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Changing out your car's fuel filter may not be at the top of your routine auto maintenance list like oil changes and tire rotations. Heck, you may not even know what a fuel filter is.
But mechanics say periodically replacing fuel filters is a good idea because it helps keep your fuel pump and engine running smoothly.
The fuel pump is designed to catch particles, debris or impurities in the gas tank before the fuel reaches the pump, to ensure only clean gasoline reaches your engine.
"They get overlooked a lot and then can go unchanged for quite awhile with no problem," says Frank Satriano, owner of
Coachman Automotive in Clearwater, Florida. "Some cars have them in the gas tank and never get serviced, so it just depends on the car and what the manufacturer recommends."
It's important to note that many newer vehicles come with a non-serviceable filter located in the fuel tank, so you'll want to check your owner's manual to see whether it needs to be replaced.
Why you should replace your fuel filter
Like any filter, debris will clog it up over time. This causes the fuel pump to work harder, which can in turn lead to it breaking down. Engines can also be damaged from contaminated fuel.
"Today's vehicles are equipped with more state-of-the-art fuel injectors, which have very tight clearances," says Katy Kreitzer, service manager of
Kreitzer's Automotive Service in Enola, Pennsylvania. "If debris enters the fuel injector, it can clog the fuel passages and damage the injector. This may also result in a dripping of fuel instead of a fine spray mist that is required for efficient combustion."
According to
Ford Motor Co., you may want to think about changing the filter if the car is difficult to start, idles rough or stalls, has sluggish acceleration, decreased fuel economy or has a tank of bad gas.
Don't forget about replacing your car's fuel filter.Changing out your car's fuel filter may not be at the top of your routine auto maintenance list like oil changes and tire rotations. Heck, you may not even know what a fuel filter is.But mechanics say periodically replacing fuel filters is a good idea because it helps keep your fuel pump and engine running smoothly.The fuel pump is designed to catch particles, debris or impurities in the gas tank before the fuel reaches the pump, to ensure only clean gasoline reaches your engine."They get overlooked a lot and then can go unchanged for quite awhile with no problem," says Frank Satriano, owner of Coachman Automotive in Clearwater, Florida. "Some cars have them in the gas tank and never get serviced, so it just depends on the car and what the manufacturer recommends."It's important to note that many newer vehicles come with a non-serviceable filter located in the fuel tank, so you'll want to check your owner's manual to see whether it needs to be replaced.Why you should replace your fuel filterLike any filter, debris will clog it up over time. This causes the fuel pump to work harder, which can in turn lead to it breaking down. Engines can also be damaged from contaminated fuel."Today's vehicles are equipped with more state-of-the-art fuel injectors, which have very tight clearances," says Katy Kreitzer, service manager of Kreitzer's Automotive Service in Enola, Pennsylvania. "If debris enters the fuel injector, it can clog the fuel passages and damage the injector. This may also result in a dripping of fuel instead of a fine spray mist that is required for efficient combustion."According to Ford Motor Co., you may want to think about changing the filter if the car is difficult to start, idles rough or stalls, has sluggish acceleration, decreased fuel economy or has a tank of bad gas.Do Fuel Additives Really Work?There are many fuel additives on the market that claim to save gas and limit emissions. But consumer protection agencies say there is reason to be suspicious.Fuel filter replacementMost vehicles require fuel filter replacement periodically, although Kreitzer says there are many newer cars that come with a filter that's located inside the gas tank. In these vehicles, the fuel pump comes equipped with a fuel strainer and is only replaced when the entire fuel pump assembly is changed.Always check your owner's manual to see what the vehicle manufacturer's recommended guidelines are for fuel filter replacement.Sources online estimate filters should be replaced as soon as every 20,000 up to 40,000 miles or more."If none is specified [in the owner's manual], replace it every one to two years depending on miles driven," Kreitzer says. "Thirty thousand miles is a good idea for a ballpark interval."Bob Waeiss, owner of Integrity Automotive in Carmel, Indiana, says the old best practice would be to replace the filter every 30,000 miles but that's no longer the norm, he says."As clean as most fuels are today, you could push that off to 60,000 or 90,000 miles," Waeiss says. "Replacing a fuel filter for the first time at or above 100,000 miles may cause a fuel pump failure. Not sure why, other than over time the filter becomes restricted and the pump has to work harder to push the fuel through the line. When a new filter is installed, the pump can't handle the free flow, and it stops pumping."
Don't forget about replacing your car's fuel filter.Changing out your car's fuel filter may not be at the top of your routine auto maintenance list like oil changes and tire rotations. Heck, you may not even know what a fuel filter is.But mechanics say periodically replacing fuel filters is a good idea because it helps keep your fuel pump and engine running smoothly.The fuel pump is designed to catch particles, debris or impurities in the gas tank before the fuel reaches the pump, to ensure only clean gasoline reaches your engine."They get overlooked a lot and then can go unchanged for quite awhile with no problem," says Frank Satriano, owner of Coachman Automotive in Clearwater, Florida. "Some cars have them in the gas tank and never get serviced, so it just depends on the car and what the manufacturer recommends."It's important to note that many newer vehicles come with a non-serviceable filter located in the fuel tank, so you'll want to check your owner's manual to see whether it needs to be replaced.Why you should replace your fuel filterLike any filter, debris will clog it up over time. This causes the fuel pump to work harder, which can in turn lead to it breaking down. Engines can also be damaged from contaminated fuel."Today's vehicles are equipped with more state-of-the-art fuel injectors, which have very tight clearances," says Katy Kreitzer, service manager of Kreitzer's Automotive Service in Enola, Pennsylvania. "If debris enters the fuel injector, it can clog the fuel passages and damage the injector. This may also result in a dripping of fuel instead of a fine spray mist that is required for efficient combustion."According to Ford Motor Co., you may want to think about changing the filter if the car is difficult to start, idles rough or stalls, has sluggish acceleration, decreased fuel economy or has a tank of bad gas.Do Fuel Additives Really Work?There are many fuel additives on the market that claim to save gas and limit emissions. But consumer protection agencies say there is reason to be suspicious.Fuel filter replacementMost vehicles require fuel filter replacement periodically, although Kreitzer says there are many newer cars that come with a filter that's located inside the gas tank. In these vehicles, the fuel pump comes equipped with a fuel strainer and is only replaced when the entire fuel pump assembly is changed.Always check your owner's manual to see what the vehicle manufacturer's recommended guidelines are for fuel filter replacement.Sources online estimate filters should be replaced as soon as every 20,000 up to 40,000 miles or more."If none is specified [in the owner's manual], replace it every one to two years depending on miles driven," Kreitzer says. "Thirty thousand miles is a good idea for a ballpark interval."Bob Waeiss, owner of Integrity Automotive in Carmel, Indiana, says the old best practice would be to replace the filter every 30,000 miles but that's no longer the norm, he says."As clean as most fuels are today, you could push that off to 60,000 or 90,000 miles," Waeiss says. "Replacing a fuel filter for the first time at or above 100,000 miles may cause a fuel pump failure. Not sure why, other than over time the filter becomes restricted and the pump has to work harder to push the fuel through the line. When a new filter is installed, the pump can't handle the free flow, and it stops pumping."Fuel filter costFilter types can vary depending on the vehicle. However, Kreitzer says prices for a new fuel filter typically costs between $100 and $150, which includes parts and labor.According to Auto Service Costs, the average cost for a mechanic to install a new fuel filter is between $53 and $165, while ordering the part itself can cost around $14 to $60.
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