Yes, a bad fuel pump does have the ability to throw cold starts out of whack by messing up that clean and even delivery of fuel required for a crisp start, especially in lower temperatures. The engine needs a richer air-fuel mixture, after cold start, to adjust for the drop in fuel volatility as soon as cool conditions prevail. In some vehicles, an engine may not start at all while if the car starts then it might take a longer time to crank than usual because due to a failing fuel pump would be unable to provide enough fuel pressure which should typically measure around 30 or 60 psi. Without enough pressure, the fuel injectors will not be able to deliver the right volume of fuel resulting in hard starting, rough idling or in some severe cases no start.
Cold starts may be more annoying, if the fuel pump has wear or plug inside. The pump itself is weakened, and when fuel cools off it gets a little thicker... though an actually healthy in-tank pump should be able to deal with that! Vehicles with fuel pumps over 100,000 miles are 30% more likely to not start in cold weather- primarily because the pump is no longer capable of normal operations and the pressure changes on its own.
Fuel pump priming is a critical process that must occur during a cold start to bring the system up to the needed pressure before the engine actually turns over. If the fuel pump has trouble holding pressure, it takes a longer time to prime or does not prime at all so the driver has to turn on the key many times before enough pressure is achieved. Extended cranking periods are also hard on the battery, allowing it to easily wear off in addition to the repair cost and inconvenience of such a procedure. Fuel pump“For an engine to start in cold weather, the importance of a properly working fuel pump cannot be overemphasized,” write the car experts.
When the fuel pump is bad, it takes some time for ignition to occur; and in the case that you are able to ignite, your car will likely stall out shortly afterwards or even have a sluggish performance during warm up phases. Not just is drivability an issue but adds to fuel wastage by almost up to 10-15%, as the engine has to do much more work in order get a normalizing air-fuel mixture. Routine maintenance, replacing the fuel filter every 20–30K miles or so can reduce wear on the fuel pump which improves cold start efficiency and reliability.
Dealing with fuel pump problems early will allow the most performance in every condition, but also through winter when cold starts can be extremely hard on a fuel system. Fuel Pump offers a wide selection of fuel pumps for people looking for affordable alternatives and maintenance information.
