Hi folks,

Just a beauty Saturday here puttering on my 5T, other than I cant get her to bark. I changed the fuel filters the other day and today I tried to fire up the old girl but it would only run until what was in the pump and lines was gone. I flushed out the fuel tower, new gaskets, filled the tower to the lower bleed hole then the upper but it wont climb enough to run. It is leaking externally a small amount. There are some bubbles coming out by where the filter plate is sandwiched between the tower and cover. When I inspected it, all surfaces look perfect and it is not obvious why it is leaking there. Am I missing something obvious? Lots of fuel from the tank but no pressure within the pump and no fuel to the injectors. Thinking to maybe pull the gear pump and check the relief. The pic is while cranking on the pony just to show where the needle gets to. Also note the bubbles from the leak area.

My 8t grader never gets anything showing on the gauge. Everything new specs on the transfer pump. Some how I get air in the injection system when it sits for a month. While spinning on the pony, I crack each injector line on the pump till it squirts. Try cracking your lines, first at pump then at injectors.

It is easy to get those tower gaskets fitted the wrong way round, you being a proper Mechanic wouldn't have that issue, but others have.

Try some Aviation Gasket Sealer on that gasket.

You should should have a good stream of fuel flowing out the bleeders while the pilot motor is cranking the main, the one way valve down in the transfer pump is the usual culprit if your pressure is poor..
good luck
Mike

I think I've tried those tricks. I cracked lines at the pump and injectors, full fuel position and I'm getting nothing. I did use a skim of aviation glue on the gaskets, still leaks. I pulled the filter assemble again and I dont see the issue. Before when I cranked it on the pony, the needle would come into the green range fairly quickly and now it wont for the life of me. All I did was change the filters, gaskets and flush out the tower. I keep getting a feeling I've glitched and done something silly. I can deal with that 😁. Even if I make a living on wrenches, it's not like I've never put a seal in before a wheel bearing or other more beginner mistakes 😬😂 Have a look at the gaskets and plate and tell me "there's your problem" I would just be happy to get the show in the road.

Probably find your new filters are from the land of near enough, and wound that tight that no fuel can pass through them at the 15 PSI your transfer pump develops if it is working at new spec., which it probably isn't, but if you glued those nice Cat gaskets into the tower, and you are still getting bubbles leaking out, something is not sitting right.

Stoopid thought, but after following Neil's sensible suggestion, if that didn't work, I'd refit the old sock filters if you still have them and test the flow, just to remove that possible scenario.

I just laid a nice new cork floor, the cork tiles came from our local major hardware store, tiles made in China, half way through laying them we discovered the tiles are different sizes, and not to the spec on the label, instead of 305mm X 305mm, 14 of the 18 packs we bought were actually 306mm X 306mm, and the thickness on several was way off.

A mm might not sound like much, but when you are trying for a neat fit and no gaps, that mm, or 1/25", is as big as a mile!

I just checked the 5T parts number book and see those 2 tower cap gaskets are the same, so there is no way to screw it up!

i too like to bleed air/fuel and bubbles at the injector....air must be entering system somewhere before...and as soon as you remove it, all cylinders start to fire..

I tend to have a bad habit of not leaving well enough alone. I wanted to see what was up with the transfer pump and relief. Rather than put the old woven elements back in I opened up Pandora's box and pulled the pump. I recalled after it was in my hand, that the gasket between the pump and the bottom of the fuel tower housing is captured behind the drive gear. So now I've properly buggered the gasket and therefore need to remove the drive gear and all that rigamaro. I removed to cover plate on he pump and it really does not look bad. Minor witness marks but certainly nothing to catch a fingernail on. Gears look fine although the idler moves several thou on the stub. Nothing dramatic with the relief either. I wonder if some shmegma could have become lodged in the relief? Or is there such a difference between the new elements vs the old woven socks? Hoping to pull the drive gear and make a new gasket, clean, put back together and see if she will make smoke.

Get a straight edge across those flanges and check for day light!!!!!