Fuel System Delivery Overview
Guide To Successful Fuel System Repairs
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5
8
Filler Cap
1 Fuel
Tight seal is critical to proper OBD system
operation. A loose cap can lead to a DTC
that will set the Check Engine light.
Tank Pressure Sensor
2 Fuel
Monitors fuel tank evaporative pressure for
emissions control purposes.
Supply and Return Lines
Deliver fuel to and from the engine. Check
for kinks or restrictions.
Fuel Filter
Protects injectors and engine from contamination not caught by the fuel pump
strainer. Important to replace as a part of
routine maintenance as well as with any
fuel system service.
Strainer
4 Fuel
The pumps first line of defense against contaminated fuel. Failure to replace the fuel
strainer will void fuel pump warranty.
Tank
5 Fuel
The fuel pump on most modern vehicles is
10
housed in the fuel tank. Tanks must be clean
and free of contamination before a new fuel
pump is installed. Contaminated fuel is
responsible for 20% of fuel pump product
failures.
Pump
3 Fuel
The heart of the fuel delivery system, the fuel
pump delivers fuel to the engine. Airtex fuel
pumps are designed to meet or beat OE specs
and are 100% tested to ensure performance
and long-life.
Oxygen (02) Sensor
Checks exhaust gases and sends signal to
ECM to adjust fuel mixture for emissions
control purposes.
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Controls fuel pressure to fuel injectors.
Fuel Injectors
Deliver fuel to engine combustion
chambers.
It's important to note that the fuel pump is one part of a complex fuel
delivery system. Any single component not operating properly can
appear to be a fuel pump problem. Proper diagnostics are critical!
The Fix For Failing Fuel Pumps
Repeat fuel pump failures, which can cause
major problems with your customers, are
often caused by minor installation errors.
One common installation error is incorrectly replacing the pump inlet filters in such
a way that it causes an inaccurate fuel gauge
reading. In other cases, the fuel pump inlet
filter may be blocked or dislocated by a dented or distorted fuel tank. These issues can
be easily diagnosed by adding several gallons of fuel to the tank before testing fuel
pump performance.
In a few rare cases, worn fuel pump relays
can cause erratic or intermittent fuel pump
operation. The cost of a new relay is minimal
compared to the potential problems caused
by a worn relay.
Fuel pump life can also be shortened on
some vehicles if the owner habitually drives
the vehicle on a nearly empty tank. Low fuel
levels can cause the fuel pump to overheat by
ingesting air when accelerating, cornering or
stopping. Ingesting air can also momentarily
reduce fuel pressure and cause fuel-related
driveability complaints.
Under Pressure
The Importance of Correct Volume
Its also important to evaluate the fuel pumps
activation system. At the most basic level, the
crankshaft position sensor supplies a signal
to the PCM that indicates the engine is cranking or running. On many older vehicles
equipped with distributors, the air flowing
through the air flow meter closes a set of contacts in the sensor that, in turn, activates the
fuel pump relay. In either case, the fuel pump
relay wont activate without some type of
engine speed input.
Fuel pump volume is equally as important as
fuel pump pressure when testing for repeat
failures. On the high end, several tool manufacturers supply testers that simultaneously
measure the exact fuel pressure and flow
while the engine is running. On the low end,
most fuel pressure testers have a bypass
valve that measures the excess volume flowing through the fuel pressure test Schrader
valve. In most cases, this type of tester will
provide a reasonable estimate of the volume
of fuel flowing to the engine.
Tank Tie-In
When testing fuel pumps equipped with external fuel pressure regulators, its important to
test fuel pressure regulator performance by
momentarily closing or restricting the return
flow hose from the regulator to the fuel tank.
This test will provide an indicator of maximum
fuel pressure output that, in most cases, will
be at least 150% higher than regulated pressure. Because crimping can damage braided
hose and plastic lines, an alternate method
should be used to close the return line.
If maximum pressure doesnt increase by
momentarily closing the return line, the low
fuel pressure might be caused by a worn fuel
pump, a clogged fuel filter or crimped fuel
line. If the fuel pressure is too high due to a
crimped fuel return line or defective pressure
regulator, the engine will normally run rich
and the fuel pump amperage draw will be
much higher than normal. The higher amperage draw will shorten fuel pump life and
cause a repeat failure.
