A fuel filter is a cylindrical filter that sits midway between your gas tank and your fuel injection system or carburetor. It is made to screen out dirt and rust particles from the fuel before it makes its way to your engine.
Let’s not split hairs, your fuel filter passes gas. When it doesn’t, that is when the problems begin. Below we take a look at the 3 key benefits of a clean fuel filter and its suggested replacement interval.
Increased Fuel Economy: Your engine works better and longer when it receives a steady flow of clean gasoline. A clean fuel filter means less resistance in the fuel system, and greater efficiency means lower fuel consumption.
Increased engine performance: Modern cars have fuel injection systems that require high operating pressure. A clogged filter reduces the pressure and hinders performance.
No More Misfires: A fuel injection system in most cases has a minimum pressure requirement around 50psi. When your fuel filter gets clogged, the fuel pump has to work extremely hard to push fuel through the filter. This puts strain on the fuel pump and the pressure begins to drop in the injection system. Low pressure means misfires and a rough ride.
This is a bit of tricky question, only because you can’t visually inspect a fuel filter without cracking it open to see how it looks inside. That is why you should stick to schedule maintenance timeline. Most manufacturers say you should change the fuel filter every 50,000 kilometres, but we recommend doing it at 25,000. The $50 replacement every couple of years is a valuable investment against a very expensive fuel pump replacement.
At your next service we will check your maintenance history and let you know if it is time for a replacement. Our system keeps logs of your past services and your manufacture suggested replacement intervals so we can guarantee your car will be running strong when you need it most.
Does it really need to be replaced?
The decrease in fuel economy and poor performance come on slowly, so you may not think there are any problems with your fuel system. If the maintenance interval is up you will definitely notice and difference, it is very much worth the expense.
How much does a dirty filter effect fuel economy?
There are various studies done on this, and you can expect at least a 2% increase in fuel economy from a clean fuel filter.
When does my specific filter need changing?
If you check the service manual you will get the manufacturers suggested maintenance interval. If you are in for a service, we are able to check into it for you as well.
In need of a new fuel filter? We have you covered, just send us a note right here.