Cleaning A Natique Low-Pressure Fuel Pump: Step-By-Step Guide

Keeping your fuel pump clean is essential for ensuring your engine runs smoothly. A clogged fuel pump can cause issues such as engine sputtering, stalling, and power loss. While modern vehicles often have sealed, filter-less pumps, older vehicles or other machines with fuel pumps may require regular cleaning or maintenance to avoid these issues. This guide will cover the steps to clean a low-pressure fuel pump in a boat or older vehicle.

Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery

Disconnecting the battery is an important step when cleaning a fuel pump, especially when working with fuel, to ensure that nothing can produce a spark.

To disconnect the negative terminal on the battery, first locate the battery in the vehicle's engine bay or trunk. It will look like a black box with two posts sticking out of it. Locate the positive and negative terminal posts. These will be labelled with positive and negative symbols. Use the correctly-sized wrench to loosen the nut holding the cable to the negative post. Then, slide the cable off and tuck it to the side of the battery to ensure it doesn't accidentally come into contact with the terminal.

It is important to note that some fuel pumps are located in different places, so be sure to consult your vehicle's user and service manuals to locate the fuel pump.

Locate the fuel pump

Locating the fuel pump is the first step in cleaning a Natique low-pressure fuel pump. The location of the pump will vary depending on the specific vehicle or boat, so it is important to consult the user manual or service manual for your Natique to identify the exact location.

In general, fuel pumps can be found in various locations, such as under the carpet behind or under the rear passenger seat, under the front passenger seat, or in the trunk. However, if the instructions indicate that the pump is located on the engine, it is important to note that this is actually the fuel pressure regulator, which is a different component.

For Natiques with a fuel pump/sender unit, there is usually a cover that needs to be removed. This cover is often made of plastic and has fragile tabs, so it is important to be careful when removing it to avoid breakage. Once the cover is removed, the fuel pump can be accessed for cleaning or replacement.

It is also important to disconnect the negative terminal on the battery before attempting to locate or clean the fuel pump, as fuel pumps are electric devices immersed in fuel, and disconnecting the battery will prevent any sparking that could ignite gas fumes.

Place a container under the vehicle

Before placing the container, ensure that you have disconnected the negative terminal on the battery. Locate the battery in the vehicle's engine bay or trunk. It will look like a black box with two posts sticking out. Disconnect the negative terminal by locating the negative (-) symbol and using a wrench to loosen the nut holding the cable in place. Then, slide the cable off and tuck it to the side of the battery to ensure it does not accidentally make contact with the terminal.

Now, locate the fuel pump. Refer to an application-specific repair or service manual to help you identify and locate the fuel pump, as they can vary widely in appearance and location. Mechanical fuel pumps are usually found on the engine, rather than in the fuel tank, because they rely on the crankshaft to power them. Most mechanical fuel pumps will have a portion that looks like a metal circle with a nozzle coming out of the top or bottom.

Once you have located the fuel pump, you can begin the process of cleaning or replacing the filter.

Remove fuel lines

To remove the fuel lines from a boat, you must first remove the screws that hold and connect the fuel lines to the fuel tank. This can be done with a screwdriver or spanner. Once the screws have been removed, slowly pull the fuel lines off the fuel pump and fuel tank. Be careful not to damage the fuel lines.

For a car, the process is similar. First, disconnect the negative terminal on the battery. Then, locate the fuel pump. Place a container beneath the vehicle to catch any leaking fuel. There will be two fuel lines on the pump (an in and an out). If possible, leave them in place, but if you have to remove them to access the internal filter, do so by unscrewing the lines or loosening the hose clamps. Make sure any fuel draining from the line falls into the container.

If you are removing the fuel lines from a motorcycle, it will take a few minutes. First, take out the pump and put the housing back on to create a seal.

Clean the filter

To clean the filter of a Natique low-pressure fuel pump, you will need to first locate the pump. This can vary depending on the vehicle, but it is often found under the carpet behind or under a rear passenger seat, under a front passenger seat, or in the trunk. Once you have located the pump, you can begin the process of cleaning the filter.

The first step is to disconnect the negative terminal on the battery. This is important to ensure that there is no risk of sparking while you are working on the fuel pump. Make sure to tuck the negative cable away from the battery to avoid any accidental contact.

Next, you will need to remove any fuel lines that are connected to the pump. Be careful when doing this to avoid spilling fuel. Place a container under the vehicle to catch any fuel that may leak out.

With the fuel lines disconnected, you can now access the fuel pump housing. The housing is typically made of two parts: the lower housing, which contains the coarse mesh filter, and the upper housing, which contains the actual pump and other electrical parts. Use a narrow screwdriver to release the tabs holding these two parts together and carefully pry them away from each other.

Once the housing is open, you will see the coarse mesh filter, which is likely clogged with debris. Remove the filter by either pulling it off or unscrewing it, depending on the specific design of your fuel pump. If your filter is heavily clogged, it may be best to simply replace it with a new one, as it can be difficult to fully clean. However, if you choose to clean the filter, you can do so by washing it with warm water and allowing it to dry completely before reinstalling it.

After cleaning or replacing the filter, you can reassemble the fuel pump by placing the cover back on and securing it with the appropriate screws or bolts. Be sure to also reconnect any fuel lines that you disconnected earlier.

Finally, reconnect the negative terminal on the battery and start the engine to ensure that the fuel pump is working properly. Let the engine idle for a few minutes and check for any leaks or issues.

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