Fuel Pumps & Fuel Injection Repairs
If the battery of your car is in good condition and also the ignition is working well but the engine of the car is not starting, the problem may be related to the fuel system of your car. Two important components of the fuel system in your car are its fuel pump and the fuel injector. These two are vital in supplying fuel to the engine in just the right quantity and right pressure. However, if there is any problem with these parts, it can lead to serious engine damage. It is therefore necessary to nip the problem in the bud to save on time and money.
The cars of today make use of electronic fuel injection that is multiport with all cylinders getting their dose of fuel in the correct fuel and air ratio. This amount keeps getting changed according to the lad on the car. MPFI, also called multi point fuel injection has improved the performance of the cars of today with better starting in cold conditions, reduced emissions, higher fuel economy and more powerful performance. However, the same fuel injection can drive you crazy when it does not allow the car to start.
Looking at the source of the problem
If your car is cranking but does not start, the culprit may be your fuel pump or the fuel injection system. However, how do you get to the root of the problem? The most probable causes of a car not starting when the ignition and the battery are working fine are as follows.
- Low pressure of fuel
- Dead pump
- Choked fuel filter
- No signal to fuel injectors
If you are stranded on road and there is no mechanic in sight, the first thin to under these circumstances is to look at the fuel pump of your car. Urn on the ignition and simultaneously look at the fuel pump. It should normally make some noise. If you hear no sound, you can assume that the fuel pump has gone dead.
Handling the problem in fuel injectors
If on the other hand you are facing the problem of misfiring, hard starting etc, then the problem lies with the fuel injectors and not the fuel pump. A fuel injector is a device that provides fuel in the form of a mist or a spray to the engine so that it can burn readily. The quantity of fuel supplied by the injector is in proportion to the time during which the nozzle of the injector remains open. If these fuel injectors become dirty, you may experience the problems of misfire and hard starting. If you see the fuel pump running when turning on the ignition, the problem lies not in the pump but the fuel injectors. What you can do is to clean the fuel injectors to see if the car starts now. If however, there is excessive damage and wear and tear of the injectors, you have no option but to get them replaced by a mechanic.
The thing to remember with fuel system is that there are many problems that can arise as there are many components of the fuel system such as fuel pump, pressure regulator, fuel injectors, fuel filter, fuel pipes, and so on. The delivery of the right mixture of fuel and air in the right quantity at the right pressure is required for the car engine to start and work properly. The problem lies in finding out the real culprit that is causing the problem. Once you have ensured that the fuel pump is working fine, you need to check on the fuel pressure. The next and final step is of course inspection of the fuel injectors.
