Reasons Why Your Fuel Pump is Making Whining Noise: Reasons and How to Make It Quiet
A very critical component of all our vehicles these days are electric or mechanical fuel pumps. Without this one device, our automobiles will not run at all. This fuel pump is the one responsible for transferring fuel from the gas tank to the carburetor or engine.
The moment you hear some strange sounds and weird noise emanating from your vehicle while you are operating it, be sure to stop and inspect what it is right away. It if is is a high pitched whining sound or an annoying buzzing noise, then the most likely culprit is your vehicle’s fuel pump.
When your car’s fuel pump is malfunctioning, it can bring about severe damages to the internal parts of the car. Waiting for the problem to get worse will only result in even bigger issues that are more expensive to fix. For this reason alone, you need to diagnose the issue and address it as soon as possible to prevent any form of escalation.
In this piece, we will provide you with more information on how your fuel pump actually operates. We will share with you some common reasons for its malfunction. And most importantly, we will give you tips on how to get your fuel pump to be a lot more quiet.
But before we begin, we would like to give you a rundown of all the possible materials you will need for this project. You won’t need anything complicated or fancy. In fact, these things can be easily bought in the ever reliable Amazon online shop, and you can have them delivered straight to your doorstep.
Materials that You Will Need for the Project
Here are the materials you will need for this project:
☛ A new fuel pump replacement
☛ Fatmat or Dynamat sound deadening materials
☛ Get the proper fuel tools for the job
☛ Utilize an affordable fuel pressure tester
☛ Use a voltmeter to keep the electrical components in check
Get To Know What a Fuel Pump is All About
If you want to know how to find a solution to your vehicle’s issues, then you need to orient yourself with the basic functions and parts of a car. The only way you can pinpoint if these are malfunctioning is to understand these parts’ roles and various purposes.
Older vehicle models use mechanical fuel pumps, which are placed on the engine block. On the other hand, newer cars utilize an electric fuel pump, which can be located within the interior of the gas tank itself. The pump is responsible for delivering the fuel located in the gas tank into the engine proper.
The pump is activate the moment you start your engine. You should usually hear a quiet, gentle humming sound. Any other kind of sound that is not similar to this should alert you right away that something needs maintenance or you need to fix it asap.
Reasons that Your Fuel Pump is Making Annoying Noises
It is rare for a vehicle to just stop working all of a sudden. There are telltale warning signs before something completely conks out. And usually, it doesn’t just stop on a whim but it stops working because of a valid reason.
For your fuel pump, you will know something is amiss based on the noisy sounds emanating from it. Here are some possible reasons why your fueling pump is making these noises:
- The usual culprit of this whining and weird noise is low fuel. If your car has a super low fuel level this means that the engine is working overtime. Don’t make the engine’s work more difficult by leaving your fuel tank near empty. Be sure to fill up when the gauge reaches one fourth. If you do these steps and you’re fuel tank is still whining, then something else could wrong.
- A damaged pump is the next probable reason for this noise. Punctures and dents within your fuel pump will cause it to lose efficiency. You can fix this problem if you have the proper fuel tools tools, along with a fuel pressure tester and a voltmeter. If you do not have the skills, then you have to take your vehicle to a mechanic. Schedule a maintenance check as soon as possible, so the damage will not escalate.
- Contaminated fuel is another culprit, which you can recognize by a specific grinding sound. You will heard this sound the moment the tank is fueled, so be mindful when you are filling up your car.
- Another very common reason for malfunction, which may be in part due to the car’s age is the loss of pressure. This happens when your vehicle does not receive sufficient power from the pump. To restore the pressure, it is critical to check your pump to see if it needs maintenance of a new fuel pump.
- Last, but definitely not the least, your fuel pump could have other damaged parts, which causes it to not work properly. This could be a brittle fuel hose or even a very loose connection. These are responsible for the whining sound, which should be addressed right away because the last thing you want for your vehicle is a leaking fuel hose.
Things You Need To Know Recognize a Fuel Pump Malfunction
- Please Use Amazon's Part Finder Function To Confirm If This Pump Fit Your Vehicle Before Purchase!
- Installation Notes: The Fuel Pump Comes With Universal Hardware To Fit Various Vehicles.It May Has Minor Difference In Size From Your Original Fuel Pump But Will Work.Some Models Also Require You To Change The Wiring ,Strainer And Other Parts To Complete Installation. Professional Installation Is Highly Recommended!
The most distinctive and telltale sign of a problematic fuel pump is that whining noise it generates. As soon as you hear this from your vehicle, that’s the first signal that your pump is getting old, worn out, and needs a replacement soon.
