The fuel pump is a principal ingredient of almost all modern vehicles. The main purpose of the fuel pump is to transfer fuel from the tank to the engine with proper pressure to make sure that the engine has a constant supply of fuel for its combustion process. Nowadays, most fuel-injected engines dominate the automotive market; a common Fuel Pump does its job in a pressurized environment of 40 to 60 PSI to continue performance efficiently and without fuel starvation. Any given fuel-injected engine would not be able to obtain the required quantities of fuel without a fuel pump; thus, it would stall or fail to start at all.
Mechanical pumps generally ran at about 4 to 6 PSI on older vehicles with carburetors to supply fuel. However, as the evolution of the engines went on and fuel injection became standard, higher pressure and accurate dispensing of fuel required that electric Fuel Pumps become a foremost requirement. At times, this may be a turbocharged powered car that necessitates an even higher-pressure Fuel Pump for feeding the engine, sometimes in excess of 100 PSI of fuel pressure for adequate performance.
In 2019, Toyota was compelled to recall over 700,000 faulty Fuel Pumps in the market, which caused stalling and power loss. Such a huge issue points toward the importance of the fuel pump in the overall workability of the vehicle. When the Fuel Pump fails, it disrupts the fuel delivery system, affecting everything from engine performance to safety.
The Walbro 450 LPH and other high-flow fuel pumps have normally been installed for high-performance or engine-modified vehicles to help power high-horsepower engines of over 600 horsepower. These pumps provide the quantity and pressure of fuel necessary to meet the higher requirements of powerful engines. Without an appropriate Fuel Pump, modified or high-performance engines cannot function at full capacity and can become damaged running lean from lack of fuel supply.
As a renowned automotive authority, David Vizard summed it up best when he said, “Fuel delivery is the heart of an engine’s performance.” A functional Fuel Pump makes for one that is reasonably smooth, effective, and safe.
For information on how to maintain your fuel pump, see Fuel Pump.