Fuel Filter

The Most Effective Way to Extend the Life of Your Car that You Never Knew About

Let’s face it, while a car is a necessity for most people, it can cost an average of $12,000 a year between car payments, insurance, gas, maintenance and repairs. Although you can’t avoid most of those, high repair costs are something you definitely can if you take proper care of your car and ensure it is up to date on its scheduled maintenance. Taking care of your fuel filter can end up being one of the most cost effective ways to extending the life of your car and your dollars.

Fuel FilterFuel Filter

Automobiles require general maintenance to remain running at their peak performance. One of the most basic general maintenance items to address is the fuel filter. The fuel filter is located in quite a few differing locations on many vehicles due to design, but for the most part, if you drive a basic economy vehicle the fuel filter is located under the hood. Although, many performance cars are designed with the fuel filter located mid-fuel line under the car for increased flow and performance. Either way, all fuel filters are located along the fuel lines and should be changed regularly as a preventative measure.

Purpose

Gasoline contains particles, some much larger than you would think, that can be passed through the fuel delivery system and into your engine. Considering the high force the pistons in an engine create and the highly compressed air-fuel mixture necessary for the combustion process to occur, keeping particles out of this system is paramount in keeping the engine failure gremlins at bay. The other issue that could arise from ignoring an old, dirty fuel filter is the injectors are at a higher risk of becoming clogged causing premature wear.

Supposedly, the gasoline you pump into your car at the average station is filtered at the pump. But in reality, this is not always the case. Furthermore, the fuel you put in your car has the possibility of being contaminated with water from a number of sources. These sources include leaky underground storage tanks, improperly mixed alcohol blends and even watered-down gasoline as a ploy to make a quick buck. The purity of gas is not guaranteed as you cannot inspect before you fill up, which is the reason behind staying on top of the fuel filter as a regular tune up item.

Changing the Fuel Filter

There are a few precautions you need to be aware of when changing the fuel filter in your vehicle. First, most modern cars have a high pressure fuel system and this pressure needs to be relieved prior to removing the old fuel filter. Check your cars shop manual for specific methods to do this but most methods involve ridding the fuel lines of fuel before removing fuel filter. Removing the fuse that runs the fuel pump and running the car until the lines are empty is a common method of going about this for most vehicles. When installing a new fuel filter, it is important to install the filter so that the flow of fuel is in the correct direction. The fuel filter should be labeled indicating the direction of flow for ease of installation. The inlet side of the filter will connect to the fuel lines coming from the fuel tank and the outlet side will connect to the lines going to the engine.

The Big Question: How Often to Change a Fuel Filter

As the fuel filter is one of the easiest maintenance items to replace, it should not be overlooked and addressed at regular intervals. Each car will have a service manual that dictates how often this item should be replaced, but a standard recommendation is to replace every year. The stress daily driving can place on a vehicle can cause certain items to wear quicker than others and the fuel filter is one of these items. Some mechanics will recommend replacing the fuel filter every year during a regular tune up, while other mechanics disagree. You should address your fuel filter more frequently if you live in an area prone to higher pollution or if your car sees higher mileage conditions than normal.

Conclusion

Higher mileage vehicles should be taken more seriously when it comes to tune up items including the fuel filter. By the time a vehicle reaches it’s sixth or seventh birthday, there can be a good amount of rust and debris in the fuel tank. Rust in the fuel system is formed by moisture and condensation, and debris can get into your tank anytime you add fuel. Staying on top of your cars tune up items is important to to keeping an efficient vehicle and attaining the highest MPGs possible. More MPGs means more money in your pocket, so changing your car’s fuel filter every year would be to your advantage.

This article was written by David Holly. David has had over 5 years of experience with car repairs and now works for Linear Automotive.