How Do I Know If My Fuel Filter Is Bad

When introducing any fluid to your vehicle, y'all need to ensure that the fluid doesn't have any contamination or impurity. That'southward why all vehicle fluids go through filters before they get into their destination.

Motorcar Repairs Are EXPENSIVE

For case, the vehicle has oil filters, brake filters, transmission filters, and, most importantly, fuel filters.

The fuel filter ensures that no contamination or impurities go into the engine combustion organization that could result in engine troubles.

Similar whatsoever component of your vehicle, the filter tells you when it'south close to failure before it even fails. It is important to go on an eye on signs of a bad fuel filter then you can fix it before it gets more complicated, resulting in significant mechanical problems in your vehicle.

In this article, we provide you lot with a quick overview of the fuel filter. Then, highlight the top signs of a bad fuel filter. Furthermore, we provide you will cost estimates for replacing your vehicle's fuel filter. Finally, we answer the most frequently asked questions nearly the bad fuel filter.

What is the fuel filter, and what does it do?

Before we dig into the details of a bad filter, information technology is important to sympathise what the fuel filter is and how it works. In one case you understand the functionality of the filter, you can pinpoint the signs of a bad filter yourself.

In a combustion system engine, this system would require a certain corporeality of fuel to be mixed with air to create a controlled explosion. To ensure that the air-fuel ratio is authentic, the fuel must go through a filter to remove any impurities and pocket-size particles that could touch on this ratio and overall explosion process.

The fuel filter is a pocket-sized component placed between the fuel tank and the fuel injector. In older vehicles, the fuel filter is placed in the fuel line; however, in newer vehicles, automakers were able to place the filter inside the fuel tank correct side by side to the exiting port line.

Once the fuel pump pushes fuel out of the fuel tank, it forces it to pass through the fuel filter, so the small particles and contaminations get trapped on the filter. This way, the resultant fuel is clean plenty and fix to go to the combustion system.

Overtime of usage, the fuel filter tin can go chock-full past the unlike particles and sediment wearing out from the fuel tank walls. Depending on the type of fuel that you lot're using, you might go to a point where you must change the fuel filter.

eight Signs of a bad fuel filter

As we indicated in the previous section come up on, the fuel tank filter can go clogged by particles from muddied fuel or are wearing a fuel tank. Like nigh vehicle components, the fuel filter will give some signs to indicate that it is close to failure. Some of the most common signs of a bad fuel filter include:

A significant modify in vehicles power in response to loads

If you were driving your vehicle uphill and noticed that information technology'due south losing power, it could be a sign of a bad filter.

When the vehicle is under stress, similar going up a Loma or has a lot of hauling, it will need much more fuel to produce more power that could resist and work confronting gravity. When you lot take a clogged filter, the fuel will not be able to pass through and get to the combustion system. As a consequence, y'all will notice a clear fluctuation in your vehicle'due south power in response to these stresses or loads.

Check engine low-cal illuminating

Your vehicle's internal calculator uses the check engine low-cal to indicate issues with your vehicle. While some of these issues tin can exist easily fixed, others might be very complicated and could event in complete vehicle failure.

A bad filter volition non trigger the check engine light to eliminate; however, the issues resulting from a bad filter tin trigger this check engine light.

For instance, if your mechanic told you lot that the cheque engine lights indicated an mistake code of P0171, the problem could be related to your fuel filter even if the lawmaking indicates an issue with the vehicle running on weak fuel.

Similarly, if the check engine calorie-free indicates an error code of P0174 that is related to an outcome with the mass airflow sensor, the culprit could exist related to a clogged or failing fuel filter.

Therefore, to avert kissing these bug, you must perform regular maintenance to your vehicle components, including the fuel filter.

A sudden engine misfire

While a partially clogged filter does not cause an engine misfire, if the filter is fully clogged, your vehicles driving uphill or have heavy loads, it is very likely to experience an engine misfire.

When the engine misfire happens, it is hard to pinpoint which cylinder got affected equally they required boosted fuel to assist the engine move up the Loma or conduct the heavy loads. Normally, engine misfire is caused by a combination of unlike factors, including the problematic fuel filter.

Again, engine misfire can happen due to multiple issues; Therefore, if the engine misfired come up on, it's not necessarily the fuel filter. Information technology would assistance if y'all first eliminated all the other factors that could lead to an engine misfire before you assume it's the fuel filter.

Engine stalling

Similar to the consequence with ability fluctuation, a problematic fuel filter can cause engine stalling. Even if your filter is clogged, you can withal start your vehicle; yet, as your vehicle continues running and burning more fuel, it might stall suddenly due to bereft fuel supply.

Nether normal operations, when you press on the gas pedal, you lot're asking the fuel pump to push button more fuel, so he reaches the combustion system and provides more power to the engine to accelerate. However, if your fuel filter is clogged, pressing the gas pedal can cause engine stalling because the fuel cannot pass through the clogged filter.

