A suction enabled post shutdown combustor cooling and ventilation system including a pump fluidly coupled with a suction line, wherein the suction line is fluidly coupled with suction ports proximate a fuel system component near the combustor; a pump suction valve positioned in the suction line upstream of the pump; a pump discharge line fluidly coupled with the pump, an outlet fluidly coupled with the pump discharge line; and an engine core flow path fluidly coupled with the suction ports.