If your fuel pump isn't maintained, it can result in your car not running. It's as essential to your car as your starter, alternator, and battery. Without it, your vehicle won't be going anywhere.
It needs the lifeblood of fuel to circulate to the engine in order to start the combustion process. This pump works by delivering fuel from the tank to the carburetor in accordance to your motor's needs.
If you regularly drive your car, van, truck, or SUV until your engine has run out of gas, then the possibility that your vehicle will require a fuel pump replacement increases. This is because you shouldn't wait until your car is on empty or nearly empty to get gas. That's irresponsible.
Tips for Maintenance and Replacement
- Quarter of a Tank: Most motorists don't do this but ideally, in order to lengthen the lifespan of your fuel pump, you should keep a quarter of a tank of gas in your vehicle every time prior to getting a new load. That's the rule of thumb. You can occasionally let the fuel dip below this level, but if you do it always you're risking fuel pump failure because it's forced to work harder until it wears itself out.
- Checking If the Fuel Pump Is Working: If you want to replace the fuel pump on your own without having to pay a mechanic for it, here's what you need to do. Park your vehicle on a flat parking space. On most automobiles, the fuel tank contains the electric fuel pump. Thusly, open the fuel cap and have a helper turn the key on the ON position while you listen at the opening. The pump should hum for 2-3 seconds if it's working.
- No Sound Means a Non-Functioning Pump: If the pump isn't making a sound, you may need to replace it or at least fix it. Double-check with your mechanic to make sure this is the case. When fixing a pump, you should search and test out the fuel pump fuse and relay. If you've only blown a fuse, there's no need to replace the whole pump. Instead, just find a fuse with the same amperage and use that to replace the blown fuse.
- If It's Not the Fuse, Then It Might Be the Pump: Remove the fuel tank or the back seat as needed. If there's power and ground at the pump, then the pump's defective. Relieve the fuels system pressure, disconnect the battery cable, drain the fuel, disconnect the tube hose and the pump's electrical connection, support the tank with a wooden block or jack, and remove the retaining straps or bolts. Disconnect the fuel lines, remove the pump, replace it with a new pump, and go in reverse when it comes to assembling every back again.