A fuel pump that is working well will just produce a typically quiet humming sound. When the excessive annoying noise comes out, then you have to be alarmed. You must bring this to your maintenance guy to be checked out.
If you have difficulties starting your vehicle, that is another warning sign of a problematic fuel pump. Remember, these fuel pumps run the moment you turn on the ignition. They also run constantly; so if you’re engine doesn’t want to completely start, then you know where to look.
Because of their big role in your vehicle, it is totally normal for fuel pumps to become weak or worn out with time. When it becomes weak, it leads to a host of other issues like lack of pressure. The result of this is you have to start the ignition many times to get the engine to work.
If the pump is really damaged, the engine won’t start. At times, your fuel pump problems may make even graver and multiple issues that may affect your car engine’s performance. Due to the faulty pump, your vehicle may suddenly lose power, diminish its acceleration prowess, stall the engine, cause a misfire, and decrease the vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
If you recognize these warning signs, it is time for you to visits a mechanic so the problems could be nipped in the bud. Smaller problems are cheaper and faster to deal with. The longer you wait, the more downtime and money will be spent because larger issues will undoubtedly crop up.
Useful Tips to Help You Silence a Whining Fuel Pump
To help mitigate this whining and annoying sound that may be ingratiating to your nerves already, you must consider the steps here under. Consider the list of solutions below, which will help you address the noise. Whatever deeper issues your vehicle may be facing, it is good to know all these possible issues and their prospective solutions, so that you’ll know what to do should problems arise:
1. Simply Fill Up Your Fuel Tank
This is by far the simplest and most easy solution. Filling the fuel tank is the best way to check if you’ve got other problems. If the whinging sound stops after you’ve visited a gas station, then consider yourself very lucky because this is a quick, easy, and cheap fix.
Remember, never wait until your fuel gas gauge is below the one-forth level. Always fill it up before it falls below that line. This should be a general guideline for all your vehicles to ensure the your fuel pump will last longer and perform optimally.
When your you fuel is super low, this means adding more stress to your engine and its other components. Don’t let this happen! Be a responsible driver on the road and pay attention to your vehicle’s fuel level.
2. Check for Fuel Contamination
A grinding sound is the signal for this kind of scenario, which your mechanic must professionally check out. This usually happens when water gets in to your fuel. Once water has contaminated your fuel pump, you will hear this kind of sound.
As soon as you hear it, you have to shut off your car’s engine asap. Then you can call your towing company and have the car taken to your mechanic. You have to do this right away because if you force your vehicle to operate with a contaminated engine, then other issues will surely crop up.
Warning: Running on contaminated fuel can damage multiple parts of your car may end up breaking or your engine can even be completely destroyed.
3. Replace Your Fuel Pump
Even if you have the most luxurious car in the market, with the highest quality of materials used to build it, there will still come a time that your fuel pump will need a replacement. Honestly, we find it better to have it completely replaced than fixing individual parts.
Even if you save on money fixing smaller parts, the rest of the parts will conk out in time. A fuel pump has a lifespan, so you must replace it and all its parts together. If you insist on fixing individually, things can get broken at different times, which will give you more headaches.
A fuel pump replacement is not expensive so replacing the whole thing makes a lot of sense. You can even do it yourself if you are a handyman. There are many online tutorials to get you started for this project.
4. Fix the Pressure Loss
A whining sound and a stalling engine are enough warnings to indicated that there is a loss of pressure in your vehicle. They may still allow you to continue driving, but you have to get this fixed asap so you will not damage the car. The cause of this may be a clogged pump strainer, dirty fuel filter, restricted fuel line, improper tank venting, and the like.
You can make sure that this is the real issue by testing your pump with this handy and affordable fuel pump pressure tester which is available online at Amazon. The most frequent issue is a faulty pressure regulator, so you can fix this yourself or by your mechanic.
5. Insulate or Sound Proof the Pump
If you have have done all the aforementioned steps and the fuel pump is still noisy, then it may really be just a loud one. You can use sound deadening materials for a significant reduction in noise. Stick this to the sides of your pump.
Final Words of Advice for an Annoying Fuel Pump
As you can can see, you must never ignore the warning signs coming from your fuel pump. This fuel pump as has a big job in making your car run. If you continue to ignore the signs like the sounds and stalling, then you will face bigger problems up ahead.
As a responsible driver and car owner, it is your obligation to understand how your own car works. You have to take good care of it, so that you can avoid any potential problems on the road.
If your fuel pump is really giving you issues, don’t put your life on the line. Instead of scrimping, just go ahead and totally replace the entire unit. It will not set you back thousands of dollars. The important thing is not just to be comfortable but to be safe.