If a car requires more fuel delivery than normal, usually from modifications or high-horsepower applications, high-performance fuel pumps are a must. The standard fuel pumps work comfortably in the 40 and 60 psi range, enough for most stock engine combos. But performance-moded engines pushing 400 or more horsepower in some cases need a lot of fuel, at high pressures, to keep the right air-to-fuel ratio. It's there that high-performance fuel pumps come into play as they are capable of withstanding more fuel flow--the kind required of a turbocharged, supercharged or nitrous port--than the factory equipment.
Built to withstand high pressures over 100 psi, high performance pumps flow fuel at a rate that no regular mechanical pump can. A higher capacity fuel pump, such as some of the high-performance pumps we went over earlier on in the article can be rated at a flow rate of 255 liters per hour (LPH) or more, whereas conventional pumps would typically top out around the range of just 120-150 LPH. This additional flow allowance will help provide the engine with enough fuel to prevent leaning, which can cause detonation and harm your engine. The smallest hole in a fuel hose or the lowest sag of fuel pressure for racing or track use can so easily hold an engine back, it can overheat otherwise; thus high performance pumps are essential to engine reliability.
In high-performance environments, keeping an even fuel flow translates to both the life of the engine and predictable performance. Want to extract every last drop of gears, but most standard pumps give up in continuous high-demand and hi-RPM situations resulting 10-15% loss of engine efficiency. Conversely, high-performance fuel pumps provide the engine with an efficient and safe flow of constant fuel at all times, even if they are subjected to extreme conditions (like those seen with drag racing). This reliability is especially valuable in endurance racing since cars in long-distance races spend a fair time at wide open throttle and require consistent fuel delivery.
American legend Carroll Shelby famously added, “Power is nothing without control. A well-functioning Fuel Pump in performance applications enables that control, allowing the engine to safely make a greater amount of power while avoiding issues from fuel. For the enthusiasts and racers out there, high performance aftermarket fuel pumps mean that modifications work to their fullest potential by maintaining peak fuel flow, efficiency and reliability under the most demanding conditions.