Your automobile’s fuel system is made up of crucial parts that start up your engine and keep it running. New Castle Auto Repair lists the signs of fuel system problems below so you know what to look for. The sooner you have any engine performance issue addressed the fewer chances of causing further damage.
Clogged Fuel Filter
Your automobile’s fuel filter removes contaminants and dirt out of the gasoline twice. This double-filtering process makes certain that the gasoline is completely clean before it is circulated into the engine. A clogged fuel filter can reduce your vehicle’s response when you press down on the accelerator. It can also make your vehicle stall or prevent it from starting if it’s completely clogged.
Clogged Fuel Injectors
The same problem can occur with clogged fuel injectors. The reason why your engine performance suffers with a clogged fuel filter or clogged fuel injectors is that the engine is not getting enough gasoline. When you demand more power from your engine, the fuel injectors spray more gas into it. If they can’t, your engine will sputter and be unresponsive to your power demands.
Leaking Fuel Injectors
Leaking fuel injectors do the opposite. They can flood your engine with gasoline. As the fuel injectors age, they can eventually crack. Once they do, gas leaks out of them into the engine and you may notice a significant difference in your fuel economy. This is because the engine is burning excess gas leaking out of the fuel injectors. In extreme conditions, you may also have black exhaust coming out of your tailpipe.
Malfunctioning Fuel Pump
Older automobiles have mechanical fuel pumps. Today’s automobiles have electronic fuel pumps. These fuel pumps can malfunction as they age. The average lifespan of a fuel pump is 100,000 miles, although they are known to last longer than that. Signs your fuel pump is malfunctioning include the engine performance issues discussed above, as well as grinding or whining sounds coming from the engine.
Overheating Fuel Pump
The fuel pump motor can also overheat, especially if you are driving on fumes. The gasoline that flows through the fuel pump actually cools it down, and if there isn’t enough gas to act as a fuel pump coolant, the fuel pump motor will overheat. Because the fuel pump is located in your engine, the heat will be transferred to the engine, and your engine might overheat as well.
Rich Fuel Mixture
Finally, a rich fuel mixture means that there is too much gas and not enough air in the combustion chamber. Any fuel system issue can cause a rich fuel mixture. Signs your fuel mixture is too rich include your engine surging and, again, black exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. Bring your automobile to us here at New Castle Auto Repair in New Castle, PA, if it’s experiencing fuel system problems.