The average individual does not know a great deal about how the vehicle they drive works. In most cases, this is not a problem, however, a little knowledge can greatly improve your chances of saving money in the long run on fuel costs, maintenance and repairs. A good starting point is the fuel delivery system of your car.

Anyone who has filled their car with gas knows that the fuel goes from the pump hose into the little hole that leads to the fuel tank. Different types of vehicles have different size fuel tanks. A truck’s fuel tank is likely to be larger than a car’s fuel tank. When talking about how the fuel system works, size means very little. No matter the size of tank your vehicle has, the fuel will not be sent to the engine until the computer system in your vehicle tells it to go there.

Today’s cars, for the most part, feature a fuel pump that is located in the gas tank itself rather than under the hood. This fuel pump is an essential element in the fuel delivery system. It consists of a slightly raised platform (which, in fact, is a fuel filter) on which rests a tube. The fuel is taken up into the fuel tube, through the filter and on to the engine.

When the gasoline comes through the fuel line into the engine, it runs through another fuel filter. These filters are removing harmful debris and particles that will cause your engine to run less efficiently. The more filters in your system, the better your engine will run. After this second filter, the gasoline is pushed through a fuel rail, across the top of the engine, and down into the fuel injectors. The injectors spray it into the combustion chamber where the real action is.

Since the invention of the internal combustion engine, the fuel system has had little to no changes. Engine manufacturers have upgraded the filters used and have introduced computer technology to increase the efficiency of the engine, but otherwise it is still the same system it was 40 years ago. Why fix what is not broken?

Now that you know the basics of the fuel delivery system of your car you should be able to see the value of learning about additional components that make your car function such as gears, tires and engines.

Now Try – Fuel Tanks