A car would be stranded without a fuel system. Before experiencing this bad situation, learning some repairing techniques might be helpful. One might want to learn repairs for an automotive fuel system. A car's fuel system is based on either a carburetor or a fuel-injection system. The car service manual can tell which one is present.
Carburetor Replacement
The carburetor is a vital part of a car's power system since cars first drank or guzzled gas. To replace a carburetor, follow this simple guide:
1. Open the car's hood and find the carburetor. It is under a metal part known as the air-filter housing. The large hose has to be disconnected and remove the nut from the housing.
2. After seeing the carburetor, the throttle linkage and carburetor fuel line has to be disconnected.
3. Now the carburetor has to be removed. Many cars would require removing a couple of nuts at the edges.
4. The gasket between the intake manifold and the carburetor has to be removed. You must rub it off if it's stuck.
5. Rebuild or buy the carburetor. Rebuilding a carburetor means to take it apart, drench its parts in a cleaner, re-assembling the parts and then adjusting them by following the kit instructions.
6. Now put in the rebuilt or new carburetor in a reverse way in how it was taken out. Install the new carb, new gasket, attach the lines, a new air-filter housing and then the earlier one.
7. Finally, the carburetor can now be adjusted by following directions in the service manual.
Repairing Fuel-Injection
Fuel-injection systems are simpler as compared to carburetion systems. For proper working of the car, they may need sporadic repair or replacement. Throttle-body and multiport are the two most common types of fuel-injection systems nowadays. A throttle-body fuel-injection system is comparable to a carburetor while a multipart fuel-injection system controls the fuel distribution electronically.
To repair fuel-injection systems, follow this simple guide:
1. First, the pressure has to be relieved in the fuel system because fuel-injection systems are pressurized. The procedure is mentioned cars service manual or an aftermarket manual. Normally the filler cap on the fuel tank is removed and the specified pressure reliever is loosened.
2. The manufacturer's directions have to be followed for testing, repairing or replacement of components. Sometimes, a system can be simply fixed by tracing down all the wires and hoses.
3. In case the car's fuel-injection system is repaired within a reasonable time and cost, one should not try to act superior.
Repairing Fuel Tank and Fuel Line
For repairing fuel tanks and fuel lines, follow these steps:
1. Inspect the car's fuel tank and fuel lines and look for little wet spots. Touch them with a touch and sniff it to see if it is gasoline. If it is, then find other leaks and it should be repaired or replaced.
2. For repairing the fuel tank, buy an external or internal fuel tank sealer and apply it. External sealers are easily applied to the external holes of the engine and internal sealers seal all seen and hidden holes.
3. For replacing the fuel tank, it has to be depressurized first. Then draw off the fuel from the tank into gas cans. Separate the fuel tank from the output fuel line and inlet pipe. Take out the straps that attach the fuel tank to the car, Replace it with a re-built or new replacement tank.
4. For repairing a fuel line, it should be first determined how much replacement it needs. A rusted fuel line will quickly entice other holes and must be replaced while a damaged line can be repaired. A rubber fuel line which has a leak is probably old and needs to be replaced completely. A straight fuel line along with some flaring and bending tools would have to be purchased to fit it in the car.
Fuel Pump Repair
For repairing the fuel pump, follow this short guide:
1. Locate the fuel pump, the car service manual guides in pinpointing it.
2. Test it by removing the fuel lines from the pump. Use Vise-Grip pliers for clamping a rubber input line or use a cap or a wad of putty for a metal line. Check the fuel pump output pressure and volume.
3. For removing the fuel pump, remove its mounting bolts. Disconnect any electrical wiring. Draw off any gas present in the fuel pump. Be cautious and don't smoke while working.
4. The fuel pump has to be replaced with the one which has the same output. The car's specifications tell about the volume and pressure produced by the fuel pump.
