 110 and I think set the level bowl thing up wrong so I showed a 1/4 full when intact that was empty. I hasn't bothered changing it (I would it would drive me mad) but keeps a 5 litre can with him just incase! He monitors his miles carefully per tank I think!

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I've only replaced it on a discovery not a defender, Discovery is easy as you can get to it under the boot floor I do not know about the defender.
But I had exactly the same symptoms as you

lynall said:

I've only replaced it on a discovery not a defender, Discovery is easy as you can get to it under the boot floor I do not know about the defender.
But I had exactly the same symptoms as you

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I think to do it by the book you have to drop the tank down, but it's such a pain with the towbar brackets etc in the way, and getting your hand up and over the top of the tank to disconnect pipes, most just cut a panel between the rear tub support ribs and go in from the top, I think then rivet and silicone a piece of ally over the top, it can be done quite neatly and saves some faff!

My TD5 fuel gauge reads whatever it wants to, sometimes it gets fuller as the journey goes by. I can fill it up and it will show full but then almost empty itself and low warning light will come within 100 miles, it will then start to refill itself.
I think it might be an earth problem as the previous owner had a new pump fitted, didn't solve the problem.

Waa181 said:

Can anyone help with the problem. My TD5 shows quarter of a tank of fuel but symptom feels like I've run out of fuel, added fuel, guage show's over half tank now and started after fuel purging

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Waa181 thank you all for your help with this annoying problem. After following most of the advice I removed the pump, all the pick up filters were blocked. Dismantled the pump, cleaned filters and tank bottom with thinners. Ran the old lady down to the red for the first time in months, refueled her, all's good thanks again

Waa181 said:

Waa181 thank you all for your help with this annoying problem. After following most of the advice I removed the pump, all the pick up filters were blocked. Dismantled the pump, cleaned filters and tank bottom with thinners. Ran the old lady down to the red for the first time in months, refueled her, all's good thanks again

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Great result, well done!

I'm not quite sure how all the dirt gets in there. A couple of months after buying mine I decided to tackle the persistent leak from around the pump when the tank was full. It turned out that the retaining ring had been cross threaded so was on at a funny angle and was not pressing the seal down evenly all the way round. What was interesting though was the material stuck to the grille on the bottom of the pump. It appeared to be grass clippings. I wonder what they were doing in the fuel tank?