Will low fuel pressure make an engine stall? YES, a weak fuel pump CAN make your engine die — especially when you apply load, such as while accelerating. The fuel pump delivers a consistent pressure of fuel to the engine which corresponds to approximately 40-60 PSI for most automobiles. The engine is unable to receive fuel due to lack of pressure, resultinh into stalling when the pump weakens and cannot sustain this pressure. According to research conducted on vehicle fuel systems, low fuel pressure is the cause behind a quarter of them, especially with older vehicles as constant wear and tear can damage their fuel pump over time.
The fuel injectors depend upon a consistent supply of the pressurized fuel to construct the most suitable air-fuel mixture which will be fired up pretty suddenly. When the fuel pump does not supply enough gas, the air-fuel mixture is too weak and you will have a misfire or loss of power. This can be more noticeable under high load conditions like climbing hills or highway cruising, which requires the engine to burn extra fuel just to stay in the game. The service technicians said in their reports that fuel pumps are one of the main culprits for stalling in these circumstances.
This is because the engine control unit (ECU) in modern vehicles monitors fuel pressure and adjusts fuel delivery to suit engine loads. But if the fuel pump is not able to meet these demands of ECU, the ECU will face a hard time to keep an optimal air-fuel ratio and mostly car stall. Stalling problems, in fact, are particularly disturbing because if no major mechanical failures is detected by the diagnostic tools, they will find at least a symptom: fuel pressure inconsistencies.
For example, a major carmaker recalled more than 100,000 vehicles because of defective fuel pumps. Because of the weak pumps, there were numerous reports of stall, which could happen during acceleration or when driving at low speeds and presented a legitimate safety hazard for some drivers.
Henry Ford said it best, "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." Especially when it comes to low horsepower fuel pumps. If this happens you will have to replace or repair the fuel pump at some point, so doing it as soon as possible will prevent more engine damage and unnecessary costs in towing.
Weak Fuel Pump Usually runs 500-1,000: Depending on the vehicle make and model replacing a weak fuel pump. Ignoring this could lead to a larger engine problem which can cost you even more money to fix. A weak pump not only causes prolonged stalling in severe cases, but it may also damage the catalytic converter, which adds $1,000 or more to the total repair bill.
Conclusively, a faulty fuel pump for sure can kill the engine by preventing the proper mixture of fuel to be injected into combustion. The problem is easily preventable and by resolving it as soon as possible you will avoid expensive repairs and make your vehicle safer. To learn more about fuel pumps and other car maintenance facts, visit Fuel Pump.