Fuel System: Components, Working Principles, Symptoms and Emission Controls

FUEL SYSTEM: COMPONENTS, WORKING PRINCIPLES, SYMPTOMS AND EMISSION CONTROLS
The function of the fuel system is to store and supply fuel to the cylinder chamber where it can be mixed with air, vaporized, and
burned to produce energy. The fuel, which can be either gasoline or diesel is stored in a fuel tank. A fuel pump draws the fuel from the
tank through fuel lines and delivers it through a fuel filter to either a carburetor or fuel injector, then delivered to the cylinder chamber
for combustion.
COMPONENTS
1. Fuel Tank: The fuel tank is the main storage for the fuel that runs the vehicle. Generally speaking, the gas tank is generally found at,
or under, the rear of the vehicle.
2. Fuel Injectors: Sprays a fine mist of fuel into the combustion chamber of each cylinder or throttle body, depending on the design.
The fuel injectors are driven by the fuel pump and their job is to spray a fuel and air mixture into the combustion chamber, ready to be
ignited to produce power to the driven wheels. The fuel injectors are basically a nozzle, with a valve attached, the nozzle creates a spray
of fuel and air droplets (atomization). This can be viewed similar to that of a perfume dispenser or deodorant can in principle, spraying
a fine mist.
3. Fuel Fill Hose :The Fuel Fill Hose is the main connector from the gas cap to the fuel tank. This is the point where the Gasoline (or
other fuel) is put into the vehicle.
4. Gas Cap: The gas cap seals the fill hose and is used to ensure that
A) Gas does not spill out from the car, and

B) that the fuel system remains pressurized correctly (in vehicles that use pressurized systems).
5. Fuel Pump
The fuel pump is used to pump the fuel from the fuel tank, via the fuel lines into the fuel injectors, which spray the fuel into the
combustion chamber- in order to create combustion. There are two types, mechanical fuel pumps (used in carburetors) and electronic
fuel pumps (used in electronic fuel injection).
• Mechanical fuel pumps: these are driven normally by auxiliary belts or chains from the engine.
• Electronic fuel pumps: controlled by the electronic fuel injection system, these are normally more reliable and have fewer reliability
issues than their mechanical counterparts.
6. Fuel Filter
The fuel filter is the key to a properly functioning fuel delivery system. This is more true with fuel injection than with carbureted cars.
Fuel injectors are more susceptible to damage from dirt because of their close tolerances, but also fuel injected cars use electric fuel
pumps. When the filter clogs, the electric fuel pump works so hard to push past the filter, that it burns itself up. Most cars use two
filters. One inside the gas tank and one in a line to the fuel injectors or carburetor. Unless some severe and unusual conditions occur to
cause a large amount of dirt to enter the gas tank, it is only necessary to replace the filter in the line.
7. Fuel Lines
The Fuel Lines connect all of the various Fuel System components.
Steel lines and flexible hoses carry the fuel from the tank to the engine. When servicing or replacing the steel lines, copper or aluminum
must never be used. Steel lines must be replaced with steel. When replacing flexible rubber hoses, the proper hose must be used.
Ordinary rubber such as used in vacuum or water hose will soften and deteriorate. Be careful to route all hoses away from the exhaust
system.
8. Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge exists as a display item in the vehicle’s dashboard. It is intended to show to the driver the actual amount of fuel in the
fuel tank. On older cars, it’s common for fuel gauges (or their related part, the sending unit) to be inaccurate. When you first start
driving your classic car take time to learn how accurate the system is. It’ll save you from a long walk to the gas station if you run out of
gas!
9. Fuel Gauge Sending Unit
In terms of the fuel system, this may be your biggest headache. Sending units, at best, are generally a flawed design. Generally, the
sender is most accurate between 1/4 and 3/4 of a tank of gas. Outside of this, the gauge becomes progressively more inaccurate as you
reach the tank limits (full or empty).Based on the age of the vehicle, the type of carburetion/fuel injection, and the emissions standards
in place at the time it may also have:
10. Fuel return lines
They are generally the same types of line tubing as the main Fuel Line. These specific lines are used for a couple purposes. Primarily
they are used to return excess fuel to the gas tank for recirculation. Additionally, they capture gasoline vapors, which, as they are
pushed back to the gas tank cool and condense back into the liquid. In particular, diesel-powered fuel injected engines often use the fuel
as a cooling mechanism for the fuel injector. They can recirculate significant amounts of fuel.
11. Emission Vapor Controls
These are often used in combination with fuel return lines. The goal of this section of the overall system is to ensure that gasoline
vapors are not released into the ambient air. If this occurs a number of bad things may happen: 1) The earth-shattering kaboom of
gasoline vapors igniting, 2) The unpleasant smell of gasoline is routed into the interior of the vehicle, and 3) It can harm the
environment.
12. Fuel Pressure Regulator
Fuel Pressure Regulators are primarily found in fuel-injected cars. Fuel injection, as opposed to carburetion, is a high-pressure system.
The fuel pressure regulator ensures that the system maintains the proper amount of pressurization.
13. Pulsation Damper:
As the fuel Injectors rapidly open and close in time with the engines OTTO cycle, pressure fluctuations appear in the fuel system. A
Pulsation Damper job is to help combat the pressure levels reducing fuel delivery inconsistency.

Fuel System: Components, Working Principles, Symptoms and Emission Controls

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FUEL SYSTEM: COMPONENTS, WORKING PRINCIPLES, SYMPTOMS AND EMISSION CONTROLS

A) Gas does not spill out from the car, and

10. Fuel return lines

11. Emission Vapor Controls

12. Fuel Pressure Regulator

13. Pulsation Damper:

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