Fuel Pump

Isi Kandungan Bil 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Kandungan Penghargaan What is a Fuel Pump? What Are the Functions of the Fuel Pump? What Is a Fuel Pump Relay? How to Determine If a Fuel Pump Relay Is Bad Signs & Symptoms of a Bad Fuel Pump Relay Where Is the Fuel Pump Relay Located? How to Reset a Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch How to Diagnose a Fuel Pump Relay Muka Surat

What is a Fuel Pump? Here are many automotive components that are essential for a car to run properly. Dozens of parts are, in fact, so crucial that without them, an automobile simply wouldn't function. One of those crucial parts is the fuel pump. While some early engines did not require a fuel pump to function, contemporary cars simply wouldn't work without their fuel pumps. Identification A car's fuel pump is a component which, as the name suggests, pumps fuel from the gas tank to other engine parts. In some vehicles, the fuel pump pumps gas to a carburetor, and in other cases, it pump fuel to a fuel injection system. The type of fuel that is pumped by the fuel pump differs from vehicle to vehicle and can range from vegetable oil to gasoline. Types There are three major types of fuel pumps. The mechanical pump is most often used in engines which use a carburetor. Mechanical pumps pump the fuel at low rates of pressure and have become less common over time. Electric fuel pumps are more common today and are usually located inside of the fuel tank. Electric fuel pumps generally pump fuel to a fuel injection system at high pressure. The last type of fuel pump, the turbopump, is not really used frequently in automotive designs but is often used inside of jet engines and other highvolume engine types.

Significance Before the fuel pump, most car engines were fed gasoline using gravity as the main motive force. The fuel was fed into a carburetor, which is less efficient than contemporary fuel injection systems. Fuel injection is not practicable in vehicles utilizing a gravity-fed fuel system or in those using a carburetor that need a large amount of fuel delivered efficiently. So, the fuel pump was born of a necessity to increase the efficiency of fuel delivery to the engine and to make fuel injection technology possible. Size The size of a fuel pump depends largely on what type of fuel pump it is. Mechanical fuel pumps and turbopump models tend to be larger than electric fuel pumps. Turbopumps are usually the largest, because they tend to exist in larger-scale engines such as jet engines. Potential There is very little potential use left for mechanical fuel pumps. As it stands now, they are used almost exclusively as replacement parts for older vehicles. Eventually, electric pumps will probably be almost exclusively used in automotive applications. Turbopumps, on the other hand, are extremely useful and may become more commonplace as the technology surrounding them becomes cheaper and more fully researched.

What Are the Functions of the Fuel Pump? Vehicle engine systems require a constant supply of fuel, which is produced via a fuel tank. Fuel is drawn from this tank and propelled into the internal combustion engine via a fuel pump. Fuel Pump Function Fuel pumps pump gasoline from the vehicle's fuel tank to the engine and also distribute fuel under low pressure to the carburetor or to the fuel injection system under higher pressure. Carburetor engines utilize low pressure pumps, which are located outside of the fuel tank. Fuel-injected engines typically utilize electric fuel pumps mounted in the fuel tank. Mechanical Fuel Pump Mechanical fuel pumps typically contain a flexible diaphragm. The pump chamber volume is decreased or increased by flexing the diaphragm. A lever on the pump is operated via the camshaft, which pulls down the diaphragm and enables fuel to be drawn into the pump. A diaphragm spring pulls the diaphragm up, applying force that enables fuel to be expelled from the pump. Electric Fuel Pump Electric fuel pumps generate positive electrical pressure in fuel lines, which drives fuel to the internal combustion engine. An ignition switch activates a relay that manages the higher current necessary to increase fuel pressure.

What Is a Fuel Pump Relay? The fuel pump relay is a small unit covered in a plastic case, which has several sprockets on one side that are clipped onto the ignition system. The fuel pump relay is what turns on the fuel pump when you start your car and powers it down when you shut off the ignition. Function The engine control module (ECM) uses the fuel pump relay to control when the fuel pump is on. The fuel pump relay supplies electricity to power up and power down the fuel pump. Location Check your owner's manual for the location of your fuel pump relay. It's located in different places on different cars. It could be under the hood, on the firewall, on one of the fender covers or near the steering column, to name a few locations. If you don't have an owner's manual, you may be able to find the information you need online by checking automotive and car part forums. Function When you turn the key in the ignition forward to crank the car, the "start cycle" begins and fuel pump relay is engaged long enough to turn on the fuel pump. It shuts off again when the engine is running. Once the engine is running, the fuel pump relay shuts off, and the current for the fuel pump is supplied by the oil pressure sending unit. The other time the fuel pump relay is engaged is when you shut off the ignition. It engages long enough to shut off your fuel pump.

