What Does A Fuel Pump Strainer Do?

If you look at a fuel pump that mounts in the fuel tank, you’ll find an oblong filter attached to the bottom opening of the pump (over the fuel pick-up tube). That’s the fuel pump strainer. It’s a part that’s not often discussed. Yet, it’s an important part of the fuel system.

What Does A Fuel Pump Strainer Do?

The sender/hanger design is one of the greatest fuel pump innovations of our time. The fuel pump strainer is an integral part of this design.

The fuel pump strainer is not a moving part. It’s a very, very fine mesh filter that covers the fuel pick-up tube. That’s where the fuel pump sucks in fuel from the tank. With the presence of the fuel pump strainer, only clean fuel can enter the fuel pump.

The fuel tank can collect many different impurities, including:

• Dirt
• Sand
• Water
• Tank sediment
• Rust particles
• Gasoline deposits and varnish

If these contaminants enter the fuel pump, two things can happen:

1. The fuel pump gets damaged. The fuel pump would have to work harder to pump fuel to the engine. If enough contaminants enter it, the pump will fail eventually.
2. The fuel gets dirty. This will affect the fuel injectors, and may wear them out over time.

The fuel pump strainer is the first line of defense against fuel system contamination. That’s why it’s an important part of the fuel pump design.

Is The Fuel Pump Strainer The Same As A Fuel Filter?

The fuel pump strainer is sometimes called a “fuel pump filter”. This leads some people to wonder if it’s the same part as a fuel filter. The answer is no. The fuel pump strainer and the fuel filter both serve the same purpose: to trap contaminants. Yet, these are two different parts. The fuel pump strainer is attached to the fuel pump. The fuel filter is usually fitted into the fuel line.

GMB Fuel Pumps Come With High Quality Fuel Pump Strainers

It’s common for low quality fuel pump strainers to clog up over time. That can get pretty expensive. A clogged fuel pump strainer restricts the flow of fuel into the pump. This forces the fuel pump to work harder and draw a much higher current. This leads to premature fuel pump failure. A clogged strainer is one of the top causes of fuel pump failure.

That’s why it’s so important to use high quality fuel pump strainers. With GMB, you don’t have to worry about any quality issues. All GMB fuel pump assemblies (and some GMB fuel pump kits) include a high quality fuel pump strainer. All our strainers come with a 150 micron rating. We also produce them with the best non-paper filtering material available.