Step by Step Guide to Fix a Fuel Pump without Replacing It [Video]

For your car to move, it needs fuel. And to be able to use it, the fuel needs to be moved from the tank where it is stored to the combustion cylinder where it is burned. (How to Fix a Fuel Pump Without Replacing It)

The fuel pump does this all-important job. This means that for the mechanical reaction that helps move your car from location A to location B to happen, your fuel pump needs to be performing properly.

But like all things mechanical, your fuel pump can break down and, sometimes, at the most inconvenient places. This could happen while you are on the road and far from your mechanic or any other mechanic, for that matter.

 Even when it breaks down at the house, replacing it may be quite expensive and out of your budget at the time.

For these reasons, it is important to learn how to fix a fuel pump without replacing it. This life hack will not only save you some dollars but may also be critical to your safety at some point.

You will also learn to know when your fuel pumps need fixing and how long the job will take.

How to Fix a Fuel Pump Without Replacing It

Fuel pumps get worn out all the time. This is both a natural and very common occurrence. The reasons differ according to several factors, yet it happens even to the best of us.

So, if you find yourself by the roadside, needing a temporal fix for your fuel pump and wondering how to go about it. The answer is straightforward.

First, run a quick test to confirm the main problem and then attend to that specific problem or consult the owner’s manual if the issue is more complex.

But this is a simplified and broad answer. The actual work occurs in a linear process, with each step being very vital to the overall success.

What Is A Fuel Pump?

A fuel pump can be defined as the part of your car engine whose primary task is to supply the combustion cylinder in the car engine with fuel from the tank.

The fuel pump is usually controlled by a relay which is, in turn, controlled by the ignition switch. However, the relays can also be controlled by ECM in certain cars.

Conversely, a faulty fuel pump typically fails to support fuel flow to the engine or does so very slowly. Consequently, this can cause the engine to stutter, forcing the car to jerk or even shut down completely.

What Are the Signs of a Bad Fuel Pump?

Luckily for us all, a fuel pump usually doesn’t just suddenly break down. It shows some signs and symptoms that indicate that it is about to give out.

Generally, a fuel pump will start to wear out after working for 100,000 miles or more. Even though this may also depend on the type of car, some signs help us diagnose the bad state of a fuel pump.

Some of these signs include an engine that sputters, overheat, or surges, low fuel pressure, sudden and frequent power loss, a sharp decrease in gas mileage, or even an outright dead engine.

Trouble Starting

Having difficulty getting your car to start can be a solid sign that the fuel is starting to wear out. This is because the fuel pump is also responsible for creating the pressure that causes the car to start whenever you turn the ignition.

Whining Noise from the Engine

This is a “wirrrrr” sound made specifically from the fuel tank. An aging fuel pump makes this sound usually due to difficulty working. The sound can be due to several things, including bad fuel or even low fuel, but it is an important sign to watch out for.

Sputtering Engine

An improper mixture of fuel and air can be responsible for a sputtering engine, but this generally happens before the car moves. However, if you notice your engine sputtering at high speed, then you may want to step out and check the fuel pump.

Overheating Engine

Another way to also diagnose a faulty fuel pump is to see if your engine is overheating. When the fuel pump is bad, it gets easily hot, overheats, and transfers this hotness to the rest of the engine.

Surging Engine

A faulty fuel pump is characterized by the tendency to send in too much fuel or not enough fuel. When the bad fuel pump sends in too much fuel, you may notice your car suddenly picking up then dropping abruptly. This is what we refer to as an engine surge, and you might need to keep an eye out for that.

Low Fuel Pressure

For this diagnosis, you will need to consult the owner’s manual to find out the recommended fuel pressure of your car. Once you know this, you can rev up the engine and read the pressure gauge to see if it hits the stated level. If the pressure is low, then you need to attend to your fuel pump.

Decreased Gas Mileage

Every car has a defined number of mileages each amount of fuel is supposed to take it. When you observe the gas mileage dropping, you should know that the fuel pump is faulty and sending in more fuel than it normally would.

Loss of Power

A bad fuel pump might not send in enough fuel causing the car to lose power in certain instances. And this is a terrible sign as it can put your safety at risk if the car losses power in places like a steep hill.

Dead Engine

The many problems that can occur in your car fuel pump can culminate and kill your engine completely. Thereby causing you to be unable to start the vehicle until the matter is attended to.

How Many Hours Does It Take To Replace A Fuel Pump?

Once you can correctly tell that your fuel pump is bad by observing any of the above signs, the next logical thing to do would be to fix it without replacing it or replace it completely if you see that the entire assembly is damaged.

To fix a faulty fuel pump, you would need between 3 – 6 hours if it is your first time or 30 -45 minutes if you are already skilled in this area.