Malfunctions If engine takes a long time to crank up, it probably is due to a bad fuel pump relay. This is because the fuel pump relay isn't turning on the fuel pump during the start cycle. The engine eventually will start, but not until the oil pressure builds up and the oil pressure switch kicks in to power up the fuel pump. The oil pressure switch acts as a backup to the fuel pump relay.Another way you can tell the fuel pump relay is bad is when you don't hear the fuel pump run for a couple of second when you turn the key in the ignition forward to start the car. Considerations Replacing the fuel pump relay may not fix the problem because the source of the trouble may be the fuel pump. Here are some common signs of a faulty fuel pump: 1. The fuel pump turns on, but fuel pressure is low; 2. A high-pitched sound occurs when the engine starts; 3. Acceleration is uneven (this is also a sign of a bad fuel filter, so have the fuel filter checked first, in this case); 4. The car acts like it's out of gas even though the tank is full; 5. The vehicle sputters, dies and won't restart.

How to Determine If a Fuel Pump Relay Is Bad A car's fuel pump relay turns on the fuel pump when the motor runs. When a relay is defective, it is usually because of a bad coil or bad connection. To check both operations, remove the relay by pulling it out of its socket. Consult your owner's manual or a service manual to find the location of your fuel pump relay. Familiarize yourself with the operation of a multimeter, or ohm meter, before beginning the job. Instructions Check the Coil 1. You can also use a digital multimeter. 2. Set the multimeter up to read ohms. The ohms scale looks a little like a horseshoe. 3. Touch the meter leads together to test the multimeter. You should read zero ohms. 4. Touch the test leads across the coil of the relay. You should read about 70 ohms. If the meter reads zero ohms, the coil is shorted and your relay is bad. If the meter reads infinite ohms, your coil is open and the relay is bad. Test the Contacts 6. Connect one of your test leads from one side of the relay coil to the chassis ground. 7. Connect the other test lead from the other side of the coil to the vehicle's battery. The relay should operate and you should hear or feel a click. 8. Connect the multimeter across the common (C) and normally open (NO) contacts of the relay. The relay should read zero ohms. If not, the contacts are not making a connection and the relay is bad.

Signs & Symptoms of a Bad Fuel Pump Relay When an engine is losing power or refusing to start, the problem may be with the fuel delivery system. The fuel delivery system includes the parts of the vehicle that keep a consistent amount of fuel (or gas) running to the engine. The fuel delivery system includes the gas tank, fuel pump, fuel filter and the fuel relay. The fuel relay is a small square fuse usually located below the hood and in close proximity to the windshield. Engine Will Not Start There are a number of things that will keep an engine from starting but there are ways to narrow down the search for the problem. If an engine cranks (makes grinding noises and sounds as though it is about to start) but does not start it indicates the problem is with the fuel delivery system and not with the spark. Loss of Power The fuel relay may be suspect if the car seems to lose power while driving. Loss of power is indicated by the car slowing down with no help from the driver. This does not always mean the car will stall. Sometimes a loss of power will seem to self-correct and the vehicle will go on running for a time. However, a loss of power should not be ignored because the next time the car slows it may come to halt, leaving the driver stranded.

Engine Stops The engine may start for a moment or two and then abruptly stop without ever leaving the driveway. This may be due to a lack of continual fuel feed from the gas tank. This indicates a problem with the fuel filter, fuel pump or fuel relay.A faulty fuel pump relay can cause the car to come to a complete stop while driving. This will not be instant, but it may resemble what happens when a car runs out of gas. The vehicle will gradually slow to a stop and the engine will refuse to come back on for a time. Sound The fuel pump is located near the rear of the vehicle and it can usually be heard when the engine starts. The sound of the fuel pump will vary by make and model of the vehicle. The absence of sound from the fuel pump area may indicate a faulty pump relay.

