Electric fuel pumps are usually inside the tank. When you start the engine, the ECM tells the fuel pump circuit to turn on the electric fuel pump. You might be able to tell by the sound of it whirring. The fuel is pushed through the pipes by the pump, which puts pressure on it. Many cars use a second electric or engine-driven mechanical pump under the hood to increase the pressure of the fuel. The fuel will be sprayed into the engine at high pressure through fuel ports called fuel injectors that open and close at just the right time.
Since the fuel pump is responsible for getting fuel to the engine, problems with it can cause the car to run poorly and cost a lot to fix. To avoid the complete replacement of the fuel pump, which is quite costly, you need to pay closer attention to any of the following symptoms mentioned below.
Struggle Starting
There are many things that could make a car not start, but the first thing to inspect is whether or not it has gas. If the fuel pump in your car can’t move gas from the tank to the engine, it will be hard to start your car. Because the pump can’t push enough gas through, the car will be hard to start and run. When a pump gets old, the pressure goes down, and the engine doesn’t get enough gas.
It is possible that the failure to start your engine was caused by something other than a faulty fuel pump. There are several possible causes. Using a gasoline pressure gauge, you may determine if your pump has failed or not; if the gauge shows no pressure, the pump is most likely not working. You can also check the fuse box in your car. A blown fuel pump fuse is another sure sign that the pump is broken.
Whining Noise
A loud whining noise could be a warning that something is wrong with the fuel pump. In a modern car with fuel injection, the fuel pump shouldn’t make any noise at all. Most fuel pumps, on the other hand, make a quiet hum when they work. The sound of the engine, the exhaust, and the road all help to hide the sound of the fuel pump. Still, when a fuel pump starts to fail, it gets louder because the electric motor present in the pump heats up and stops working as well.
A fuel pump that’s about to break won’t sound too bad, so think of it as a gentle reminder while you still have time to fix it. If your fuel pump is broken, you might hear a loud whine coming from your gas tank. This noise could also come from the pump if you’re running low on gas or if the gas in your tank is contaminated.
Increased Fuel Consumption
It feels good to get more miles per gallon by easing up on the gas pedal or making sure your tires are fully pumped. But if you notice that your car needs more gas refills than usual, it could be a problem with the fuel pump. The sudden increase in fuel consumption could be because the fuel pump is broken and sending the wrong amount of fuel.
If your fuel pump puts too much fuel into the engine, you’ll use more gas than usual. It’s possible that a valve in the fuel pump isn’t opening, which lets more fuel into the engine than is needed. The engine doesn’t store or use any extra fuel. You’ll have to go to the gas station more often. If you keep track of how far you drive between fill-ups and see a drop, it could be your pump.
Sudden Halting
Your engine will stop working for no apparent reason. Most of the time. This can be annoying if your car is just sitting in your driveway, or it can be very dangerous if it happens on the road. There are many problems that can cause a car to stall, but pay attention if it often happens when the thermometer shows that the car is hot. When the temperature goes up, and the car stops running, it’s often a sign that the fuel pump motor is broken. If the car keeps stalling and the temperature gauge keeps going up, it could mean that the fuel pump is getting old and needs to be replaced.
Stuttering And Stumbling
A sputtering engine, especially at high speeds, is a sure sign of a broken fuel pump. If you’re driving at high speed and the engine sputters for a moment before going back to normal, Is your car trying to tell you something? At this point, it could be anything from a fouled spark plug to a load of bad gas. When strange problems like this happen, there are only three possible causes: not enough fuel, not enough air, or not enough spark.
Every good mechanic knows this, and you can, too, if you start by looking for easy fixes. Are all your spark plugs and wires good? Do you have gas in the tank? Is there something in the way of the air going into the engine? When nothing else seems to be wrong, the fuel system is often to blame. It could mean that there are problems with the fuel pump. In this case, the fuel pump can’t keep giving the engine the right amount of fuel at the right pressure.
Stops On Hills
The world we live in is not flat. Going up a hill or pulling a load puts more stress on your engine and requires more fuel to get the same results. If you push your car to its limits by driving fast or hauling a lot of weight and the power goes out, it could be because the fuel pump can’t keep up with the driver’s needs. Hills are everywhere, and if your car can’t get up a hill or other slope, it’s another sign that the fuel system is giving up.
In these situations, the engine shuts off because parts of the fuel pump that are getting worn out can’t keep up with the car’s higher fuel needs. In these situations, the car will feel like it can’t go or keep up the power it should have. If the fuel pump is to blame, that means it can’t control the pressure of the fuel and give the engine the right amount of fuel.
Poor Acceleration
Typically, your car will accelerate swiftly from a complete stop. When turning onto a busy street or merging into traffic on the highway from an onramp, this rapid response is critical. If your automobile frequently lacks power when you try to accelerate from a standstill, your fuel pump may be faulty. Acceleration necessitates more fuel, putting more strain on your fuel pump. If your pump fails, it may be unable to meet the additional demand, depriving your engine of fuel as it attempts to accelerate.
If your automobile appears to be going to a halt when you try to accelerate from a stop, your pump may need to be inspected. Failure to accelerate is a good sign that indicates that your vehicle’s fuel pump requires inspection. Due to a fuel overage, an automobile may accelerate without input if the amount of fuel is not correctly managed by the fuel pump.
Replacement Cost Of Fuel Pump
Costs for fuel pumps range from $50 to several hundred dollars, depending on the car model and how old it is. However, plan on spending about $1,000 to get a good mechanic or dealership to do it. The funny thing about replacing a broken fuel pump is that the pump itself is often the part that costs the least. The bill goes up because getting to the fuel pump is hard work.
To change an EFI pump, you either have to take out the car’s interior to get to an access plate over the fuel tank or take the tank itself out of the bottom of the car. It is even harder if you have a GM F-body from the third generation because you also have to take out the back suspension. Some cars, like the Chrysler LX platform, have two saddle tanks and a transfer pump in the middle, which is a different problem.
Cars with a return-less fuel system cost more because the fuel pump assemblies are more expensive. The pain in your wallet might even make you think twice the next time you run your gas tank all the way down to “E.” You can also watch this YouTube video to get a further idea about the diagnosis and replacement of the fuel pump.
Summing Up
As the fuel pump is what gives the engine the fuel it needs to run, any problems with it can cause major problems with how the car drives and how well it works. If your car has any of the above problems or you think the fuel pump might be broken, a professional should check it to see if the pump needs to be replaced. And to avoid any of this, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for when to change the fuel filter. The fuel system could get too much pressure if the filter is clogged. If a tank is always low, you are letting your pump take on more heat without meaning to. Always fill your tank all the way up every time.
