Yes, a faulty fuel pump may be able to cause overheating in the engine, although indirectly. The fuel pump serves to always provide the proper pressure on the flow of fuel from the tank into the engine for combustion to occur efficiently. If the pump begins to fail, fuel delivery to the engine becomes erratic, sometimes creating a lean fuel mixture-too little fuel for the amount of air entering the engine. So, if this is your problem, it might be sending your engine into an overly hot condition since combustion gets less efficient, generating more heat.
According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, more than 30% of all engine overheating is related to problems in fuel delivery, which include faulty fuel pumps. If the fuel pump cannot provide the required fuel pressure, then the engine may suffer from fuel starvation. Consequently, the engine’s cylinders have to work harder to perform, putting more load and hence generating more heat. This extra heat could also help in putting a load on the engine cooling system and raise operation temperatures, leading to overheating.
Other contributing factors are that many fuel pumps reside inside the fuel tank and, in most designs, the fuel circulating through the pump also serves to cool and lubricate it. If a pump becomes faulty or otherwise fails, proper circulation cannot take place, leading to over-heating of the pump. This can, in turn, affect the overall temperature of the engine. According to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, a faulty fuel pump is one of the main causes of overheating in most vehicles, especially those with over 100,000 miles.
Besides, according to research by the U.S. Department of Energy, even slight variations in fuel pressure caused by a failing pump can significantly impact engine temperature. Modern engines are sensitive to the delivery of fuel. Disruption could result in either inefficiency or overheating. Fuel pressure and temperature are factors an engine’s management system constantly checks on, so if there’s a pump issue and inconsistent fuel flow occurs, overheating can occur with the resultant effect of a cascade in stress on systems.
In other words, while a faulty fuel pump does not directly cause overheating, it can give rise to conditions that do. If a fuel pump isn’t working correctly, the engine may have to work harder and produce more heat. Over time, this can cause damage to the engine and cooling system, making the vehicle more susceptible to overheating.
For more information on how to avoid such problems, consider reading through the quality of your Fuel Pump from time to time to ensure that it functions optimally. For more information, see Fuel Pump.