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Monday, September 16, 2013

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Parts of a Fuel Pump

A fuel pump is one of the most important parts of a vehicles fuel and exhaust system. Its job is to pump fuel from the gas tank to the fuel line. If a fuel pump isnt functioning properly, then the engine may stall because not enough fuel will be able to undergo proper combustion. There are many types of fuel pumps, and they all have slightly different designs. However, most fuel pumps work via the same principle--a difference in air pressure is used to propel the fuel in or out of the pump. The most basic components of a fuel pump thus remain the same regardless of the model. Below is a short guide to these main parts.

Camshaft and Lever

    Although technically not part of the actual fuel pump, the camshaft is a rotating rod with an asymmetrical head on it. This camshaft rotates 360 degrees. Above the camshaft sits the external portion of the fuel pump lever. As the camshaft rotates, at a particular point in the rotation, the shape of the camshaft causes the fuel pump lever to lift up. The internal side of the fuel pump lever consequently goes down.

Diaphragm

    The diaphragm is a membrane within the fuel pump that creates a difference in air pressure. In the human body, muscles pull down on the diaphragm, allowing the lungs to expand. This creates a difference in air pressure and air (gases) rush into the lungs to balance this difference. In a fuel pump, the diaphragm is connected to a rod that is connected to the fuel pump lever. As the internal portion of the lever moves down due to the camshaft rotation, the rod moves down, as well, pulling the diaphragm with it. This creates a difference in air pressure, and fuel moves into the pump to balance the difference.

Intake Valve

    A fuel pump usually has two main valves. These valves operate in conjunction with the movement of the fuel pump diaphragm. The first valve, the intake valve, opens when the diaphragm of the fuel pump moves down. This lets fuel into the pump from the tank.

Outtake Valve

    The second valve of a fuel pump, the outtake valve, closes when the diaphragm moves down. It separates the fuel pump from the fuel line. When the diaphragm moves up, the valve sequence reverses. The intake valve closes so that fuel cant get pushed back into the fuel tank, and the outtake valve opens so that the fuel is pushed into the fuel line.

Other Parts

    There are many different models of fuel pumps, each with a slightly different design. These designs may mean that the fuel pump includes additional parts, such as screws, springs, gaskets, sensors and more. These peripheral parts to the fuel pump allow the main parts to be secured in place, prevent leaks, or allow the system to sense problems in the fuel flow.

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