How to prevent your car fuel pump from failing
Currently, people frequently complain about broken fuel pumps on social media due to the surge in occurrences of gas stations adulterating fuel. In the most recent instance, Shell gas stations were identified as the players in the game of fuel adulteration. Kerosene is typically added by marketers in an effort to increase profits at the expense of drivers, who run the danger of having their engines damaged by the tainted fuel.
One of those car components that you typically don’t think about until it breaks down on you in the middle of nowhere is the fuel pump. Over the Easter holiday, I experienced this, and I can assure you that it wasn’t hilarious. It can be disastrous if the fuel pump fails to transfer fuel from the tank to the engine of a car. Nowadays, the gas tank houses an electronic fuel pump that is used by the majority of automobiles. The engine chambers are sprayed with a thin fuel mist by the electrical system, which is controlled by a computer.
The fuel pump serves two functions: it pushes fuel from the gas tank to the fuel injector and generates the necessary amount of pressure to guarantee that the engine receives the proper dosage of fuel regardless of the outside environment.
Make sure to routinely replace your fuel filter. The engine and fuel injectors are often shielded from harm by a fuel filter that can result from filthy fuel.
Fuel pumps must exert more effort to push fuel through a restricted filter when the fuel filter is blocked with debris present in unclean fuel. The dozens of tiny components inside the fuel pump are subjected to tension and rapid wear as a result, which finally results in fuel pump failure. By replacing the gasoline filter on occasion, you can extend the life of your fuel pump by reducing its wear and tear.
You avoid contaminated fuel, always be sure to buy high-quality fuel from reputed gas stations. However, given the allegations of fuel adulteration against even reputable companies like Shell, a buddy cautioned me to stay away from any gas station that stocks or sells kerosene.
When a tanker is filling the station’s tanks, avoid buying fuel. Debris in the tanks gets churned up as fuel is put into them, and if you fuel at that time, this debris will wind up in your fuel tank. This will cause the gasoline filter to clog up and, eventually, your fuel pump to fail.
Sometimes we simply forget to fill the tank, but other drivers are infamous for operating their vehicles with the gauge at E. Many people are unaware that by doing this, your fuel pump is progressively killed. The gasoline components and the fuel in your tank cool as the pump pumps the fuel to the engine while returning the extra fuel to the fuel tank. When there is not enough fuel in the tank, the fuel heats up much more quickly, overheating the tank. If this continues for a while, the pump will finally stop working.
Cleaning out any partials from the bottom of your gas tank is essential before repairing a gasoline pump to prevent dirt from getting inside the tank when you reinstall the fuel sending unit. Leaving dirt in the tank is useless because it could later cause another failure.
As you can see, replacing a failed fuel pump is easier than preventing one. This is due to the fact that replacing one typically entails additional costs, including as towing fees, hotel stays, cab fares, and, of course, mechanic fees. It sounds pricey, but as they say, prevention is preferable to cure. Trust me, I know.
