Repair And Fix it

When a vehicles fuel delivery system is not working properly, one of the likely suspects is a faulty fuel pump. Issues, such as a higher than normal level of resistance in the ground connection of the fuel pump, could be causing the problems. In any event, a faulty fuel pump can certainly cause other issues within an automobile.

Fuel Consumption

A low fuel pressure reading often indicates that you have a faulty fuel pump. The voltage being supplied to the pump may not be high enough to spin the pump fast enough to build up the proper amount of pressure. This, in turn, leads to a vehicle burning more gas.

Hard Starting

When a fuel pump is not in operation, a vehicles fuel system should still maintain residual pressure for at least a few minutes. When this is not the case, its often because the check valve on the fuel pump is leaking. This can lead to hard starting in a vehicle.

Tips

If an in-tank fuel pump is faulty and needs replacing, the battery always should be disconnected first. This will keep sparks from occurring during the replacement procedure.

The EGR, or exhaust gas re-circulation, valve is a key part of your vehicles exhaust system. The EGR valve is responsible for making your vehicle run efficiently by optimizing fuel intake. The EGR valve re-circulates exhaust back into the engine. The first sign that your EGR valve may need to be replaced or cleaned is when the vehicle starts to idle roughly or does not accelerates as quickly. You can check to see if your EGR valve needs replacement or cleaning yourself, saving yourself a trip to the shop.

Instructions

How to Check a Faulty EGR

1

Put the car in park and engage the emergency brake. Start the vehicle and let it warm up for 15 minutes.

2

Pull on the hood release cable inside the vehicle to open the hood. Locate the EGR valve on the engine manifold. You may want to er to your vehicles manual for exact location.

3

Locate the EGR plunger mechanism, which controls the exhaust gasses being re-circulated into the vehicles engine. The plunger is located on the outside of the EGR valve.

4

Check the EGR plunger for any malfunctions by having someone rev the engine. If the plunger opens and closes quickly, the EGR valve is good. If the plunger does not open or close, or opens and gets stuck, the valve is faulty and should be cleaned or replaced.

Prior to replacing a faulty alternator, the battery ground cable needs to be disconnected. If this step is not taken, the battery will still have a live current running through the vehicles electrical system. The potential danger here is that a spark can be ignited when disconnecting the electrical connections from the alternator. Alternators that use fusible links can burn out the link and have to have that component replaced in order for the new alternator to work. Sparks near the battery can also cause flammable gases to ignite and explode, causing serious or even fatal injury.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on a flat surface if possible; apply the parking brake, ensure the engine is off and the keys are removed from the ignition. Open the hood.

2

Locate the battery in the engine compartment (if applicable). Some domestic and foreign vehicles employ a variety of locations for car batteries. Most all batteries are located in the engine compartment, but some vehicles can place the in the wheel wells, under the rear seats or even in the trunk. If necessary, to locate the battery in the specific vehicle, refer to the owners manual and follow the procedure illustrated to obtain access to the battery.

3

Locate the negative battery terminal clamp or bolt. Top-post batteries use a terminal clamp, while side-post batteries use a broad bolt to connect the terminal ends. Most vehicles use a black cable for the negative terminal and a red cable for the positive terminal. However, all batteries have a molded "NEG" or a minus sign (indicating negative) stamped on the battery housing in the vicinity of the terminal end. The positive side will have a "POS" or a plus sign (indicating positive) stamped on the battery housing.

4

Loosen the negative terminal clamps retaining nut from the bolt with a wrench or ratchet and socket by turning it counterclockwise until the terminal clamp is loose enough to wiggle back and forth on the post. For side-post batteries, turn the terminal bolt counterclockwise and remove it from the battery with the terminal end intact with the bolt.

5

Remove the drive belt and then remove the alternator according to vehicle specific repair guidelines. There is no need to disconnect the positive terminal end of the battery since the electrical current is no longer grounded. Once the alternator is replaced, reconnect the drive belt and reconnect the negative battery terminal clamp or bolt and start the engine to test the system.