Mechanical vs. Electric Fuel Pump: What’s The Difference?

Your car’s fuel pump does the crucial role of delivering the right amount of fuel to your engine. If it fails, your car won’t be able to perform at maximum capacity or worse, it wouldn’t even start running at all. In recent years, scoring OEM Mercedes fuel pumps as replacements for damaged ones have gained popularity among car owners. Still, you’re left to choose between two options — a mechanical or an electric fuel pump?

The Mechanical Fuel Pump

Fuel pumps are originally “mechanical” in nature. They perform through manual operations like engine rotation and vacuum pressure. They’re commonly referred to as puller-style pumps because of this very literal definition: They pull fuel out of your tank and send it to the carburetor. As your car engine’s RPMs increase, the manual fuel pump activity will also increase.

One of the many reasons why car owners choose mechanical OEM Mercedes fuel pumps over their electric counterparts is convenience. They are relatively easier to install and you won’t have to worry about all those complex and intricate wirings. This type of fuel pump is also more budget-friendly.

However, a mechanical fuel pump is only suitable for carbureted fuel systems with an engine rater under 450 hp. If your car has higher horsepower ratings, you’d most probably need an electric pump.

The Electric Fuel Pump

Many modern cars perform optimally if they have an electric fuel pump. Such cars typically require high fuel pressures (e.g. Boosted applications, nitrous, and fuel injections).

The electric fuel pump is controlled by a computer system, which you can use to monitor air and fuel ratio, exhaust content, and throttle position. Located inside or near the fuel tank, this doesn’t require a vacuum for it to deliver fuel to your car’s engine. However, as mentioned, you have to accurately deal with wirings in order to install it properly and for it to work optimally. Take note that the length of the wiring can be long because the pump has to be installed in the tank and it has to be at the same level as the fuel or lower.

A significant advantage though is that it is less prone to damage compared with mechanical ones (whether they’re OEM Mercedes fuel pumps or authentic ones). Just take note that once an electric pump fails, the extent of damage can be more serious — your engine may putter or die, preventing your car engine from starting and running. Furthermore, this type of fuel pump provides a wide variety of flow rates and pressure outputs.

Maximizing Your Fuel Pump’s Lifespan

Whether what you’ve got is a mechanical or an electric fuel pump, it’s important to help prolong its lifespan. Maximizing your pump’s lifespan will save you a significant amount of money, energy, and time.

To do this, you should never allow your fuel level to fall below the ¼-mark. Additionally, you should change your inline fuel filter annually — or after traveling 12,000 to 15,000 miles. Lastly, you should make it a habit to clean your fuel system. Experts advise that you should bring your car to a mechanic for a fuel-system cleaning after every 20,000 to 30,000 miles.

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