In controlling fuel pressure in turbo setups, how does the internal construction of a fuel pump help? Turbocharged engines need a regulated fuel pressure because of the more air that comes in from force induction turbocharger. During boost conditions, that air-fuel mixture gauge will be all wrong if the pump is unable to supply enough fuel at a higher pressure. Generally, turbocharged engines require nominal fuel pressure to be maintained in the range of 40-60 PSI under normal operating conditions, where as high power fuels must increase as the power does due to increased boost. If the turbo is putting out 10 PSI of boost, the fuel pressure regulator increases fuel pressure by 10PSI accordingly in order to maintain the proper air-fuel mixture supplied to your engine.
In a turbocharged engine, the fuel pump is fiddle-faddling with the fuel pressure regulator to achieve such a balance. Boooost or vacuum-referenced, as the regulator adjusts fuel pressure based on the manifold pressure. This is to prevent a lean condition (too much air and not enough fuel), which can lead to detonation, leading to engine failure. In fact, studies have shown that running lean under boost can reduce the life of an engine by as much as 30%, hence the importance of not only delivering enough fuel, but doing so with precision.
Boosted engines with fuel pumps usually have larger flow rates to account for. As an example, a customized high-performance fuel pump could enable over 255 liters per hour (LPH) of flow, which would provide the capacity necessary to meet enhanced fuel requirements at higher RPMs and boost levels. Keeping this flow rate flowing means that the engine provides the power output required, without damaging it.
In motorsports, where accurate fuel delivery is critical, this kind of regulation manifests itself in turbocharged engines. All of these items must work together at high-performance levels to get fuel to the engine in a timely manner: the pump, regulator, and injectors. That remains significant in the real world of turbocharged race cars, where each small change in fuel pressure can be worth 5-percent power to the motor, so onsite automotive engineers often end up tweaking these components for maximum output.
Automative pioneer Ferdindand Porsche said: “In creating automobiles, it is not because people have failed or done things badly.Rather because they did the job and took their challenge. Controlling Fuel Pressure on Turbocharged Engines … Turbochargers and max power go hand in hand, but when it comes to sacrificing the engine instead of regulating fuel pressure for that ultimate horsepower numbers,…
Upgrading (also known as replacing) a fuel pump in a turbocharged vehicle realistic price ranges from $300- $1000, ranging from specific to application and mounts. When fuel pressure is not properly controlled poor engine performance, increased emissions and expensive damage can result, especially in high-boost applications.
So there you have it; the fuel pump is responsible for ultimatly regulating final fuel pressure in a turbocharged engine by cooperating with a boost-referenced fuel pressure regulator to scale our fuel delivery with respect to how high (or low) power goes. It adjusts fuel delivery to match variations in engine load so that the engine itself will always enjoy an optimal air-fuel mix. If you want to know more about the technology of Airtex fuel pumps, then please use our „Fuel Pump“.