Car Service Land Coupons for Oil change, Tires, Wheel alignment, Brakes, Maintenance
Dealing with a failed pump fuel can be a dreadful experience for most car owners out there. Of course, as cars age, a fuel pump is bound to degrade and eventually fail. But then, you may not be ready to handle the situation very well.
So, let’s address all the questions surrounding this topic so that the repair or replacement of the fuel pump doesn’t take you by surprise in the middle of a regular car driving day. Obviously, we will begin with the most popular topic of conversation, which revolves around the cost of a fuel pump replacement.
What Is The Average Price Of Fuel Pump Replacement?
The average cost for fuel pump replacement sits around $250 to $1200. For the most part, the cost would vary based on the car you own. Some cars make it easy to access the fuel pump, but not all. After all, not all cars are built, keeping repairability in mind.
| Auto Center | Price |
|---|---|
| Midas | $400 – $1200 |
| Mr. Tire | $300 – $1100 |
| Your Mechanic | $270 – $1000 |
| Walmart | $190 – $950 |
| NAPA | $350 – $1150 |
The best thing to do over here is to bring your car to a local shop to see how much they will charge you. Then, take your car to a few other shops for price comparison. Of course, you shouldn’t always choose the cheapest provider.
The goal is to choose a reliable car mechanic for the job, who doesn’t charge as much as equally reliable mechanics in your area. If the fuel pump is easily accessible in your car, you can do the repair yourself.
Why is it Important to Replace the Fuel Pump?
A fuel pump draws fuel from the tank and supplies it to the car’s engine. Of course, it takes dozens of smaller steps to carry out this process.
And, the fuel pump relies on other car parts too in order to carry out this process successfully. When it goes bad, it fails to supply fuel to vital car parts.
As a result, you can expect major issues with the performance of your vehicle. The engine will literally struggle to push the car forward. Therefore, it’s important to fix or replace the fuel pump as soon as a car owner detects the problem.
When Should you Replace the Fuel Pump?
The general recommendation is that one should replace the fuel pump at 50,000 miles, or when a humming sound is heard. If your car has exceeded 50,000 miles, and you are treating a nearby part, it’s advisable to replace the fuel pump at the same time.
That said, don’t be surprised if someone tells you that their fuel pump lasted over 200,000 miles.
It’s likely that the fuel pump may fail past 50,000 miles, but not always. Interestingly enough, a fuel pump is located inside a car’s fuel tank. Ideally, you should not allow the fuel level to go past one-fourth of the tank to reduce strain on the fuel pump.
Causes of Fuel Pump Failure
Mostly, it fails due to mileage or age. Of course, human errors can cause the fuel pump to go bad prematurely. From contamination to allowing foreign objects/moisture/water to get inside the tank, the scope of human error is plentiful, with respect to fuel pump damage.
As hinted earlier, driving often on low fuel can also cause the fuel pump to go bad over a period of time. The fact that the fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank, it keeps lubricating itself with the fuel inside of it. By driving on low fuel too often, you will be depriving the fuel pump from getting properly lubricated.
Symptoms of a Failed Fuel Pump
Obviously, paying heed to the signs of failure is any day better than sitting on the street side, waiting for a tow truck to come and pick your car. Over here, the main symptom would be the sheer lack of power.
You will find it unusually difficult to accelerate/attain high speeds. There will be times when the engine will refuse to fire up in the first place, or it will overheat like a frying fan.
Not to mention that there will also be instances when the fuel pump will fail slowly, causing the engine to operate without sufficient fuel. This will prompt the engine light to turn on.
Other than these symptoms, you will notice a humming or whirring sound coming from the fuel tank. In all these instances, you should replace the fuel pump as soon as possible, as opposed to waiting for a convenient day.
How to Get the Fuel Pump Replaced?
Taking your car to a certified auto mechanic is the best way to treat this problem.
- To begin with, the car technician will manually remove the pressure from the car’s fuel tank.
- To avoid the possibilities of sparks, the mechanic will also remove the negative terminal of the battery.
- Then, he will inspect the fuel line from the tank. If there’s any leak or crack on it, he will fix it first.
- He will then loosen the clamp that connects to the vapor return hose and fuel tank hose. And, disconnect the hoses from the pump.
- Then, he will plug up the disconnected hose with a bolt. Then, he will disconnect the fuel outlet line that goes into the carburetor.
- Following this, he will unscrew the bolts and get rid of the old fuel pump. Then, he will get rid of the remaining sealant from the mounting flange.
- Next, he will coat the sides of the new gasket with a sealer. Put the fastening bolts into the new pump and then slide the gasket into its place.
- Then, he will mount the new pump. And, reconnect the fuel lines, vent tubes, wiring connections, fuel filler tube, the fuel tank, and the battery cable.
- Finally, he will fill the tank with gas and verify the work by taking the car for a test drive.
Keep in mind that other problems may mimic a faulty fuel pump. So, don’t jump to conclusions quickly. Ideally, you should allow a trusted mechanic to carry out a proper diagnosis. This might save you from unnecessarily spending big bucks.