Replacing a Fuel Pump Cost

Car Fuel Pump Replacement Cost

Usually, vehicles are amazing accomplishments of mechanical wizardry. There are a lot of automobile parts that need to operate in sync for your ride to work correctly. While it is annoying when a part of, let’s say, the fuel system stops working, it is something you can’t avoid.

Presuming that you have a car with an internal combustion engine, an essential part of the system is a fuel pump. The fuel pump is in charge of moving fuel from the tank to the engine with enough pressure for air to fuel ratio for combustion to make the engine run. The fuel pump switches on when you put your key in the ignition. Normally, if working well, it sounds like a soft hum in the background of your vehicle.

If there are any issues with your fuel pump, this ends up being apparent extremely quickly. Having a damaged fuel pump can leave your vehicle stranded, so it is essential to acknowledge the indications of a bad fuel pump and know just how much it costs to change it.

You might also like our articles about the cost to repair the rocker arm, fix an exhaust leak, and get a smoke EVAP test.

Bad Fuel Pump Symptoms

Among the very first things you may discover with a bad fuel pump is that your vehicle sounds very different when it is on. A well-functioning fuel pump typically produces a soft humming sound when your car starts to run. If instead, you hear a sharp whining noise from your fuel tank, then this is highly likely an indication that you will require a brand-new fuel pump. Either this or the fuel within the pump might have been polluted or there is just not enough fuel in the vehicle. The very first thing you need to do if you hear this sound is to try to make sure that you are not running on low fuel.

The 2nd effect of a bad fuel pump is that your vehicle may have a hard time starting to run. If your vehicle is not starting fast enough but you do not hear the sharp whining sound we talked about above, it is possible that your fuel pump is still working, but very poorly. This indicates that the amount of pressure the fuel pump provides is less than what it is needed. If the fuel pump is weak, this means that it takes more cranks to start the engine. Obviously, there are numerous reasons that your vehicle might need a couple of key turns to start, however, a bad fuel pump is not an uncommon culprit.

If you manage to get the automobile to run but your fuel pump is not in great condition, you might see that your engine sputters, especially if you are driving at extremely high speeds. Once again, a weak fuel pump does not offer the amount of pressure required to produce the best combustion in the engine, which will directly impact the efficiency of that engine. There has to be a sufficient amount of pressure within the engine to produce robust combustion. If your fuel pump is having a hard time doing this, then your engine likely has excess “loose” air in it and will not run efficiently.

Regular stalling might possibly be the fault of a bad fuel pump. Take notice of when you stall: if you happen to stall often when the engine is at higher temperatures, this is highly likely due to a failure, normally from the fuel pump motor.

Motor Fuel PumpAnother thing to look at if you believe that you have a bad fuel pump is the gas mileage that your automobile is getting. If you need to fill your vehicle regularly, a fuel pump problem might be the perpetrator. These pumps have valves within them, and if these valves are not operating properly, it can lead to the fuel pump giving excessive gas to the engine. If this will happen, the excess fuel will just get burned away or will leak out of the car. The fuel is not recycled or restored, which is why your gas mileage might decrease substantially.

Lastly, you might not be able to get your vehicle to run at all. There are a bunch of reasons why a vehicle might not begin, obviously, however, if the pump has entirely failed your vehicle will not start since the engine does not have adequate fuel to produce combustion. If your vehicle will not start, it is most likely a great idea to get it examined by a mechanic so that you can find out the real cause. Once again, this can potentially be triggered by a bad fuel pump, however, it also might be due to any number of other elements. Vehicles are, again, very complex pieces of machinery and need several systems to be working in order to run properly.

Fuel Pump Replacement Cost

The real expense of changing a fuel pump depends upon a number of aspects. The very first is whether you choose to try and change it yourself or go for a professional mechanic. The 2nd is what make and model of vehicle you drive. Some vehicles have more pricey parts than others.

The expense of an actual fuel pump is generally somewhere between $75 and $250, depending upon the car itself. If you are changing the fuel pump yourself, beyond this it is only the price of your time. Typically speaking, changing a fuel pump is seen as an intermediate-level job. It is more complex than, let’s say, changing your oil and filters, but not as hard as electrical work. If you have an afternoon to waste and some persistence, you might be able to save a fair bit of your money.

If you choose to go for a professional mechanic, you should be ready for a cost somewhere between $400 and $500 to change a bad fuel pump. You should be ready for the real replacement to take anywhere between 1 to 6 hours, depending upon the knowledge of the mechanic and the tools they will have on hand.

The task of replacing parts such as fuel pumps isn’t really the height of happiness where vehicle ownership is concerned. Nevertheless, regular upkeep of the mechanical wonder that is your vehicle is a needed part of the enjoyment of a smooth drive.

Alec Pow

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