Car owners agree that the task of fixing a fuel pump is not so much in the time or cost (as it would cost about $20 – $150) as it is in the effort and labor involved.

How To Fix a Fuel Pump Without Replacing It

You might get caught in a place where hiring a mechanic to do the job is totally out of the question. For this reason, you will need to know how to do it yourself. But before you get straight to the fuel pump, be sure to first check with the following units:

  • Confirm that the fuel level is optimal and that there is enough fuel in the tank
  • Check to see if your car is making any unusual sound, then use the owner’s manual to confirm that it is, in fact, due to a faulty pump.
  • Check the fuel filter to know whether it is blocked or not
  • Pull out the fuel pressure regulator to confirm whether there is fuel on it

Once you have confirmed all the above parameters and are sure that the fuel pump needs fixing, you can then follow these simple steps to get the job done:

Step 1: Check with your owner’s manual to know what you are looking for and be sure you are doing the right thing.

Step 2: Open the fuel pressure and find the vacuum line that connects to it. Then remove the line and confirm if there is fuel on it. If there is then, we can conclude that the regulator is faulty.

Step 3: Connect the vacuum line and replace the regulator.

Step 4: Look for the protective cap and remove it before attaching the fuel pressure gauge using its hose.

Step 5: Test for fuel pressure by fitting the fuel gauge with the right adapter and test port. The test port might differ according to the vehicle’s make, so consult with your owner’s manual to be sure. You might even need to use a fuel filter adapter if you can’t find the fuel test port.

Step 6: Next, start the ignition and read the gauge. If the gauge rises to 45 – 58 PSI and the throttle body injector goes as high as 13 – 17 PSI, you can surmise that the pump is working properly with the electrical parts.

However, if the gauge doesn’t reflect any pressure, you will need to check the fuse and fuel pump relays.

Step 7: If the pressure then drops to 52 PSI and remains there during warm-up, then rises to 57 PSI when you accelerate, then you will know that the turbocharger is working at optimal conditions.

Step 8: Allow the engine to continue running for some time. If the pressure remains steadily at 52 PSI, then we can conclude that your fuel is not the cause of the problem.

Step 9: You will know that the fuel filter is clogged if you notice the pressure drop lower than 52 PSI as the engine continues to warm up.

When this happens, you will need to work on the filter using the previously connected hose to push or suck out the impurities clogging it. Or you may choose to replace it with a new one if you have been using it for too long.

Step 10: Place a thick cotton towel under the test gate so that it can soak up the excess fuel that will pour when the hose is pulled out.

Next, place one end of the hose into the towel until the fuel in the tube runs out, and it is empty.

Step 11: Finally, replace the dust cap and clean it up with a towel. Also, check to be sure there is no leakage before closing the bonnet.

Conclusion

Summarily, your car won’t work unless your fuel pump works. We already explained that it is what supplies the engine with the fuel to move.

Therefore, every driver must learn how to take care of this important component of their car.

Knowing how to fix a fuel pump without replacing it is a skill that you need to have. No doubt, it will take you some effort and many hours to master it at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will take you less than an hour to get this problem sorted.

Step by Step Guide to Change a Tire [Video]

Dave is out to see family in the suburbs on a fine Friday evening. He plans to spend the weekend with them. Dave cruises down the highway feeling very spirited. It has been a long time since he went home. {How to Change a tire } Continue reading]

But suddenly, he hears a very loud sound from the backside of his car. He quickly presses down on the brakes and rushes out to see what happened just to find out he has got a flat.

He panics, unsure of what to do. He has never fixed a tire before. Maybe Google would help, so he pulls out his mobile phone only to see that it’s dead. He forgot to charge it all afternoon. Now he is stranded.

Don’t be like Dave. Learn the most basic life hacks – one of which is how to fix a tire. Knowledge like this tends to come very handily in a world full of automobiles and long trips.

How Long Does It Take To Change a Tire?

How to change a tire is one of the things you need to be taught when learning how to drive. But if by any chance you skipped that lesson, we are here to give you the lessons. The steps are simple, and literally, anyone can follow them and change a tire or two.

Yet, how long it takes to change a tire does not have a straightforward answer as it depends on the situation and who is changing the tire.

When Done By a Professional

A professional is simply anyone who has huge experience in dealing with cars, such as a mechanic. It is something they do regularly; hence they can get the job done faster than a non-professional.

It would take a mechanic about 5 – 15 minutes to change one tire. They usually spend about 10 minutes fixing one flat and about 40 minutes fixing all four tires (if need be).

When Done With Roadside Assistance

Getting a flat while on the highway is common but getting roadside assistance isn’t as common. For instance, it would usually take about 50 minutes for help to arrive if you call for roadside assistance.

In any case, it would take between 15 – 30 minutes to change a tire. Sometimes, you may get assisted by a more qualified person, which could cut the time to about 10 minutes.

