Fuel pump failure is something that I’ve NEVER experienced, all through my motoring years. This may appear like the ramblings of a crazy folk who also doubles as sardonic, but it’s not…it’s the truth.
Now, great chances are that you may think luck has a lot to do with it. No, instead, it’s the result of an intentional, deliberate act on my part, one that has absolutely nothing to do with luck.
So, what’s the secret of avoiding fuel pump damage and keeping a fuel pump as long as possible on a vehicle without needing to change it?
It turns out, it’s an open secret; a secret I’m going to share with you today in as few words as possible.
Ready for the big reveal?
Article Outline
How to Avoid Fuel Pump Failure: Make Friends with the Gas Pump!
When it comes to the business refueling a vehicle, there are two types of drivers/vehicle owners: those who immediately feel the need to refuel once their vehicles hit half tank and those who, despite the reserve orange light powering on steady, are not bothered and instead, say such things as, ‘I know my car!’
If you’re of the first school of thought, great; you don’t need to do anything special to avoid fuel pump failures – you’re already on the right track.
However, if you believe that refueling a vehicle when the tank isn’t empty amounts to wasting time and/or money, then you’re in for a rude shock.
How exactly does this work? What’s the logic behind it? Follow me down the page as I explain in detail.
The Idea of Cooling the Electric Fuel Pump…
The modern fuel pump is a marvel of engineering: from the initial higher-pitched hum it cycles when first called upon, to the low hum it exhibits when running, to the principle of ‘return line’, and importantly, its constant operation (as long as the vehicle is in operation), everything about it is awe-inspiring and precise.
All that action and precision imply that the fuel pump gets hot after some time in use. This doesn’t automatically translate to fuel pump failure, especially if it only happens once in a while or if it happens only for brief periods.
For the fuel pump to keep working without issues, it needs to cool down. The ‘coolant‘ that makes this happen is the gasoline in the tank. Completely immersed in the fuel, the fuel pump remains cool and works for several hundred thousand miles before finally needing a change. In most cases, such a fuel pump easily outlives the vehicle itself.
This has been the experience I’ve had with most of my vehicles, generally, as relates to fuel pump failure.
Conversely, fuel pump damage happens when the fuel pump gets hot and isn’t covered with cool fluid (read: fuel) to douse it down. With a fuel pump, the gasoline is the coolant, and that is all the more reason why most manufacturers recommend that you never let gasoline get less than 1/4th of the gas tank, no matter what.
So, as you can see, my secret to keeping the fuel pumps up and running (and never having a fuel pump failure) isn’t a secret after all: it’s simply keeping my gas tank filled up all the time and this is an open secret; it’s clearly spelt out in most owner’s (and repair) manuals.
Be Careful of the Gas You Throw In
If you’re privy to take a look at the content of the gas tanks of some drivers, you’ll be shocked at what you’ll find there: sand, organic debris, and even sticks!
Just how these things got there is what you’ll never know!
Unfortunately, this is one of the ways of putting extra strain on the fuel filter and eventually, the pump itself.
Common sense demands that you buy your gasoline from gas stations after they’ve got their supply for at least an hour (and while observing this, ensure that if you must fuel your vehicle from kegs/jerrycans, make sure that only the cleanest options are used) to avoid introducing dirt to the gas tank.
The hour rule (when buying gas from the fueling stations) is important because any sediments that may have been disturbed are likely to settle at that point.
In addition to the above, if you must use a gallon or keg, make certain that it isn’t just as clean as can be but that the accompanying funnel (if used) remains neat and equally spotless.
That’s All!
So, this is all I do to keep my fuel pumps in optimal working condition, all year round, year after year:
- I rarely allow my gas to deplete to reserve levels (once or twice a year, it happens, though) and
- The gas that goes into my tank is clean and free from sediments , and this is true whether I’m putting it by a pump or via a gallon, keg, or funnel.
So, got inspired to save yourself from the challenge of failure (after failure) of the fuel pump?
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Throttle Lan
DIY Mechanic and Freelance Auto Writer