Fuel Pump Pressure
& Volume Testing
T
he first two articles in
this series focused on
the electrical aspects of
electric fuel pump diag-
nosiselectrical circuit
diagnosis (February
2003) and oscilloscope amp probe test-
ing (March 2003). The fuel pump con-
verts energy from the vehicles electrical
system into pressure and volume, test-
ing of which is covered in this final in-
stallment.
Obviously, a completely dead pump
will keep the engine from starting. But
how will a pump thats on its last legs af-
fect performance? Any fuel injected en-
gine thats difficult to start, idles rough,
hesitates, lacks power under load or
runs lean probably isnt getting enough
fuel, and a weak pump may be to
blame.
Install a fuel pressure gauge. Some
systems provide a convenient pressure
tap; it may be necessary to tee into the
supply line on others. Start the engine
to determine whether the regulated and
unregulated fuel pressures are up to
specs. Remove the vacuum hose lead-
ing to the pressure regulator. This un-
regulated fuel pressure indicates how
much pressure the pump will deliver
while the engine is under full-load, low-
manifold-vacuum conditions.
Reinstall the pressure regulator vacu-
um hose. The fuel pressure should re-
turn to the manufacturers idle specifi-
cation. The regulator adjusts fuel pres-
sure in response to changes in intake
manifold vacuum and engine load. If
the regulated fuel pressure is too high,
the likely causes are a damaged pres-
sure regulator or an obstructed return
line. Low pressure can be caused by a
clogged fuel filter or in-tank filter sock,
a defective pressure regulator, a restrict-
ed fuel supply line or a weak pump.
Eliminate all other possible causes of
50 May 2003
BY KARL SEYFERT
low pressure before installing a new fuel
pump.
A deadhead fuel pressure test is simi-
lar to the stress test a cardiologist may
one day ask you to take. It determines
the fuel pumps reserve capacity by
briefly asking it to deliver as much pres-
sure as it can. To perform a deadhead
fuel pressure test, pinch off the fuel re-
turn line while observing the rise in fuel
pressure. This test should be brief.
A healthy pump may manage to
jump from 60 to 90 psi. But if the pres-
sure rise is minimal, either the fuel
Photo: Karl Seyfert
pump is weak or something is keeping it
from delivering its all.
To prevent fuel percolation and aid
hot- and cold-engine starting, fuel injec-
tion systems must maintain residual, or
rest, pressure when the engine is off.
All systems lose residual pressure over
time. Its just a question of how fast and
how much before its a problem.
Since the entire supply side of the fu-
el system is normally pressurized, a loss
of residual pressure could be caused by
a leaking injector, pressure regulator or
fuel pump check valve. Determining
which involves isolating various parts of
the fuel system, saving you the trouble
of visually inspecting each component.
A ruptured regulator diaphragm will
pass fuel to the vacuum hose and into
the intake manifold. To isolate the regu-
lator, pressurize the fuel system, then
pinch off the fuel return line with pliers
or clamps designed for this purpose. If
the residual pressure continues to drop,
the cause lies elsewhere. Repeat the
same test to isolate the injector rail.
The fuel pumps internal check valve
may be allowing residual pressure to
leak into the fuel tank. To test, isolate
the pump close to the fuel injector rail,
then pressurize the system. No fuel
pressure should reach the injectors or
the pressure regulator during this test.
If the fuel line pressure rapidly drops to
zero, the residual fuel pressure is leak-
ing past the fuel pump check valve, or
through a fuel line fitting.
An often overlooked, final test is
pump volume. The simplest volume
test involves opening the fuel supply
line at the injector rail, then measuring
fuel volume during a timed, power-on
fuel pump test. This involves pumping
gasoline into an open container at a
high rate, which poses obvious safety
risks. Additionally, this test does not
show what the pump will do when its
under load. Dedicated equipment is
available to safely and conveniently test
fuel pressure and volume.
A final word about volume: Some
systems use more than one fuel pump.
On early Bosch fuel injection systems,
one pump is responsible for volume,
while another handles pressure. The
low-pressure, high-volume pump is lo-
cated in the tank, and a high-pressure
pump is attached to the vehicle frame.
The system may work with a worn or in-
operative in-tank pump, although not
well. This also puts a strain on the exter-
nal pressure pump, so always check
both before replacing either.
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