Fuel Pump Activation System
Modern fuel tanks are difficult to clean because of their internal baffling.
If a tank can be cleaned, its important to use high-pressure soap and
water to remove the dirt. The tank should then be thoroughly dried by
circulating air through the tank or air dried outside.
In many cases, a fuel tank replacement is the most cost-effective and
safe alternative for preventing repeat fuel pump failures.
Fuel Pump Diagnostics and
Inspections
Scan It!
On late-model vehicles, its usually much
quicker to test the fuel pump with a scan tool
that has the applicable bi-directional
controls and data stream displays. If those
features are available, a technician can
quickly evaluate the fuel pumps electrical
performance by using the scan tool to
activate the fuel pump.
A scan tool should also be used to download trouble codes and data indicating if an
anti-theft or other vehicle sub-system has
disabled the fuel pump as part of its theft
avoidance strategy. In some cases, the fuel
pump circuit is disabled when the anti-theft
system identifies an improper or defective
key in the ignition switch.
Scan tools must also be used to
diagnose pulse-modulated fuel pump
systems. Because pulse-modulated systems are a story unto themselves, we cant
illustrate an example in this brief space. In
short, the Powertrain Control Module
(PCM) tailors the fuel pump pressure to
meet various operating conditions by controlling fuel pump speed, by pulsing electrical current to the pump. When the pulse
width requirements exceed normal parameters, the PCM stores a fuel pump-related
diagnostic trouble code.
Major causes of fuel pump failure include:
Misdiagnosis of the vehicles problem;
Rust, corrosion or other contamination in the vehicles fuel tank;
Clogged or plugged fuel filters and strainers; and
Faulty on-vehicle fuel pump wiring or connectors.
Electrical Issues
If voltage is available at the fuel pump, its important to inspect the
tanks electrical connector for looseness and burned connector pins.
Repeat failures are often caused by connectors that were burned due
to excessive amperage draw of a defective pump. If the fuel pump
circuit is grounded to the frame, perform preventive maintenance
by cleaning the frame and connector, and applying anti-corrosion
compound to the connection.
When replacing a fuel pump, always:
Replace the filter or strainer with new;
Professionally flush, clean or replace the fuel tank;
Inspect, repair or replace suspect vehicle connectors and wiring; and,
Refer to the Diagnostic/Troubleshooting and Installation Guidelines
document found in the fuel pump box.
The professional multimeter can be used to
measure current flow through the fuel pump.
On most vehicles, a new fuel pump draws about
three to five amperes of current. This amperage or
current draw can be measured at the fuel pump
fuse located in the vehicles fuse box.
Many technicians also like to display the fuel
pump current flow on an automotive lab scope to
determine if the fuel pump armature and brushes
are in good condition.
If current isnt flowing through the fuel pump,
the fuel pump, fuel pump ground circuit, fuel
pump relay or, if equipped, the fuel pump safety
inertia switch might be defective.
If current is flowing through the fuel pump,
then its highly likely that the external fuel filter
might be clogged or that the filter sock attached
to the fuel pump inlet might be clogged with
dirt, rust or algae contamination.
While it might be strange to consider alge in
the system, E85 and lower ethanol blends tend
to be hygroscopic simply by their nature as alcohol-based. This can lead to a film of water on top
of the fuel that collects algae and bacteria.
If current is flowing through the pump and the
normal fuel pump operating noises arent present, the inlet sock is probably missing and the
mechanical part of the fuel pump is likely
jammed with sand or other types of fuel tank
contamination.
If the fuel pumps inlet filter is missing, torn or
broken, make sure that the fuel tank baffle is
securely attached to the fuel tank. Fuel pump failures have been caused by a loose tank baffle battering the fuel pump until the inlet filter fell way,
allowing dirt to jam the pump assembly.
Fuel Pump Voltage Test
1. Connect digital voltmeter to fuel pump wiring at fuel pump connector.
2. Turn key on (pump will only voltage only for a few seconds).
3. Measure voltage at pump. Reading should be within 0.5v DC of system
voltage.
