If your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s engine is picking up speed in spurts unexpectedly, it’s possible that the fuel pump is malfunctioning and sending too much diesel fuel or gasoline into the engine. This is just one sign that the fuel pump is dying. Crossroads Automotive is going to list the other signs of a faulty fuel pump below.
Engine Performance Problems
If you have over 100,000 miles on your automobile, the fuel pump has reached the end of its lifespan. Consequently, aside from the engine surging, you may notice that the vehicle’s acceleration lags when you press down on the accelerator. The engine will also struggle to perform when you are driving at high speeds or when the engine is under stress, such as if you are towing a trailer behind the vehicle.
A Reduction in Fuel Economy
These engine performance issues can cause a noticeable reduction in your car, truck, or C/SUV’s fuel efficiency. We wish we could tell you that the engine problems will make the vehicle get better gas mileage. Unfortunately, the opposite is true and you will have a need to fill the tank more often.
Reduced Engine Fuel Pressure
A malfunctioning fuel pump will also reduce the fuel pressure that is in the engine. When this happens, the fuel delivery is compromised and your vehicle struggles to run. You can test the fuel pressure yourself or bring your automobile to our shop. We’d be happy to test the fuel pressure for you.
An Engine That Overheats
Another symptom of a dying fuel pump is an overheating engine. This is strange because the fuel pump is located in the gas tank. This being said, if the fuel pump motor overheats, the heat can be transferred to the engine and cause the engine to run too hot, as well. Replacing the fuel pump will restore your engine’s normal temperatures.
Hard Starts or a Dead Engine
Finally, if the fuel pump is no longer working, you may end up with a dead engine. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to get the engine running because the fuel pump cannot transfer fuel from the tank to the engine. The only way to get your engine running again is to replace the malfunctioning fuel pump with a new one.
We can do that here at Crossroads Automotive in Topeka, KS, so give us a call today. We’d be happy to test the fuel pump and replace it if it needs it.