When You Do it Yourself

Even this can depend on a few variables. For instance, do you have all the equipment, and is this your first attempt?

Needless to say, it would take you lesser time if you have all that is required and if you already have some experience changing tires.

If you have the required tools and some experience, it will take about 15 – 20 minutes to change one flat tire. However, this can extend to 30 minutes or more if it is your first time.

What Are The 3 Things You Need to Change a Tire?

Changing a tire by yourself takes both experience and tools. Knowing how to do it is just as important as having the right tools.

The three most important items you will need to have present when you get a flat are:

  1. A spare tire
  2. A lug wrench
  3. A jack

A spare tire is usually an extra tire that many drivers carry along in their boot, and you should have one too. The spare tire may either be full-size or space-saver (also sometimes called “donut”).

Of course, the full-size spares are better when talking about safety, but they are harder to store and carry around. And because the temporary space-saver spares usually do the trick and get drivers out of flat troubles, many drivers carry them around.

Whichever of these two you have, you will always need to ensure that it is in perfect condition and with the right air pressure.

A lug wrench is a handy tool that contains a socket that matches the size of the lug nuts on the car wheels. They are therefore used for loosening those nuts. Opposite the socket side is a pry bar that can remove the hub cap or be used for prying off the wheel hub in the instance where it is stuck.

The longer the handle of your lug wrench, the easier it would be for you to apply the needed force on the nuts.

A jack is a device used in lifting the sides of the vehicle off the ground. This is usually done to make it easier to remove and replace the tires.

Jacks come in different shapes and types, with the two most common types being scissors and bottle jacks. Scissors jacks are the most common since they are easier to carry along. On the other hand, bottle jacks are less compact but more powerful since they use hydraulic fluids to function rather than mechanical mechanisms.

A fourth very important tool you will need is the owner’s manual. You will need to consult this at every turn as you work the flat tire.

Other common essentials that you may also require include:

  1. Wheel blocks
  2. Tire gauge
  3. Flashlight
  4. A flat wooden block to stand the jack
  5. Hand gloves

However, these items do not play a central role when changing a flat and can easily be substituted with other alternatives.

How to Change a Flat Tire

Step 1: Prepare your car

You first want to be sure you are in a safe place. If you get a flat where you are not confident about your safety, you need to keep the vehicle moving until you find a safer place.

Then park the car and apply the handbrake, turn on your hazard lights or “flashers” before taking out the spare tire and other tools you need.

Step 2: Use wheel blocks to secure the car

Place wheel blocks behind the tires to prevent the vehicle from sliding backward when using the jack.

If you only have one block, place it behind the tire opposite the flat one. If you don’t have wheel blocks, you can use wooden blocks or heavy stones to keep the car in place.

Step 3: Use the lug to loosen the nuts

Fix the wrench socket into the wheel nuts and begin to turn anti-clockwise until the nut begins to loosen. It is usually advisable to do this while the wheel is on the ground because it is easier and safer.

Turn each nut until it is loosened partially enough to be screwed off by hand.

Step 4: Jack up the car

Consult the owner’s manual to find out where the dedicated jacking points are under your car. Then position the jack at the point, making sure to place a small wooden block or plank under the jack to keep it stable.

Begin to jack up the car until the flat tire is about 10 – 15 cm off the ground.

Step 5: Pull out the flat tire

After you have raised the tire is off the ground, finish unscrewing the nut and gently pull the flat tire towards you until it comes off completely.

Place it aside, then bring the spare closer.

Step 6: Install the spare tire.

Replace the flat with the spare like how you removed the flat. Know that the spare may be heavier or lighter than the flat, depending on whether or not you are using a full-size spare tire.

Begin to replace the nuts one at a time, tightening each with your hand as you do so.

Step 7: Partially lower the car

Turn the jack the other way and lower the car until the edge of the spare tire touches the ground. You don’t need to completely lower it as the nuts are not fully in place yet. Then tighten the wheel nuts completely using the wrench.

Step 8: Completely lower the vehicle

Once the nuts are in place and tight enough, lower the car completely and remove the jack. You may give the nuts a final check for tightness before returning your tools.

Step 9: Clean up and continue your journey.

Clean up and check the spare tire air pressure. If you don’t have a tire gauge, you can drive to the nearest petrol station, use their gauge and even pump to the recommended pressure there before resuming your journey.

Don’t forget to take the flat tire for repairs when you arrive. The experts will advise you always to have a spare tire ready at every point.

Conclusion

 Knowing how to change a flat tire is a life hack that not many people have. And although the specific details such as jacking points may differ according to car type, the steps above should help you get the job done, generally speaking.

You should also always consult the manufacturer’s guide and always monitor your tires for any tread wears. This will not only help you change a flat safely, but it will also keep you safe at all times and while on the road.