So my 2020 Tahoe has finicky and unreliableby nature “Direct Injection” it has what I believe is a traditional electric fuel pump in the tank. Low and behold there is an old style mechanical pump that provides the high pressure needed for the direct injection.
It looks like something off an old carbureted engine with its spring and the fact I believe it runs off the camshaft.
This just proves no matter how far we advance we seem to circle back to reliable and proven technology for some things.
Another notable example of this back when the 05 Silverados went back to reliable and economical drum brakes for several years on ALL trim levels of the 1500s.
It seems we fall for all the new geewhiz bang gadgetry and we end up just about where we were many years later.
In fact while it will likely never happen, with today’s technology there is reason we couldn’t make a sort of “super carburetor” that could rival the most advanced fuel injection systems. And before you say they already did that with the TBI systems, I am talking about device that operates on the same principal as a carburetor, drawing fuel out of jets.
Basically a computer controlled carburetor like they had in the 80s but with today’s much better processing power. There is no reason that wouldn’t work and work well.
I dare you to look at a high pressure fuel pump for the 2020 Tahoe and tell me it doesn’t look like something off of a 1965 VW Beetle.
Direct injection is a old technology. All diesels use this technology going way, way back. German fighter planes had direct injection. This allowed dogfighting maneuvers without the engine cutting out. These were all mechanical systems.
The Brit Spitfire was carbureted and had problems with the engine cutting out during dogfights until a smart lady developed a fix for it.
Mercedes built the Gullwing in the 50s with mechanical direct injection. It made as much as 240 hp from a 3 liter 6 cylinder.
Electronic direct injection started in diesels and migrated to gasoline engines in the 2000s. That pump you think is similar to old car pumps fuel at 700 to as much a 3000 psi.
I’ve had my share of fuel pump problems. I’d gladly put a mechanical one in. I think I paid $15 for the one for the 59 Pontiac and took a couple hours to put it in. Just memories not reality today.
My 83 Mitsubishi had a mechanical fuel pump attached to cyl head to feed the carb. Driven by camshaft. Interesting design I suppose. I think the cyl head was only slightly warmer then block but pump did have a plastic spacer to lessen heat transfer.
Rick- you truly don’t know your ■■■■ from your ulna. The old mechanical fuel pumps (including the one on a beetle) only put out 4-5 pounds of pressure. Today’s direct injection pumps have a lot more in common with the diesel pumps on a vintage Mercedes. Engage brain before putting mouth in gear.