Engine not able to showtime

Issues with the engine not starting tin be related to many factors, including a problematic starter, a bad alternator, a faulty spark, and a expressionless battery. Interestingly, your engine might not also start due to a completely clogged filter. Y'all can confirm that by checking the fuel gauge and seeing fuel in the fuel tank.

When the engine doesn't showtime, the first matter yous need to check is the fuel pump considering the fuel pump is responsible for withdrawing the fuel and sending information technology to the combustion system. A declining fuel pump results in the engine not starting. If the pump is fine and all other components are non having whatsoever trouble and the engine even so doesn't start, and then its definitely a consummate fuel filter failure.

The fuel pump gets damaged

Since the fuel filter allows the period of fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel combustion system, whatsoever clogging in the fuel filter can put stress on the fuel pump. If the stress increased significantly, the fuel pump might get damaged completely.

Strong orders coming from the frazzle system

As a rule of thumb, if you started smelling any weird smells coming from your vehicle, this is an indication of an internal trouble with ane of the vehicle'due south components. Some of these problems might be easy to fix, while others might be very complicated and could result in complete vehicle damage.

While that orders can be related to multiple causes, a clogged filter might upshot in the exhaust emitting strong bad fumes. Whatever the cause of these orders, it is recommended that you never ignore them, and you take your vehicle to a professional mechanic to give the problem resolved. This fashion, you foreclose dealing with meaning or complicated mechanical issues that requires a lot of attempt and high repair costs.

Significant reduction in the fuel economy

A clogged fuel filter might sound that volition improve the fuel economy because not a lot of fuel will pass through to the combustion system. Unfortunately, this is not the example.

When the fuel filter blocks the fuel from passing through to the combustion system, the engine will demand an additional fuel supply. The engine will crave the fuel pump to transport much more than fuel than necessary to generate the appropriate ability. As a effect, the vehicle will commencement consuming much more fuel than usual, causing a bad fuel economy.

How much does it price to supercede a fuel filter?

The actual fuel filter office is non very expensive, and it's expected to cost you betwixt $14.00 and $60.00. However, considering the labor costs come up on expect the bill, she will go every bit loftier as betwixt $100 and $150.

To clarify, Mechanical repair costs are divided into two groups: parts cost and labor cost.

Even if the part is not very expensive, along the location where y'all get the job done determines your terminal beak. In other words, if you get your fuel filter replaced at a small repair shop come on you will be expecting to pay less coin than getting information technology done at a dealership hey

Some people try to modify the fuel filter by themselves to save loftier labor repair costs. While this idea might be smart, replacing a fuel filter can be a trivial tricky if yous don't have the required mechanical skill sets, every bit you might cause boosted troubles that could require repair costs higher than the actual filter replacement.

Therefore, depending on your mechanical skills, y'all are the all-time person to determine if it'due south worth replacing your fuel filter by yourself or getting the task done at and mechanic shop.

Many people endeavour to utilise the DIYs from the Internet; unfortunately, it is known that DIY'southward practise not work for the first time, and there'southward a large take chances that will fill replacing your fuel filter. Therefore, if you don't take the conviction and previous experience with replacing your fuel filter, it is meliorate to leave it to the professionals and have it done by a professional mechanic.

How long does a fuel filter last?

Automobile experts recommend that you modify your fuel filter one time every five years or every 50,000 miles. Nevertheless, many professional mechanics propose changing your fuel filter at effectually x,000 miles to forestall dealing with complicated issues with the combustion arrangement.

While this number tin can be wildly applied to multiple vehicles, the all-time place to observe accurate details is the owner'due south manual. Depending on new vehicles brand, model, and year, you will determine an exact duration of how often to alter the fuel filter.

Another matter to keep in heed, the type of fuel that you are using can as well suggest when to change your filter if it's sooner than the suggested number in the vehicle owner's manual. The vehicles owner manual assumes a specific level of fuel purity, and if y'all are non using a properly sure fuel, you might shorten the life of your fuel filter.

Decision

Whatever liquid and your engine take to pass through some filtering. The vehicle has many filters similar the brake fuel filter, the coolant filter, and the fuel filter.

The fuel filter is responsible or ensuring that any fuel going to the combustion organisation doesn't have contamination or large particles. Over time of use, the fuel filter gets clogged and needs to exist replaced to ensure proper vehicle operation.

There are many signs of a bad filled fuel filter, including engine fluctuation in power, bank check engine light illuminating, engine misfire, engine not starting, and engine stalling.

While you can drive your vehicle if it has a partially clogged filter for a short period, if the filter goods are completely clogged, information technology tin can result in meaning engine failure if ignored. Therefore, if y'all notice whatever of the signs of a bad fuel filter, you must become it replaced to avert further complicated mechanical issues with the vehicle that will cost yous a lot of time and money.