Normally when you pump the fuel with the primer pump. . This resistance stiffens more as you pump until you hear the release valve opening. Then if you keep pumping the resistance remains fairly heavy and constant. There have been different descriptions of the squeal but you know when you have it.

The squeeling is usually not that loud as say if a lady of the night was employed and you did not pay. Of course do not inform her of this until after you stop pumping..

The important thing remains if there is no increase in resistance and it pumps easily. You have a fault. It can be bad enough to disable a car or run anywhere up to apparent normal. If the force needed did not increase.

What is different in your situation is you may have a full fuel system. On a good tight system you would get almost immediate back pressure from the primer pump. The presence of air to compress in the system is what makes it easy to start pumping with normally. That was why I suggested observation of fuel flow out the relief valve when pumping if you are unsure.

The increase in pumping force needed is really noticeable. More so than just subjective at least. The amount of pumping strokes to be expected really cannot be estimated. If it is needed in a car that has run out of fuel will be more than one with fuel in the system.

Personally I would go for this area first as it is so obvious. Expecting it to fix the issue is not certain. Or it may be the issue. I still think you have a very weak fuel supply system if your description is accurate.

Pumping test is with the car off.

Pumping before starting and continuing when the car is running is a test to determine if your lift pump is bad. That is someone to continuously keep pumping the primer pump. Although if no resitance to pumping is there. You have no fuel pressure.

If you pump say thirty times and see fuel moving in the pre filter. The primer pump itself is probably fine. If the fuel seems to be surging back and forth the valves in the lift pump are suspect. If no back and forth noticed the relief valve is probably open.

The last possibility is a blockage of the fuel supply. The lift pump cannot draw fuel. That is why I suggested a comparison with either the normal supply line or the return line as the fuel supply tested with the lift pump. siting a year a rust hole may have occurred in your fuel line. I doubt this though in your climate.


What is pretty certain. It does not matter what fuel is in the tank if you cannot get some of it under constant pressure into the base of the injection pump. This should be addressed. I also assume you have been running straight diesel fuel and not biodiesel.