Volvo’s are popular cars both in Europe and here in the USA. Hard working, reliable, and perfect for the rigours of daily life, with the right care, it is rare a Volvo will ever let you down. You can also help reduce the risk of parts failure in your Volvo with regularly scheduled maintenance. In this article, we will take a closer look at what you can do to safeguard your car’s fuel pump.

What is the fuel pump?

The fuel pump is part of the engine system found under the hood of your Volvo. It is mounted to the side of the gas tank or inside the tank itself. The location really depends on your Volvo’s model. The function of the fuel pump is to draw gas from the gas tank and feed it down a pipe to the carburettor for it to be mixed with air for optimum ignition. Fuel pumps can be mechanical or electrical. This will often depend on the model and age of your car.

Tips to Maintain your Volvos Fuel Pump

While it does an important job, maintaining the fuel pump is actually rather simple. In fact, many of us do this simply by being good drivers. Let’s look at some of the ways we can keep our fuel pumps healthy.

Quality Fuel

While saving money is a great practice for many factors in life, when it comes to your car, it is worth paying a little more for good fuel for the long-term benefits. Cheap fuels often don’t have the right additives and conditioners that help look after your car’s engine and its systems. Others may have a higher level of contaminants, which can block up your systems, including the fuel pump.

Running the Tank Down

Unlike technology, where running down the battery of a phone or computer increases and preserves the lifespan of the charge, letting your Volvos tank run below half can be harmful to the fuel pumps. Because many fuel pumps are submerged into the fuel, they are kept cool. When they become exposed, they are also exposed to heat, leading them to become worn out faster. Also, when the fuel level is low, the fuel pump has to work much harder to bring the fuel up to the carburettor, which could potentially lead it to become worn out faster.

Know Your Gas Station’s Schedule

If you have a favorite gas station you frequent, ask the staff when they usually refill their pumps. When the pumps have recently been refilled, dirt and and deposits that usually sit at the base of the pump are stirred up, mixing with the new fuel. If you refill your car at this time, you allow these sediments to enter your car, potentially clogging up the pumps, the injectors, and the filters.

Use an Anti-Ethanol Agent

If you use your car for short trips or infrequently, then adding an anti-ethanol agent will help look after your Volvo’s fuel pump. This will help ensure that the fuel residing in your tank does not gel or thicken or cause fuel separation. Fuel separation is one of the leading causes of fuel pump and injector failure, largely due to these precise parts becoming clogged with the separated fuel.

Master Mechanics Auto Repair

Of course, the best way to maintain your Volvo’s fuel pump is to regularly schedule maintenance and servicing from a professional. This will help ensure that if anything is wrong with the fuel pumps, or any other of your engines systems, it is caught early.

If you live in or around Battle Creek, Portage, or Kalamazoo, MI, call or come by to consult with Master Mechanics Auto Repair. Experienced not only in European cars but also in Asian and domestic models also, there’s no problem that the team at Master Mechanics haven’t come across before. We also have a recommended tow service to allow you to bring your car to our auto shop, even if it refuses to start. And with a host of 5-star reviews and a 10% discount when you recommend us to a friend, you really have no reason to head anywhere else for your vehicle repair, maintenance, and servicing.