The fuel tank is an important part of the fuel system because it stores the fuel until the fuel is used for the vehicle’s operation. When you drop by at a gas station and have your vehicle filled up with gas, it actually travels down a filler tube and into the fuel tank. But you might wonder how this fuel is pumped from the fuel tank to the engine for combustion and delivered under high pressure to the fuel injection system or under low pressure to the carburetor? The answer to this is simple, and that is through another important part of the fuel system which is the fuel pump.
The fuel pump can be a mechanical pump or electric pump. In earlier cars, the mechanical pump was used. This was driven by a lobe on the engine’s camshaft and was therefore attached to the engine or on the frame rail between the tank and the engine. But nowadays, most vehicles include the electric fuel pump which is located inside the fuel tank and is run by the car’s battery. The main function of this is to push the gasoline to the engine by creating positive pressure in the fuel lines. Generally, the fuel pump is on whenever the vehicle’s ignition switch is on. However, this does not mean that the ignition switch is the one that carries power to the fuel pump. Instead, it only activates a relay which will handle the higher current load that the pump needs in order to function.
But just like the other fuel system parts, the fuel pump can also fail after some time. It can experience wear in the brushes, armature bushings, and commutator as well as the rollers or gears and pump vanes due to gradual loss of pressure and flow. When the fuel pump suddenly stops working, the first thing that should be checked is the pump’s electrical connections. This can be caused by a loose wire, blown fuse, or an open relay. The voltage supply should be checked as well because low battery voltage can reduce the ability of the fuel pump to generate pressure.
If the fuel pump is beyond repair, a replacement fuel pump can be purchased. Here at Parts Train, there is a wide variety of fuel pump for different car makes and models. By simply browsing through the online car parts catalog, you can choose from the extensive list of auto parts available. Parts Train is very convenient because of its 24 hour-access and easy online ordering system.
