If you drive an automobile that has over 100,000 miles on it, it’s good to know the signs of a faulty fuel pump. Replacing the pump at the first indication of trouble spares you a dead engine later on. Trojan Auto Care can replace your fuel pump if it needs it. Here are signs that it does.
Engine Power Loss
The fuel pump is responsible for supplying the engine with fuel. If it is malfunctioning, it may be unable to send extra fuel into the engine when it needs it. The two times the engine needs extra fuel are when you are driving at high speeds and when the engine is under stress, i.e., you are towing a trailer or driving up a steep hill.
Strange Surging
The pump can also malfunction in the opposite way. It can send more fuel to the engine than it needs. When this happens, your engine will surge and pick up speed unexpectedly while you are driving the automobile. This is disconcerting, especially if the engine picks up excessive speed.
Poor Fuel Economy
Whether the engine is struggling to produce power or producing too much power, a dying fuel pump will cause your vehicle to lose gas mileage because of the engine performance problems. The engine will burn excess fuel if it is struggling to run and burn away the excess fuel, respectively.
Overheating Engine
One strange indication that the pump is going out is if your engine overheats all the time. The pump motor relies on the gasoline or diesel fuel pulled from the tank to keep it cool. If the fuel pump is not pulling enough gas out of the tank the cool the motor, it will overheat. This can also cause your engine to overheat.
Low Fuel Pressure
If you suspect that your fuel pump is dying, grabbed a fuel pressure gauge at the auto parts store and test your fuel pressure. If it is not within the recommended range specified in the owner’s manual, your pump is going bad.
Hard Starts/No Starts
Finally, as we mentioned above, there will come a time when it will be difficult to start your automobile or you may not be able to get it started at all. This is a sign that the pump is dead and no longer supplying the engine with the fuel it needs to start and run.
Trojan Auto Care in Troy, OH, would be happy to test your fuel pump to see if it is working. If it isn’t, we will replace it.
