Introduction

Hi there smart drivers. Rick with Smart Drive Test - quick tip for driving smart: Keep your fuel tank above a quarter tank! If you constantly run it below a quarter tank--down to the empty mark--eventually you're going to burn the fuel pump out. And to replace that fuel pump is about $650 to $1,000.

I had a friend the other day, her son was driving her truck. He broke down on the side of the road. She called me the next day and told me that the fuel pump had gone on the truck. The first question I asked her was, "do you regularly run your vehicle below a quarter tank?" She said, "yeah, all the time. "She says, "I wait till it goes down to empty and then I go & fuel it up. I said, "there's your problem." If you constantly let the vehicle run down below a quarter tank, eventually you're going to burn out the fuel pump. I'll be right back to explain why.

Hi there smart drivers, welcome back. Rick with Smart Drive Test. A quick tip for driving smart: keep your fuel tank above a quarter of tank. All vehicles are made up of many different systems: the electrical system; the cooling system; the lubrication system; and the fuel system is one of those systems within your vehicle.

Electronic Fuel Injection

The fuel system has changed with the advent of electronic fuel injection in the 1980s. The fuel pump is now powered by electricity from the vehicle's electrical system. And is often located inside the fuel tank. Prior to electronic fuel injection, it was mechanical and bolted on the side of the motor. And it was powered by the motor. Now they're electric. If you have a manual transmission and ever tried to get it to roll down a hill and pop the clutch to get it started, they usually won't get going because there's not enough power from the battery to turn over the fuel pump.

Starting Dead Battery :: Manual Transmission

And consequently, the vehicle is not getting fuel and won't start that way. Whereas in the old days if you turned the motor over, you also turned the fuel pump over and you could just pop the clutch and get it going. It won't do that now--most vehicles once you drain the battery-- you got to give it a boost. The other thing about technology and pump technology is is that most pumps now are lubricated by the very liquid that they pump. And as well the liquid that they pump also cools the pump. So what happens in your vehicle if you allow the fuel tank to run less than a quarter tank is that as the vehicle moves up and down the road and goes around corners and whatnot the fuel in the tank sloshes around and the fuel pump becomes exposed. When the fuel pump becomes exposed and out of the fuel that it's pumping, it becomes hot, it overheat. And it wears out the components in the fuel pump.

Keep Fuel In Tank for Emergencies

If you do this constantly--after year a couple years--you'll find yourself having to replace the fuel pump in your vehicle. One other reason why you should keep the fuel tank above a quarter tank, especially in the wintertime. If you end up in an emergency situation where you end up in the ditch and whatnot. You want more than a quarter tank of fuel so that you don't freeze to death. Because you need the vehicle to keep it warm inside the vehicle and generate heat. So in the winter time especially, keep it more than quarter tank. In conclusion keep your fuel tank above a quarter tank. That way the fuel pump will be well lubricated and cool and it won't burn out on ya.

And you won't have a costly repair. As well in the wintertime keep it above a quarter tank in the event of ending up in a ditch and ending up stranded. You're going to be able to run the motor every hour and get a little bit heat out of that motor and survive the crisis. If you like what you see here share, subscribe, leave a comment down in the comment section. All of that helps us out. As well, check out the videos below, check out the cards in the right-hand corner. Lots of good information about driving, especially if you're embarking on a road test. All this information will help you be successful on your road test.

Question for my smart drivers:

Leave a comment down in the comment section and help other people so they don't burn out the fuel pump. I'm Rick with Smart Drive Test. Thanks very much for watching. Remember pick the best answer, not necessarily the right answer. Have a great day. Bye now!