Tech Question on Your Fuel Pump

August 24, 2023

Share this article



DOWNTOWN AUTOMOTIVE Tech Question:

I was driving on a local highway and my vehicle started sputtering. Then the engine finally quit and I couldn’t get it started. I was towed to a shop in Nelson and found out I had to replace my fuel pump….


What could I have done to have saved my fuel pump?


DOWNTOWN AUTOMOTIVE Answer:

This is a tough one for drivers because there isn’t any maintenance recommended for fuel pumps. They’re inside the fuel tank and you really can’t get to them without removing the tank. But drivers can do some things to make their job easier so they last a little longer.


A lot of vehicles are equipped with a fuel filter on their fuel line. This filters out dirt and rust from the fuel tank before it gets to the engine. Replacing a clogged fuel filter as recommended reduces the strain on your fuel pump.


Many newer vehicles driving around Nelson have their fuel filter inside the fuel tank so it cannot be changed. A good tip for drivers is to not run the fuel tank too low, this can cause fuel starvation that excessively wears the pump. Also, you can’t go wrong using good quality fuel with high levels of detergent. This helps prevent the buildup of varnish and gum all along the fuel system.


Downtown Automotive recommends that you fill up your vehicle at Top Tier fuel approved gas stations. You can check out their website https://stationfinder.toptiergas.com/ to see which stations are Top Tier fuel approved near you! 


A professional fuel system cleaning will clean fuel injectors and help remove carbon deposits from the valves and combustion chamber.


All these things improve fuel economy and increase performance for Nelson drivers. Ask your DOWNTOWN AUTOMOTIVE service advisor if a fuel system cleaning is recommended.


Stop by or give us a call!

Recent Posts

April 22, 2026
Winter driving is demanding on vehicles. Cold starts, potholes, road salt, moisture, changing temperatures, and long stretches of stop-and-go driving all add up. By the time...
October 24, 2025
Running a modern repair shop is a partnership between the client and the team that services their vehicle. At Downtown Automotive, we’ve built our business around transparency...
December 19, 2023
High BC fuel prices hit most of our budgets here. If increased fuel costs are consuming a bigger portion of your budget, you may be tempted to skimp in some other areas – like...
December 12, 2023
Here’s a quick overview of the fuel system: It starts with the fuel pump. The fuel pump is located inside the tank and pumps fuel out to the engine. Somewhere along the way is a...
December 5, 2023
A lot of fuel is wasted by drivers from driving with dirty fuel systems. Let’s start at the tank. The fuel tank gathers lots of dirt, rust and sediment over the years of driving...
November 14, 2023
What is a Transfer Case? A Transfer Case appears on 4-wheel drive vehicles and it makes sure you have power available for both the front and rear axles. For example, if you have a...
November 7, 2023
We've all heard a car or truck in our neighborhood that needs a new muffler. But there's more to the exhaust system than just the muffler. The exhaust system has three main...

November 1, 2023
October 31, 2023
When you get in your vehicle, how does it smell? If it’s not so nice, it may be time to have your cabin air filter changed. This is not the same as the engine air filter. The...
Show More