Author: Dennis Chapman
Published: October 25, 2012
Reading time: 1 minute
This article is 13 years old.
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A recent query about the premature failure of a diesel injector pump highlighted the growing problem of drivers looking for cheaper fuels to offset the rising costs at the pumps.
In this particular case a supplier sold a reconditioned pump to be fitted to a customer’s vehicle and in a very short space of time it failed.
It was established that the fuel being used by the customer was diesel mixed with over 13% Bio-diesel and containing impurities which may well have been recycled chip frying oil.
Diesel from the retail pump will generally have been 5% and 7% FAME (fatty and methyl esters) which is the technical terms for the Bio-fuel content.
Injector fuel pumps are only designed for use of up to 7% FAME. When drivers begin to add levels of FAME above 7% then the pumps will prematurely deteriorate.
Car retailers should be aware of this problem since pump failure may well not be a symptom of a lack of satisfactory quality in the car sold.