Where Is the Fuel Pump Relay Located? The fuel-pump relay unit is responsible for turning the fuel pump on when it detects the engine is running. When the ignition signal stops, the fuel-pump relay switches the pump off. Problems with the ignition and starting the vehicle often can be traced to the condition of the fuel-pump relay. Description The fuel-pump relay is a small unit, typically enclosed in a plastic case. The unit contains several sprockets on one side that are clipped onto the ignition system. The fuelpump relay is engaged only during the start cycle. If it is faulty, it can take longer to start your vehicle. Location Most fuel-pump relay units are located under the dashboard near the steering column. In some cases, the unit is located in the area where the steering column is mounted or near the engines firewall. The end of the fuel pump relay is typically located near the center of the floorboard, under the carpet in the front section of the passenger's or drivers side footwell. Considerations In addition to difficulty in starting the vehicle, symptoms of a poorly functioning fuel-pump relay include the following: the car dies then starts a few minutes later; the fuel pump makes a strange noise (humming or clicking loudly) for longer than five to 10 seconds after starting; or the engine wont start after you have engaged the fuel-pump switch.

Troubleshooting When your car does not start properly, you can conduct a fuel-injection relay test. Two relays are located inside the fuel-injection system; one of them is responsible for turning the ignition on without turning over the engine, and the other is responsible for turning on when the engine turns.You can check to see if the first relay is working by touching it while turning the ignition on and off. You should feel a "click" every time you switch the ignition. If the fuel-pump relay is not working, you can jump the unit with a small lead jumper cable. You will need to access the fuse panel and insert the cable into the relay unit; the unit will run as long as the wire is inside the relay and can help start your car. Misconceptions The fuel-pump relay is not wholly responsible for starting the engine. In some vehicles, the car can start with the oil that remains in the galleys. If the engine is cold and the oil is thick, the vehicle can be started within a few minutes without any assistance from the fuel-pump relay. A light humming noise coming from the gas tank is a sign that the fuelpump relay needs to be replaced.

How to Reset a Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Many vehicles available today come with fuel pump shut-off switches. These devices are essentially circuit breakers that sit inside your car's airbag control module's inertia switch, which is supposed to trigger when the vehicle comes to a sudden stop. This safety feature is intended to shut the fuel pump off in the event of an accident, but can sometimes be triggered by a pothole or even by sudden brake application. These switches are generally designed for a quick reset, but some models may require a more involved approach. Instructions 1. Locate your car's inertial trigger or airbag control module. You owner's manual should give the exact location, but if it doesn't try looking inside the center console, under the front seats, behind the glove compartment or behind the driver or passenger-side kick panels. These are the trim pieces just ahead of your front doors where your foot typically brushes. 2. Push the button on the inertial switch; it should be clearly marked as the fuel pump reset, and may be in a contrasting colour to the case. You may need to turn the ignition key to the on or accessory position to energize the module and reset the switch. Proceed to the next step if your inertia switch doesn't use an external button. 3. Remove the inertia switch cover by either prying the plastic clips loose or removing the screws that hold it in place. Inside the switch you'll see one of three things: a button, a circuitbreaker-type switch or a fuse. Push the button or flip the breaker switch back to its original position. If your inertia switch uses an internal fuse, pull the blown fuse out and replace it with another fuse of the same rating.

How to Diagnose a Fuel Pump Relay The fuel pump relay is part of the fuel pump and sending unit. The relay itself is a small electrical device with four to five prongs that connects to the battery, the fuel pump and the sending unit. The relay sends a signal to the fuel pump telling it to start drawing fuel in from the fuel tank and pumping it to the engine. Once the relay has been energized, the pump stays on and draws its power from the battery. Over time, the relay may short out, become overloaded from an electrical surge or it can fail simply from age. Instructions 1. Put the key into the ignition and turn the key to the "II" position, but do not attempt to crank the engine. 2. Listen for a slight hum or buzzing sound that will last approximately 1 to 2 seconds. This is the fuel pump relay being energized. 3. Open the fuse panel under the dash and check the fuse for the fuel pump and sending unit if you do not hear the fuel pump energize. The fuse for the fuel pump will also supply power to the fuel pump relay. If the fuse is blown, you'll need to replace the fuse and repeat Steps 1 and 2. 5. Have the relay tested by a qualified mechanic or replaced if you completed Step 3 and you were unable to hear the fuel pump relay energize.