Fass Fuel System

People generally own trucks for one reason: they want a powerful, top of the line automotive vehicle that can outperform anything else on the road. Because of this, truck owners expect the highest amount of performance from their vehicles possible – as they should. So when problems in performance do surface, they can be extremely irritating. One big problem in truck design in the past has always been the lift pump. The lift pump is an item designed to do one thing: suck, or ‘lift’ fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injector. Unfortunately fuel pumps are prone to wearing out easily, leading to decreased performance and ultimately the need for replacement. Dodge trucks are notorious for having faulty lift pumps, leaving many truckers to look for better aftermarket replacements. And that’s not such a bad idea: aftermarket items are designed to perform better than factory items, giving you increased efficiency and reliability.

Additionally, even if your lift pump doesn’t seem to have any problems, there’s still a problem: automotive engines are designed and tested under optimal conditions. That means having the fuel tank suspended above the engine and completely stationary, with return fuel being pumped to a separate tank. In the real world, your fuel tank is positioned lower than your engine, hot fuel is returned back into the tank, and nothing ever remains stationary. These conditions lead to air and fuel vapors being mixed into what should just be pure fuel, and the output of your Diesel engine depends entirely on the combustion chambers receiving the correct proportion of air and fuel. These problems are constantly changing, and thus cannot be adapted for, which means optimal performance is lost.

This is where aftermarket fuel pumps come in, outperforming factory lift pumps by leaps and bounds, addressing all of the above issues. The most trusted brand among diesel performance products is FASS, which stands for Fuel Air Separation System. FASS fuel systems are fuel pumps that improve upon basic lift pumps in two ways. First, they are stronger and more reliable. The average life expectancy for a FASS fuel pump about 500,000 miles, and most applications come with a lifetime warranty, making them a preferred alternative to factory replacements, which just install the same kind of pump that wore out in the first place. Secondly, FASS fuel systems do exactly what their name says: they remove the air from your diesel fuel, as well as dirt and water, two other substances that commonly get mixed into your fuel and decrease performance. The result is pure fuel being injected into your combustion chambers, which means optimal performance.

In fact the list of benefits testified to by owners of FASS fuel systems is a long one: in addition to more consistent engine performance and higher horsepower, users can expect easier starts, greatly improved cold weather performance, quicker throttle response, and an extended fuel filter life. If that’s not enough for you, consider this: because a FASS fuel system optimizes your fuel injection, owners see improved fuel efficiency by 8% or more, which is a difference your wallet will appreciate.

There are other products similar to the FASS fuel system on the market, which you may have heard about, or be interested in. The biggest competitor for FASS is Airdog, which is designed to do the same things the FASS fuel system does. Airdog has its own share of satisfied customers, but most FASS and Airdog users alike will tell you there aren’t a whole lot of differences between the two products. If you’re looking for advice, most gearheads will tell you to go with a FASS fuel pump, simply because there are more of them on the road, there haven’t been many complaints against them, and owners swear by their performance boosts. It’s kind of an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, but one thing is for sure: while it may hold true for choosing a FASS fuel system, your factory lift pump is something you should replace, whether it’s broken or not.