How Do High-Flow Fuel Pumps Boost Engine Performance?
Multiple moving parts make up your engine and knowing how these different parts enhance your vehicle is critical. it's a good idea to know how high-flow fuel pumps boost your engine’s performance. Here are a few things to know before making that investment.
What Does a High-Flow Fuel Pump Do?
The essential purpose of a fuel pump is to deliver gas from the tank to the engine to keep your car running smoothly. High-flow fuel pumps allow for a greater amount of fuel to flow to the engine. This flow is measured in gallons per hour (gph) and liters per hour (lph).
When upgrading your fuel pump, consider what type of fuel you plan to use. Some high-flow fuel pumps are rated only for use with gasoline, and these fuel pumps will fail if they are used with alcohol-based fuels like methanol and ethanol.
Do I Need a High-Flow Fuel Pump?
If you're adding forced induction to your vehicle, such as a turbocharger or supercharger, or upgrading the turbo/supercharger pulley for increased boost, installing a high-flow fuel pump is crucial. The same applies to heavily ported naturally aspirated engines with aggressive aftermarket camshafts, as they may require more fuel flow than what a factory fuel pump can provide. However, it's important to consider injector capacity and fuel line sizing alongside the fuel pump upgrade to ensure optimal performance. In cases where external engine modifications like an air intake system or high-flow exhaust are added, a high-flow fuel pump isn't typically necessary for performance optimization. An exception would be if the OEM fuel pump fails, and you plan to make high-performance upgrades in the future.
Benefits of a High-Flow Fuel Pump.
Think of your engine as a large air pump that requires three elements to combust: fuel, air, and spark. When you want to increase the horsepower of your engine, you need to make modifications to allow more air into the engine. And as you increase the airflow into the engine, you must also increase the fuel and ignition energy (spark). A high-flow fuel pump itself doesn't add power, but during significant engine upgrades, it can enhance engine performance by supplying higher fuel flow to meet the increased demand, thus increasing power output.
